Contact: Special Projects Manager Joan Davenport – 576-6417
Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler – 901-1142 – randy.beehler@yakimawa.gov
Release Date: February 1st, 2013
Plans to revitalize North 1st Street, one of the major entry ways into Yakima, got a major boost recently when the City of Yakima was awarded a $2.7 million grant as part of the federal Surface Transportation Program (“STP”).
The federal funds will be used to complete the first phase of what will be a multi-phase project to make sidewalk, lighting, landscaping, and other improvements along the entire North 1st Street corridor from Highway 12 to Lincoln Avenue.
The STP grant will pay for Phase 1 of the North 1st Street Corridor Revitalization Project, which will include street resurfacing, drainage improvements, new sidewalks, pedestrian friendly lighting, benches, banner poles, and a variety of landscaping upgrades being made between Highway 12 and “N” Street. Work on Phase 1 of the project is expected to begin in the spring of 2014.
“The STP grant represents a down payment on what will be a long-term investment in making the North 1st Street corridor an attractive and inviting gateway into Yakima,” said City Special Projects Manager Joan Davenport. “We’re in the process of identifying other sources of funding that could help pay for additional phases of the revitalization project. The STP grant gives us a good start,” said Davenport. “Now we have to keep the ball rolling.”
Making improvements along the North 1st Street corridor was identified by the City Council as one of its priorities in 2011. That year the Council formed an ad hoc committee and worked with property owners and business owners in the area and held a series of community forums to develop a concept for the improvements. A brochure describing the concept for the project can be found on the City website at the following link – http://bit.ly/Vtyer9
Results of the 2012 Yakima Citizen Survey also showed that community members want the City to do more to improve the overall appearance of Yakima. According to Davenport, the North 1st Street Corridor Revitalization Project is part of the City’s effort to meet that expectation.