Downtown streetscaping project gets closer to reality

It won’t be an overnight change, but the face of downtown Bradenton will undergo a significant facelift that will make the urban setting a lot more inviting and pedestrian friendly.

Less is more has been the mantra of the streetscaping project with public engagement coming to an end. Most residents want change but not too much. In response to those comments, Kimley Horn, hired in March to design the project, presented their concept for the first time to the city council on Wednesday.

The project includes elements of landscaping, public art, public spaces, enhanced lighting and much more all through the downtown area. The city is also expected to finalize a contract with the construction contractor next week.

The primary project goal is to increase pedestrian safety and walkability from Riverwalk, through downtown and to the Village of the Arts. Kimley Horn’s presentation includes increasing street furniture and traffic calming measures and eliminating downtown brick pavers in favor of uniquely designed concrete materials with colorful surface treatments.

The company has come up with a “wavy” or “ribbon” design to complement the city’s historic ties to the Manatee River and help guide pedestrians to all downtown has to offer. More public space was a common theme in public comments and Kimley Horn plans to implement a relatively new concept by using parklets and expanding sidewalks where possible.

Parklets use some existing parking spaces for other public uses. The concept enhances the sidewalk experience, calms traffic and changes for the better the pedestrian experience. Much debate went into the potential elimination of parking spaces on Old Main Street or even shutting it down to traffic for good.

DDA board member Mike Carter said the Downtown Merchants opposed that plan and Mayor Wayne Poston agreed, saying, “We have some demographic issues we have to think about here. Our population is older than other cities. Walkability is different for a 65-year-old than it is for a 27-year-old.”

The trick is to find the balance between accommodating that older population and a growing number of millennials. Realize Bradenton Executive Director Johnette Isham said the plan strikes that balance.

“I’m really excited about this,” Isham said. “It’s more than bricks and motor. It’s economic development and events that will bring people to our urban core. These 10,000 millennials want to spend all day in downtown like they do in St. Pete. This plan will give those 10,000 more reasons to be down here.”

Estimated costs are still unknown, but Poston said the city isn’t likely to try a one-time payout.

“Remember that we are not doing this one whole piece at a time,” he said. “We are doing it a piece at a time and going to see how some things work and how some don’t. This will be a work in progress over a period of time. It won’t be paid for in one annual budget. This will be multi-year funding.”

The project is expected to focus on the downtown area first, working out from Old Main Street to 13th Street West to the west and 10th Street West to the east as a starting point. From north to south, it will essentially be from the Manatee River to Eighth Avenue West and connecting to the Village of the Arts.

The city also contracted Kimley Horn to begin designing the eastward expansion of Riverwalk in August.

This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Downtown streetscaping project gets closer to reality."