Work has started on the new pedestrian island being installed on Main Street in downtown St. Joseph.
Assistant City Manager Emily Hackworth tells us the city started talking about ways to make crossing Main Street easier during the busy summer months a couple of years ago. The pedestrian island came out of those discussions.
“It’s a temporary island that will be installed in the middle of Main Street, right at the intersection of Pleasant, that is meant to help pedestrians cross more safely,” Hackworth said. “So, it’s temporary. It will require some work from the public works team here at the city of St. Joseph to get it installed, and it’ll be in all summer, and then removed at the end of the season so that plows can make their way through once we’re back in snow season.”
The island will take a couple of days to finish. It’s located at the Main Street intersection with Pleasant Street because Hackworth says a lot of pedestrians cross there, which isn’t always the safest thing to do in the summer.
Hackworth notes the Michigan Department of Transportation is paying attention to the island as it plans a redesign of Main Street downtown. It’s possible the new redesign will incorporate something similar on a permanent basis.
There will be an open house at St. Joseph City Hall Thursday for the MDOT redesign. It’s taking place from 4:30 to 6:30, and everyone’s invited.
