WEST SPRINGFIELD – On April 12, the town of West Springfield hosted a Complete Street Design Kick-Off event at the West Springfield Council on Aging. Citizens were invited to attend the event to learn more about the upcoming Park Street/Park Avenue complete street design project.

Maps representing proposed ideas for the street design project were posted at the front of the room as citizens filled tables, taking turns sharing their individual ideas for the high traffic area.

The Park Street/Park Avenue complete street design project began when the Town of West Springfield applied for funding from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in order to research and develop improvements to the design of Park Street and Park Avenue. Additional traffic from the development of MGM Casino has resulted in an increased focus on the area.

According to a document presented to visitors during the Complete Street Design Kick-Off event, “The focus of this project will be on addressing and balancing the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, freight, commercial and emergency vehicles in the project area.”

Park Street and Park Avenue currently connects to several major areas of West Springfield including the town common, Coburn Elementary School, the senior center and the town library.

Residents who attended the event were asked to observe a series of potential options for the street design and to mark their choice for which they felt best suited the project using a sticker.

The event also included a survey for residents to complete that would help the town and Project Manager Tim Inacio to better understand the needs of those who utilize Park Street and Park Avenue. Questions on the survey included, “How do you travel along Park Street/Park Avenue?” and “What design elements are most important to you for the Park Street/ Park Avenue design?”

Other issues discussed at the kick-off event included the implementation of a bicycle path and methods for increased safety at intersections.

A map displayed at the event showed ideas such as enlarged islands, relocated crosswalks and widened sidewalks.

The Complete Street Design Kick-Off event marked the first event in the overall schedule of developing the project. In May and June, alternatives and conceptual design public workshops will be hosted. The preliminary design will be completed during Summer 2019 and the town hopes to have the final design completed by Fall 2019.

For up to date information regarding the Park Street/Park Avenue complete street design project, visit the West Springfield town website at www.townofwestspringfield.org or the West Springfield town Twitter, @my01089. For questions about the project, please contact Project Manager Tim Inacio at tinacio@townofwestspringfield.org.