A small group of interested merchants, property owners, city officials and the developer for the planned Library parking lot attended the Public Meeting hosted by the City and Landplan Consultants (architects for Collinsville's Phase II Tea-21 Streetscape). Mayor Sallee indicated there might be an evening meeting later on for anyone unable to attend this initial daytime meet.

Keith Franklin (of Landplan) indicated the design would require ODOT approval (and environmental impact approval) before bids could go out. He indicated that if that process went extremely well it might be possible to start construction this summer, but that the ODOT approval has taken as long as 6 months in some cases.

The new roadway and sidewalk widths will match those in Phase I (on Main Street from 10th to 12th). No business door ramps will be required in Phase II.

The total budget for the project is approximately $897K with $296,663 from the recent city sales tax increase and the other $600,284 federal funding from ODOT. The economic townturn has provided recent bids well under "old" estimated construction costs and city officials are hopefull that will be true for this bid also..

The planned Library parking lot (east of the Library) is a separate project funded by the Library (not ODOT). That one way lot (from Main to the alley) is already in the city approval process and might start before the other streetscape work. I don't have current status on the planned parking lot paving between the funeral home and fire station. -- Ted Wright 2/6/2010 (3am)