'Long past due': $2 million sidewalk project coming to this Peoria neighborhood
A sidewalk project residents of South Peoria say is "long past due" is coming to the area near Manual High School.
The Peoria City Council approved use of $2 million in federal funds for a project that will install and rehabilitate sidewalks throughout the 61605 ZIP code while also adding Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalk ramps.
A bulk of the sidewalk work is centered around Marquette and Garden streets from Laramie Street to Ligonier Street. Additional work will be done on South Griswold Street and a host of other sidewalk intersections across South Peoria.
Sidewalks in those areas are either busted up and overgrown with grass or non-existent. This project will change that, making sidewalks connected and walkable.
Work on the project — which is still in its design stage — is expected to begin this coming fall or spring 2025, depending on weather and schedule, according to the Peoria Public Works Department.
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Mildred Rodgers of the Pilgrims Progress Church on Marquette Street said the sidewalk work was "long past due."
"It'll improve it greatly because we've had desires to do walking through the neighborhood, and because we don't have sidewalks in most of this area, it poses a problem. That means we have to walk in the street," Rodgers said. "We do notice they are working on other areas, but most of this area doesn't have sidewalks. So, the sidewalks will be very beneficial and will also improve the appearance of the neighborhood."
Linda Owens, who lives on Marquette Street, said the new sidewalks will be a welcome change.
"Some people don't have them, these here are torn up, you're stumbling when you're walking," Owens said.
The new and improved sidewalks also will help students who are walking to Manual High School.
"It's safer with the sidewalks — it's a safety factor," Rodgers said. "If you've got the sidewalks to walk on then you don't have to worry about the traffic, and some of these people come through here with crazy on their mind and they could hit anybody. They don't know the meaning of speed limits."
Porch lighting program coming to South Peoria, other parts of city
Peoria will also spend $500,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds on a contract with Fleming Electric to do the city's porch and alley lighting violence prevention program.
The Peoria City Council approved the contract with Fleming Electric at its meeting on April 23. They had previously earmarked money for the lighting in January.
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Lighting for porches, alleys and vacant lots will be put in place through this program in high crime areas across the city. Community Development Director Joe Dulin said that includes areas in South Peoria, the East Bluff, North Valley and Central Peoria.
"Well-lit areas obviously allow people to see what's going, make sure people aren't hiding places, make sure it's not an attractive nuisance, an attractive target," Dulin said.
Other funding from Peoria's ARPA money will be used to clear vegetation from vacant lots in high crime areas.
Dulin said there is a pressing need for this as Peoria conducted quite a bit of demolitions in the past few years.
"The vacant lots often have scrub trees or overgrown trees, and we're going to work to remove those so it's kind of a clear green space," Dulin said. "That will allow less people to hide in places, will make the neighborhood more attractive for people who are looking to move in there and improve the overall community with that strategy."
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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria will spend $2 million on sidewalk project
