City and neighborhood leaders mark the opening of Sixth Avenue west of its intersection with Seventh Avenue with a ribbon-slicing ceremony Friday in Marion. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
MARION — The new Sixth Avenue in Marion, a highway challenge more than a decade in the building, is now completely open to traffic.
The city held a ribbon chopping Friday morning to celebrate the opening of the highway that operates involving two roundabouts at Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street and at 26th Street, the previous Marion Iron web-site.
“This is likely just one of the most enjoyable assignments I can think of,” Neighborhood Enhancement Director and Acting City Supervisor Tom Treharne mentioned. “When I first arrived in Marion in 2001, one of the 1st issues was what we ended up heading to do with this and the Seventh Avenue corridor.”
The Central Corridor Approach was adopted in 2009 in an try to revitalize and redevelop the Uptown Marion spot.
A handful of yrs ahead of the plan was adopted, the city purchased the railroad ideal of way that is now Sixth Avenue.
“The dialogue at the time was to increase the chance,” Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly stated.
The approach was to make a road along the suitable of way so downtown targeted visitors would be well balanced between Sixth and Seventh avenues, producing a additional pedestrian-friendly Uptown.
In addition, attributes that when housed warehouses and sector were being removed and are now in a posture to develop into a mix of industrial and residential.
Seventh Avenue in the heart of Uptown Marion is now below design as component of the city’s streetscape task.
“It’s truly going to enhance land worth of the encompassing property,” Principal Planner Dave Hockett claimed. “Developers are going to commence taking recognize of that and see prospects to get associated and do a thing. It also offers our community organizations increased publicity, way too.”
The Sixth Avenue layout and design value $17.4 million, with about $6 million delivered by community-selection product sales tax dollars. The final phase, which opened Friday, price about $5.9 million.
Trail lengthening
Wider sidewalks also had been included on Sixth Avenue, which is aspect of the Grant Wooden Path and addresses 8.5 miles in numerous segments.
“What started off as a 3.2-mile grass route and a aspiration has practically doubled to 6.2 miles of continuous path,” explained Phillip Platz, president of the Linn County Trails Association.
“With close to-term strategies, that size will double all over again in the future couple of several years, connecting Cedar Rapids in close proximity to the Cedar Valley Character Trail, as a result of Marion, and on towards Springville.”
Additional trail segments are open in Jones and Clinton counties.
Construction of a new bridge around Marion Boulevard will shortly be underway and will entire the trail’s connection from the former Lindale Path (now the Grant Wooden Path) into Uptown Marion and Linn County.
Responses: (319) 398-8255 gage.miskimen@thegazette.com
Sixth Avenue is now open west of its intersection with Seventh Avenue in Marion. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly provides remarks all through a Friday ribbon-slicing marking the opening of Sixth Avenue west of its intersection with Seventh Avenue in Marion. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
This aerial photograph, furnished by Marion Town Council member Grant Harper, displays the recently opened stretch Sixth Avenue in Marion through Friday ribbon-chopping proceedings. (Grant Harper)
Building is underway on Seventh Avenue in Uptown Marion, as revealed in this Friday photograph. The opening of Sixth Avenue is supposed to break up the traffic with Seventh Avenue and develop a far more pedestrian-friendly downtown. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Design is underway on Seventh Avenue in Uptown Marion on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
