Improvements planned for Block Avenue in 2010

Fans of the Dickson Street and recent College Avenue renovation projects will be happy to know that similar improvements are in the works for Block Avenue (a.k.a. Block Street).

New sidewalks, street trees, and decorative street lighting are all part of the city transportation division’s Sidewalk and Overlay Construction Plan for 2010. A new asphalt overlay and striping complete with bicycle “Sharrow” symbols are also included in the project. Sharrow symbols are becoming popular around the country and are meant to remind drivers to share certain roads with bicyclists.

According to the city’s website, the improvements will provide a safer, more pedestrian-friendly, aesthetically pleasing link between Dickson Street and the downtown square, while also improving the water, sewer, and drainage infrastructure.

Back-in angle Parking

A drop-in public meeting to review the options will be held today, Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. at City Hall Room 111. City staff will be available during those times to discuss the plans and take comments from residents.

Two of the options being presented tonight include back-in angle parking. This is a new concept for Fayetteville, but officials say back-in parking has been used successfully in cities such as Birmingham, Ala., Charlotte, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn.

Officials say the use of back-in parking is increasingly being used throughout the U.S. due to its inherent safety advantages. A city document points out a 2003 Kulash and Lockwood study that found the relatively new procedure to be superior to conventional head-in/back-out parking for safety reasons due to better visibility when leaving.

For more information on back-in angle parking and to see the three improvement options on the table for Block Avenue, consider stopping by for tonight’s meeting, even if only for a few minutes.

Public Block Avenue improvement meeting

Wednesday, Jan. 20City Hall Room 111, 4-7 p.m. (drop-in meeting)