Members of the public are invited to participate in an online survey seeking feedback on reconstruction plans for a portion of downtown Rock Island.
Plans include reconstruction of the Second Avenue pedestrian mall; the addition of a mini roundabout at 2nd Avenue and 18th Street; a gateway between the downtown business district and Schwiebert Riverfront Park; construction of a dog park on 21st Street; parklets for outdoor dining; public art installations; pop-up vendor stalls; landscaping; decorative lighting; and more.Â
The Rock Island Downtown Alliance hosted a public meeting late last month to review those plans with various downtown stakeholders. Construction on those Rock Island projects could start next spring.
The survey will be open until midnight on Wednesday, July 12. Responses will be organized and presented to the Rock Island City Council during a Monday, July 24, study session at City Hall, 1528 Third Ave.
The $7.3 million Rebuild Downtown Rock Island project is being funded with $3 million from a state Rebuild Illinois Downtowns grant, $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, $1.5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District funds, and a $267,000 State of Illinois Tourism Attractions grant. In addition, Illinois Casualty Company, whose headquarters are in downtown, is contributing a parcel of land and up to $100,00 for the development of the dog park.
To take the survey and/or view conceptual renderings and animated videos of the plans go to rigov.org/rebuildri. A direct link to the public survey can be found here.
For more information, contact Community Engagement Manager Sarah Hayden at 309-732-2019 or hayden.sarah@rigov.org.
