The Hilltop Village Campus in Davenport will soon unveil its “Master Plan” to update and improve the commercial district neighborhood. (The campus roughly stretches south from Fifth Street in downtown to St. Ambrose University’s campus on the north and between Perry and Ripley streets on the east and west.)
The plan unveiling will be at noon Friday, Feb. 13, at the Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose University, Davenport. Go here to attend the meeting.
“It is my sincerest hope that through this Master Plan, the residents, business owners, and stakeholders of the Hilltop see a more focused vision for the revitalization of this area of Davenport,” HCV Executive Director Brian Kramer said.
The Master Plan has been in the works for years. It outlines work centering on streets and intersections that will be made safer and more attractive; better signage to attract visitors and help businesses; and improved commercial areas.
“This Master Plan is not a ‘Silver Bullet,’ but a map. A map is a document that helps explain how you will get from point A to point B. That is what the Hilltop needed,” Mr. Kramer said.
“This plan will help us do three things: It will help us lay out our goals and create ways we can measure success; it will help us tell the story of where we are going to our funders and stakeholders; and finally, it will help us showcase what we are planning to do for future developers, small business owners, and the residents of this area of Davenport,” he added.
About 25 residents – most living in the HCV or with business ties to the area – got a view of a preliminary version and offered their opinions during a community focus group meeting held, Aug. 20, at the Rogalski Center.
Focus on pedestrians
Some of the ideas presented at that meeting included ways to help pedestrians.
They included:
- Repaint crosswalks with white bars to increase visibility.
- Replace some traffic lights and use leading pedestrian intervals to make crossing safer.
- In discussions on the Harrison-Locust streets intersection, part of the plan is to reduce westbound roadway to one through lane and one turn lane.
During the August meeting, other ideas focused on making intersections safer for pedestrians by creating a series of pedestrian “bulb-outs.” Those safety zones on the streets for pedestrians are established through painted areas on the streets and other elements, such as planter boxes and bollards. These elements are meant to help slow traffic, reduce accidents and improve visibility to create safer places for pedestrians trying to cross the streets.
