City of Puyallup announcement.
Puyallup, WA – The City of Puyallup is hosting an Open House for the Meridian Streetscapes Project on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. The event will be held in person at the Pioneer Park Pavilion with two sessions, the first from 12 pm to 2 pm and the second from 5 pm to 7 pm. It will be informal in nature, and residents are encouraged to drop in and stay as long or as short as they’d like. Feedback and questions on our proposed downtown streetscapes projects are highly encouraged.
This will be the second Open House for the project. The first one was held virtually in January 2022, where the City’s consultant, MIG, gave an update on the project and solicited feedback from attendees. During the Open House, attendees had the chance to participate in fun, ice-breaker exercises that got them thinking about downtown infrastructure improvements.
City Economic Development Manager Meredith Neal looks back on the first Open House. “We heard a lot of useful feedback from the public,” says Neal. “A few important issues that rose to the top of the list were pedestrian safety, wayfinding signage, and better street furnishings such as public benches. Our consultant took that feedback, as well as feedback from our online survey, and incorporated it into their list of recommended projects, which they will share with the public at the next Open House.”
During the second Open House, MIG will present eleven proposed projects that will enhance the City’s downtown streetscape environment. Some of these projects include street and pedestrian improvements, street tree replacements, street furnishing standards, and a downtown wayfinding plan. Attendees will be given an opportunity to provide feedback on these proposed projects, identify which projects are most important to them, and get a chance to ask questions and interact with the consultants.
“The team has identified a variety of projects that will improve the quality and character of Puyallup’s downtown streets,” says Nathan Polanski, Senior Civil Engineer at MIG. “At the Open House, we’ll be looking for feedback to understand what projects are most important to the community and what elements need to be considered. These projects will set the stage for Puyallup’s future capital improvements downtown. With that said, it is important that we hear from residents and get their buy-in.”
The project team is also planning some other cool things for the Open House, including food carts and kid activities. “We are in talks with some of our local food carts to be at the Pavilion for the Open House,” says Neal. “Pioneer Park in the summer is such a hot spot for the community. Enhancing the Open House with things like food and activities makes it feel more approachable and entices the community to come out and weigh in on the project.”
The Meridian Streetscapes Project seeks to identify new ways to enhance the character, aesthetic, and functionality of streets in Downtown Puyallup. To help with the project, the City hired MIG to develop a prioritized list of recommendations to improve streetscape environments and public infrastructure downtown. The public is encouraged to learn more about this project by going to the Meridian Streetscapes Project webpage.
In 2018, the City identified streetscape improvements as a goal within the Downtown Neighborhood Plan, which is a part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. In 2019, the City adopted a Downtown Economic Development Plan, which included strategies to improve walkability and create a strong downtown identity for residents and visitors. The Meridian Streetscapes Project seeks to address and define these goals and strategies, which will bring Puyallup one step closer to making downtown a more walkable and enjoyable experience.
For questions about the Open House, and the project, please email the City at meridianstreetscapes@puyallupwa.gov.
