PRESENT
W.T. Gladden Family Event Center
HERE’S THE TIMELINE
STAGE 1: Monroe Avenue Restriping (JUNE – AUGUST 2024)
PHASE 1: • Remove a layer of asphalt and current pavement marking and seal cracks • New designated truck route established • Speed limit reduced
Weddings ❋ Corporate Events ❋ Private Parties
PHASE 2: • Seal coat street
PHASE 3: • Repaint pavement markings • Restriping of Monroe Avenue to two lane road • Additional parallel parking added • Designated driveway access stripped PHASE 4: • Painting of future Parklet areas, no parking in this area • Crosswalk work • Thermal painting of road markings STAGE 2: Landscape demonstration IN PROGRESS SINCE MID-OCTOBER • This stage of improvements will introduce parklets in front of local businesses on Monroe Avenue between
A Sept. 24, drone’s-eye view of the “new downtown” looking west down Monroe Avenue from 4th Street.
trailers from using Monroe Avenue as an Interstate 10 detour. The city spokesperson noted the only semi-trucks permitted on Monroe Avenue will be for local deliveries. Carlson gave this prong a rare nod of approval, as trucks often dropped nails and screws in the road to the detriment of unsuspecting commuters. However, he emphasized he — and he feels a lot of other people — want to see Monroe Avenue return to the way it was before. “Simply restriping it back the way it was would be perfect,” he concluded. The makeover is supposed to make downtown Buckeye more attractive to the city dwellers, but Carlson said he feels the cons outweigh the pros. “Everybody is frustrated with it,” Carlson said. “I have yet to find anyone that likes it the way it is now.” The first parklets and some temporary landscaping come during phase two, which is in progress and will be completed next year. Phase three adds more parklets and landscaping from First Street to Ninth Street. Three design options will be presented for public feedback this fall with the final design revealed at a public meeting this winter ahead of the 2025 installation. The city does not know in which year the fifth and final stage will be complete. Landscaping demonstrations, including a sample parklet, will be on display on Monroe Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets this month. This preview will give businesses, residents and visitors a taste of what’s to come — love it or hate it.
from 30 to 25 miles per hour and 15 miles per hour near Buckeye Elementary School. “Honestly, it’s annoying as hell,” Carlson said. “There was no reason to drop it down lanes and restrict the speed limit so much like they did.” You can’t park(let) there! The city will convert existing curbside parking spots into dining patios and retail displays called parklets in a future phase. It has painted where the parklets will be. These parklets and landscaping are meant to transform Monroe Avenue from a highway to a relaxed, pedestrian-friendly main street. But today, the sites are just lines in the sand or, more accurately, grey lines painted on pavement, sparking confusion about parking for some residents. “People park there all the time,” Carlson said. “It really just needs to go back to the way that it was. Why fix what wasn’t broke?” The parklets are expected to be useful during events like Buckeye Days, Glow on Monroe and the Halloween Carnival when the city shuts down the street. However, several residents said, with the road capacity halved, there’s no room for such large-scale events that safety concerns will likely push them away from downtown as they would do more harm than good to businesses there. Others said they feared the parklets would become homeless encampments. Keep on truckin’ DSAP’s first phase ended with a new designated truck route that will keep tractor-
Fifth and Sixth Streets as well as temporary landscaping elements.
STAGE 3: Interim improvements (FALL 2025 – TBD) • This stage will continue the
introduction of parklets and temporary landscaping elements from First Street to Ninth Street. There will also be three design options presented for public feedback this fall and the final design will be presented this winter ahead of the 2025 installation. STAGE 4: Storm drain, fiber installation (TBD) • This phase will replace storm drains and install fiber along Monroe Avenue. STAGE 5: A new cityscape (TBD) • The final phase will include widening sidewalks, installing underground utilities and enhancing the landscape.
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Please contact BWCDD at contact@bwcdd.com to inquire about pricing options.
InBuckeye.com | Fall 2024
Fall 2024 | InBuckeye.com
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