PEORIA (25News Now) – Peoria Heights village leaders are planning to make the community more pedestrian-friendly.
Mayor Michael Phelan said more people are choosing to walk or bike, so village leaders are planning to improve infrastructure. He said the Active Transportation Plan will hopefully increase people’s quality of life.
“It also just enhances the community in so many other ways and promotes good health, being outdoors,” Phelan said. “We’re happy with the results of that.”
The project focuses on increasing accessibility, connectivity, and safety. Village leaders plan to widen sidewalks to be ADA-compliant, build more trails to make traveling to schools and other locations easier, and make roads and crosswalks safer.
“People that have some challenges getting on sidewalks or trails, all of those voices are heard and all of those are taken into consideration,” Phelan said.
Peoria Heights Community Development Director Wayne Aldrich said safety and accessibility are the top priority.
“Bike facilities as well as potentially bike trails, road diet we call it, where you reduce the number of lanes, could be considered,” Aldrich said.
With potential plans to add onto the Rock Island Trail, Phelan and Aldrich hope an expanded trail system could be good for businesses, too.
“We’re in a very beautiful area by the river so we want to promote eco-tourism,” Aldrich said.
“It brings thousands of people annually through the village,” Phelan said. “It’s really good for our businesses to have those folks passing through the community.”
Aldrich said the plan also includes road work on Glen Avenue, Prospect, and Galena Roads.
Village leaders said money for the updates could come from grants, the capital improvement plan, and tax increment financing districts. The village already received a $50,000 grant from the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and a $10,000 local donation.
The village will hold more community meetings for people to give their input on the plans.
Leaders hope to finalize the plan this year and start making the improvements within the next five years.
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