HUMBOLDT — Downtown beautification efforts will get a boost this coming year as Seventh Street will get receive decorative improvements.
“In 2019, we replaced the water mains in this area,” said Peter Bergquist, Humboldt’s public works director. “Now we are restoring the road and in the process, we want to take in some of the features identified in the downtown revitalization strategy study from 2017.”
Council chose from three options, deciding to go with a moderate one that’s expected to cost around $451,000 at their Feb. 24 meeting.
Key features include decorative street lights, completion of the west sidewalk between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue, improvements to the east sidewalk from Sixth Avenue to around where the Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel is and some decorative trees.
A more expensive option looked at placing bump outs at the intersection of Seventh Street and Sixth Avenue, similar to the ones found at the intersection of Main Street and Sixth Avenue.
Bergquist said they found the bump outs would have affected the drainage of the area significantly, due to it being so flat.
The bump outs would have been used to calm vehicular traffic flow for pedestrians, but there is less traffic volume on Seventh Street compared to Main Street and Ninth Street.
“We're hoping to focus future bump outs in other areas of the city where we can accommodate them.”
The public works director said the city is now working on a tender package for contractors to bid on. The plan is to install wiring for the street lights when the ground thaws, then have the work done over the summer.
Bergquist said the city understands Seventh Street is going to be messy, especially during spring thaw, until it dries up.
“We thank motorists for their patience until we can get this dry and back under control.”
