Fulton downtown streetscape plans under development

FULTON – As they work to get a plan in hand, Fulton’s city leaders are pushing toward a downtown redevelopment plan that would replace all infrastructure on its main business thoroughfare and could lead to more upgrades for other streets as well.

Mayor Wendy Ottens has been in office for three years and has made it her main focus for the city to create, fund and complete a downtown streetscape plan.

The city currently is developing the streetscape plan, a more than $5 million project that would include new street and sewer infrastructure on Fourth Street, most likely from Ninth Avenue south to 14th Avenue.

Part of that plan includes deciding if Fourth Street, now a two-way street, once again will become a one-way road. Years ago, the one-way street ran south from 10th to 13th avenues. The problem was motorists coming off the Illinois 136 Bridge from Clinton, Iowa, were met with a one-way, do not enter sign if they wanted to access businesses downtown.

If the City Council decides to make Fourth Street a one-way again, the direction of travel would instead go north. Ottens said changing back to a one-way street would allow more room to park.

Willett, Hofmann & Associates is assisting the city in creating the streetscape plan. The city also recently hired Simple Grants, an Alabama limited liability company that will help the city decide which grants to pursue and assist with writing grants. The city has paid Simple Grants an $8,500 fee to get the work started, according to City Council meeting minutes.

Ottens said completion of Fourth Street work could lead to a second phase that would complete upgrades on 10th Avenue from Fourth Street west to the windmill and a third phase addressing Third Street from 10th to 13th avenues to put in sidewalks, curbs, gutters and parking.

She said working to complete such a project means looking several years ahead to get plans and funding in place. She is hopeful that grants will make their way to Fulton in light of the legislative push to put money toward infrastructure.

“I want it to create a square,” she said. “And we have possible land there for development.”