Wichita to turn off fountains after Riverfest due to drought
1 June 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Douglas Avenue is one of the busiest east-west streets in Wichita. It’s where you’ll find Century II, Old Town, and Historic Delano. Now, the City of Wichita is focusing on improving a one-mile stretch of Douglas from Meridian on the west to Seneca on the east.
The City’s website about the improvements says the project “will extend the Delano neighborhood feeling further west to create a distinctive and welcoming destination and gateway to downtown Wichita while improving mobility and safety for all users.”
The one-mile stretch includes some small businesses, churches and homes. There is a double-yellow line down the middle of the road.
“Right now, Douglas is two lanes of travel with on-street parking, but none of it is very well identified,” Gary Janzen, director of Wichita Public Works and Utilities, said. “I think it’s a challenge for some people to know whether Douglas is actually two lanes or four lanes wide right now, and it’s kind of hard to know that on-street parking is allowed.”
He said the City wants to improve the road starting in 2024. But first, it wants to get feedback from residents on a new design concept.
The proposal includes converting Douglas to three lanes with shared-use bike lanes and improved parking.
“This will really clean things up, make it a lot safer corridor,” Janzen said.
The plan calls for wider sidewalks and safer crossings, saving as many trees as possible and adding public art and landscaping.
“This project is being proposed to best optimize traffic patterns, make our streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers and ensure we are preserving our tree canopy,” Janzen said.
That section of Douglas is the dividing line between Wichita’s District IV and District VI. So, the City plans to present the design concepts to both District Advisory Boards.
DAB 4 meeting — 6:30 p.m. on June 5 at the Alford Branch Library, 3447 S. Meridian
DAB 6 meeting — 6:30 p.m. on June 12 at Evergreen Community Center and Library, 2601 N. Arkansas
Janzen said interested citizens can attend one of the meetings or visit the City’s website to learn more about the project and to offer feedback.