Third Street sustainability plan meeting

Residents gathered at the Marquette Commons this morning for a presentation on the Third Street Sustainability Plan.

The long-range plan is being developed by a group of nationally-known expert planners who spent time in Marquette earlier this year.

The group has returned to the area to bring forth new ideas from their analysis and help Third Street evolve into a more pedestrian-friendly area.

“The Third Street corridor is quite interesting because, in some sections, it’s the nicest walkable mid-street area, probably, in the Midwest,” says Robert Gibbs, head planner of Gibbs Planning Group. “In other sections, it’s peeling that back and reverting back to sort of a 1960s strip center where you have parking in front of the buildings and is losing its walkability. It’s a very diverse area.”

Several goals outlined for the Third Street corridor include enhancing economic growth, as well as promoting equitable and affordable housing.

The group also suggested the creation of a designated bike lane running south on Fair Avenue. A bike sharrow, which is a lane shared by both bicycles and automobiles, would then run north.

Another presentation of the plan is being held at 7 p.m. tonight at the Commons.

The next step in the process is solidifying the plan after public input and handing it off to the Marquette Planning Commission for finalization.