Puyallup wants to fix up downtown. Here’s the plan for Meridian and how to weigh in
Tree roots have cracked some sidewalks along North Meridian in Puyallup, causing a safety concern, city spokesperson Eric Johnson said.
Some trees block sight distance for pedestrians and drivers, he said, and there are public benches and garbage receptacles that could use some attention. There are also crosswalks that might be contenders for rapid flashing beacons.
The city has a plan for those sorts of updates, and it’s looking for input from residents.
The public can give feedback during a virtual open house on Jan. 26 at noon and 6 p.m. People can register for one of the two open house sessions through the city’s Meridian Streetscape Project webpage by clicking the “Open House” tab.
The city will also put out an online survey after the open house to get more feedback from people who may have an opinion on the project, which can be found on the project’s webpage.
“This whole project is looking at the downtown area, specifically the Meridian corridor, and looking at streetscape improvements to improve the character, functionality and aesthetic of downtown Puyallup,” Johnson said.
The project stretches between Fifth Avenue Northeast and a little past Fourth Avenue Southeast, according to the project’s site map. The city hired a consultant to help draft a plan and identify improvements with a $25,000 grant from the Port of Tacoma in 2020, through the port’s Local Economic Development Investment Fund.
The amount of money the city plans to allocate for the project has yet to be determined and will be established when the city figures out its priorities, Johnson said.
The city adopted a downtown economic development plan in 2019 as well as a downtown neighborhood plan in 2018. Both plans identified streetscape improvements as a goal, which prompted the Meridian Streetscape Project, Johnson said.
After the open house in late January, a second open house will be scheduled for sometime in the summer, Johnson said, and the city will plan next steps after that.
This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
