Detroit Road improvements suggested
By Allison Pritchard
Rocky River
Published August 5, 2009

Detroit Road may soon be in the process of a makeover. This makeover isn’t a part of a television reality show but a real life fix-up that will enhance parking and pedestrian amenities to better the overall feel of the area.

At a Rocky River Detroit Road Stakeholders presentation, Alex Pesta of City Architecture presented plans for the Old Detroit Road and Detroit Road from Wooster Road to the Marion Ramp for review.

The meeting was fairly well attended and had a discussion focus on Old Detroit Road, according to the mayor.

Kory Koran, director of economic and community development, Mayor Pam Bobst, Rocky River Engineer Michael Mackay and about 20 community members came to discuss initial concepts for the streetscape improvements.

Three concepts from the design team were presented and included locations of potential new trees, embossed and colored concrete and more to help revitalize the retail area.

Each concept had a different price range and dealt with traffic patterns and sidewalk areas. Many stakeholders stressed the importance of landscaping in order to create a better pedestrian experience. Traffic calming was also an issue, according to the meeting minutes.

The two most popular concepts of the stakeholders included bump-outs in locations to serve as gathering places and areas of landscaping. Features like bike racks and waste baskets were brought up in the facilitated discussion as means to make the area more pedestrian-friendly.

Plans to include public art such as art on blank building facades were also discussed, along with the topics of signage, parking, benches and light fixtures, Bobst said.

During the morning session, Pesta stressed the importance of maintaining the existing infrastructure and utilities to keep the costs within Rocky River’s budget, according to the meeting minutes.

At the end of the meeting, surveys were passed out to attendees so the city could receive more feedback.

After review, ideas from the group will be incorporated “into a new set of draft plans so that they can be reacted to,” Bobst told West Life.

Pesta will meet with Mackay to discuss construction, cost and maintenance issues.

The city of Rocky River will later begin designs to be presented a the second meeting.

The Detroit Road Stakeholders committee was originally assembled by the city to represent the stakeholders of the focus areas.