Even as the City of Northfield’s road construction projects are getting underway this week, plans for the major 2024 projects are already underway. Of special interest to many members of the city staff and the rest of the community is the project to redevelop Wall Street Road.
City Administrator Ben Martig said there will be significant changes to the area due to the additions of sidewalks and bicycle lanes, as well as a large section of the Mill Towns Trail. As the city works toward better path connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians, Martig said this has been identified as an area that needs attention.
The design calls for Wall Street Road to be widened to thirty-two feet, and for sidewalks and bike lanes to be installed on both sides of the street. The North side of the street will have separate sidewalks and bike lanes, while the south side will have a shared path so as to not disturb the area around Oaklawn Cemetery.
A mini roundabout is to be installed at the intersection of Wall Street and Spring Creek Roads. The design of a mini roundabout offers a smaller footprint than the standard roundabouts, without a designated turn lane. The center of the roundabout will not have any decorative features but will instead be raised concrete so that larger, commercial vehicles are able to drive over it. The idea is that the roundabout will serve traffic flow better than a four way stop. The city also intends to install a mini-roundabout at the intersection of Jefferson Road and Jefferson Parkway next year.
As it is a heavily wooded area, bordered on the Northwest side by the Carleton Arboretum, the major concern among residents is the number of trees taken down to make way for the construction. Martig acknowledged the need to preserve as many trees as possible and said the final design will take that into consideration.
He said this is a major construction project that will re-shape the area.
“That’s an important segment that connects in Spring Creek Road. People walk on Wall Street, both casually along the side of the road, but also to get into town. And Mayflower Hill, in many ways, is kind of disconnected from that safe pedestrian and biking connection. And everybody agrees it certainly needs some improvements, but we want to do it right because you get one chance and it’s a pretty major change on our design in that corridor.”
The final designs and plans are expected to be presented to the City Council sometime this fall.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
Age Friendly Northfield projects are plentiful
Last week, members of Age Friendly Northfield presented their annual budget request to the Northfield City Council, offering a detailed breakdown of each project and program with which the organization assists and sponsors.
Perhaps best known for the red chairs they provide at many community events so members of the older population have a place to sit, Age Friendly Northfield, according to their website, works to see that “Northfield’s physical, social, and economic frameworks are intentionally designed to promote independence and a high quality of life for its residents as they age.”
To that end, the organization has asked for $35,000 from the City of Northfield in 2024.
CC Linstroth, the Age Friendly Northfield co-chair said the organization is ramping up its collaboration with Family Services Rochester and the “Neighbor to Neighbor” program, which coordinates volunteers to offer respite service for caregivers. She said there will be a series of outreach and information sessions to recruit volunteers and create more awareness of the program.
The winter walking program is expanding, she said. This winter not only will Northfield High School be open for seniors to walk, but the Northfield United Methodist Church will be made available as well, at earlier daytime hours. She said there will be another round of the recently completed Housing Workshops for seniors, which focused on downsizing, and brought in more than 70 people at each session. And there are plans in place for a Community Street Dance in the summer of 2024 as well.
If Age Friendly Northfield is not best known for the Red Chair Project, then the organization is best known for its promotion of Pickle Ball, and they host the opportunity to play at the High School every Sunday over the winter. The game, that can be enjoyed by people of every age, continues to surge in popularity, and Linstroth said they make it as easy as possible for anyone to participate.
“One of the things that we’ve done with the public money given to us by the city is, it is free. We have paddles, we have balls. You’ve heard us promote the pickle ball. It is so successful at reaching into all segments of our community, just showing up, you would say, ‘Wow, this is a nice cross section.’”
Linstroth said they are always looking for volunteers to help with all of their programs. For more information visit agefriendlynorthfield.com
Hillcrest ribbon cutting set for 4pm
After years of planning and praise, Hillcrest Village, the innovative Community Action Center Project that will bring more affordable and emergency housing to Northfield while at the same time demonstrating climate friendly building techniques and tactics, will celebrate its grand opening this afternoon.
Hillcrest Village is a first-of-its-kind Net Zero Energy emergency shelter and supportive housing project. Combining emergency shelter, transitional housing, and affordable housing, the development was spearheaded by the Community Action Center in collaboration with local leaders from the construction and environmental communities.
A statement issued by the CAC said Hillcrest Village not only aims to provide a holistic solution to homelessness but also prioritizes environmental sustainability, addressing both issues in a shared community effort. CAC Executive Director Scott Wopata said the project is a response to the fact that climate change will disproportionately affect low-income families.
The grand opening event will be highlighted by a ribbon cutting ceremony at 4pm. It will include brief remarks by Wopota, Mayor Rhonda Pownell and others.
For more information, visit the Community Action Center website, or visit the Hillcrest Village website at hillcrestvillage.org.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
