Title
Porters Neighborhood (B)
Explanation
The CRA is leading a multi-department effort to institute improvements in the Porters Neighborhood. Staff aims to implement an array of improvements, enhancements, and upgrades to the area and is currently undertaking activities that will provide both long term and immediate benefit to the community. Along with team members from Public Works, GRU, Codes Enforcement, Housing, Planning, and GPD, staff has identified three main corridors through the neighborhood where improvement efforts will be focused. The chosen corridors, SW 5th Street, SW 3rd Street, SW 4th Avenue, and SW 5th Avenue are physically and functionally major backbones that define the neighborhood. By targeting these important corridors, staff hopes to achieve maximum impact within the neighborhood.
One major goal is to provide large-scale infrastructure improvements within the neighborhood. In order to achieve this purpose, staff is coordinating with Public Works and GRU to conduct surveys along the main corridors in the community. The Porters area is an older neighborhood, and as such, available information regarding infrastructure and utilities is largely inadequate to support the level of improvements needed. Therefore, the first step in providing enhancements to the neighborhood is the execution of detailed surveys. Surveys along SW 5th Street and SW 3rd Street are being funded by Public Works through CDBG grants. Building on this activity, GRU has agreed to fund surveying along SW 5th Avenue, as the utility company has designated this corridor for future utility undergrounding. The Purchase Order for these surveys is being finalized and work is anticipated to commence as soon as possible.
The surveys will serve as building blocks for large-scale infrastructure improvements in the community. Working with our interdepartmental team, staff has drafted a scope for engineering feasibility studies which will build on the information provided in the surveys. These feasibility studies will examine SW 3rd Street and SW 5th Street, two major corridors in the neighborhood. These studies will analyze the potential for improvements such as lighting, street repair/resurfacing installation of curb/gutter, sidewalks, drainage upgrades, and utility improvements. Staff anticipates the feasibility studies will cost roughly $15,000 each and will take approximately four months to complete. The end result will produce a catalog of information regarding potential Porters improvements. This information will include details regarding cost, timeline, and technical issues, associated with each of the proposed neighborhood improvements. This data will allow staff to prioritize, phase, coordinate, and budget for large-scale, long term projects in the most effective manner possible.
In addition to this large-scale effort, staff is also exploring more immediate solutions to neighborhood issues. Although the results of the surveys and engineering feasibility studies will allow for large scale improvement projects to commence, smaller improvements can occur in the interim. Examples of issues that can be addressed within a more immediate time frame include: neighborhood beautification, traffic signage repair, roadway and crosswalk striping, fence repair, increased code enforcement and police presence, and the reopening of walled off streets. Staff is currently working with Public Works to address routine roadway maintenance such as the repair/replacement of damaged traffic signs, and the painting of speed bumps, stop lines, crosswalks, and center lines along neighborhood streets. A work order has been issued regarding signage maintenance, and that work should be completed by the end of the month. Street painting and striping has been scheduled for October, at the beginning of the new fiscal year. In addition to these efforts, staff is also taking steps to re-open SW 2nd Street, which is currently walled off between Depot and SW 6th Avenue. Reopening this roadway would alleviate dumping activities currently taking place near the boundary wall. It will also remove a potentially dangerous, isolated location and return it to public use. Finally, staff is also considering strategies to remove the dilapidated fencing around Porters Oaks and replacing that fence with a more attractive and safe fencing structure. This improvement would provide for a more welcoming entryway and perimeter to the neighborhood.
Fiscal Note
Porters Neighborhood improvements were approved in the 2007 budget in the amount of $80,000 in account # 610-790-W231-5520.
Recommendation
Executive Director to the CRA: 1) Hear a presentation from staff.