Wichita city council members have given their approval to aesthetic design concepts for a north side street project with a focus on improvements at McAdams Park. The city is working on a $9.6 million project to improve 17th Street from Broadway to I-135.
City engineer Gary Janzen presented concept drawings to the council that show a crosswalk with a baseball bat design. There will also be a baseball-diamond-shaped plaza area with a proposed statue of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Landscaping and shade structures will also be part of the improvements. Janzen said the aesthetic improvements for the project were focused on McAdams Park and a baseball stadium where the League 42 youth baseball program is based. He said designers talked with students at L’Ouverture Magnet Elementary School for ideas. The aesthetic enhancements for the project are budgeted at $270,000. City council member Brandon Johnson called the designs amazing and he said the L’Ouverture students can say they had a part in the development of the improvements.
Janzen said the street improvement project will provide three lanes for traffic on 17th with on-street bike lanes, pedestrian facilities and drainage improvements. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
