North Clinton Avenue will soon receive a revamp — a complete street-redesign to be exact.
- N. Clinton neighborhood selected for upgrades by Reconnect Rochester
- New designs will require input from residents in meetings to come
- Goal is to make streets more enjoyable, accessible for everyone
It's a part of Reconnect Rochester’s Complete the Streets Makeover Project. The street is already cared for by advocates in the El-Camino community and will soon be more enjoyable, accessible and safe for everyone.
Reconnect Rochester is an organization striving to enhance the neighborhood experience for pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists. They teamed up with partners to complete this initiative for a second year. The North Clinton location took the prize for 2019.
“Complete streets are to incorporate all users on the road in the right-of-way,” said Michael Damico, chair of the pedestrian work group for Reconnect Rochester. “The right-of-way typically stretches, in our urban environments, stretches from building to building, so that includes a sidewalk; that includes anyone walking on the sidewalk.”
The new design has not been set in stone and will require input from residents. Local community activists said they are more than appreciative for the extra help in cleaning up the street and making it more accessible and safe.
Rudy Rivera, steward of the Father Tracy Advocacy Center, operates at a community center on the same street and said he is grateful, but recognizes there is a bigger picture in store.
“The street makeover is really about trying to create a new image in people’s minds,” Rivera said. “On Clinton, generally you see images that don’t generate those kind of thoughts. So the idea is to infuse into people’s minds positives things like art, culture, color. So you can combat how people feel about themselves, the community, and what really goes on.”
The public meeting for residents to start shaping what this revamp will look like is set for Thursday, June 27 at 5:30 p.m. It is slated to be held at the Father Advocacy Center located on North Clinton Avenue.