This bird’s-eye view of the Athens downtown Square illustrates the intersection and sidewalk improvements coming to Washington Street beginning in August.

People who own property and businesses on Washington Street in front of the Limestone County Courthouse Square recently received letters and illustrations outlining the intersection and sidewalk improvements coming to their section of the Athens roadway.

Athens City Planner Mac Martin sent the letters dated July 9 to Washington Street property owners and businesses between Marion and Jefferson streets.

The scope of the project includes installing and burying new infrastructure to the courthouse, widening the sidewalk on the courthouse side of The Square, constructing new handicap facilities to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and constructing pedestrian islands and crosswalks at the two intersections included in the project area.

Milling and paving of Washington Street from Hoffman Street to U.S. 72 West would follow the sidewalk and intersection work, Martin said. Construction is set to commence in August and should last three to four months.

The work would be paid for with a grant from the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, for which the city provides a 20 percent match.

Martin told The News Courier the changes would include shifting the crosswalk (out of the center of the block) to the two intersections, “bulbing” out the corners to accommodate pedestrian traffic, and adding the sidewalk on the Washington Street side of the courthouse.

“We believe this will enhance the safety and experience of pedestrians downtown,” Martin said. “It will also present a more welcoming environment for the disabled.”

Martin said the installation of the “bulbs” also creates space for the electric department to install new electrical facilities for the courthouse.

“I am working with the county to initiate plans to install electrical facilities for events, but the improvements shown here must be completed first,” Martin said.

2 events triggered work

In his letter, Martin told property owners the project was triggered by two events — the rehabilitation of the courthouse and the state’s awarding of ATRIP funds to resurface Washington Street. He said funding for the project is already in place as part of the ATRIP project.

“With the installation of infrastructure to the courthouse, an initial phase of facilities to supply electricity to events held on The Square will be installed, with full build out of these facilities to come in future phases of the courthouse renovation and Square improvements,” Martin said.

The city planner will make a brief presentation on the project to the City Council at 1 p.m. Friday and 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 27, in the Police Department courtroom. The meetings are open to the public.