The final meeting for the Helper Train Depot Pedestrian Corridor Project was hosted by the Helper Project and Downtown Development on Thursday evening. Local community members or anyone who was interested in the project was invited to attend and give their input.
The primary use for one of these corridors is safety and parking. The funding is provided by donations and the Helper Project is “very grateful for the money donated from locals.” So far, more than $50,00 has been funded.
Ben Levenger distributed surveys to locals about the plans for two corridors and asked which would be most appreciated in the area. Most people preferred the idea of having one corridor over having two of them.
This project is for the safety of the Helper community and the railroads. The project developers have created two options. The first is a one-way street. This would be a corridor to maximize space available for pedestrians and provides more parking opportunities for those who are residents or visitors of local businesses.
The second option is a two-way complete street. This corridor maximizes transportation or vehicular integration, while providing the largest amount of parking. This would increase parking alternative options for residents and businesses.
Both plans were available for the audience to view and evaluate. Anyone who attended the meeting was able to share their thoughts and concerns about the project. Downtown Development wants to make sure that the community is in favor before any plan is put in motion. There were markers and paper available for participants to comment on what they would like to see or ask questions.
Downtown Development and the Helper Project spoke with Senator David Hinkins and mentioned that he thought this project was a good idea and wants to help along the way. They now want locals to speak up, ask questions and give their personal input.
“This is just the beginning,” Levenger said. “It takes time.” He was very excited for all the comments made as they will help them take steps in the right direction to make the community more safe and content.
The plans are available on their websites, that way anyone who was unable to attend the meeting can view the plans and ask questions or give their input. Ben Levenger said that this is the “first step to many more.”
