In December 2009 the Wichita City Council endorsed the design and street improvements recommended in the Douglas Design District Streetscape Plan. The City will use these recommendations as a guide for future planning and decision-making regarding public infrastructure investment for that part of Douglas Avenue from Washington east to Glendale Avenue.
The Plan was developed by a 17-member Plan Steering Committee comprised of key East Douglas business and neighborhood stakeholders appointed by the City Manager in the fall of 2008. The Plan contains a vision statement and goal that describe what a transformed, revitalized, vibrant and attractive East Douglas Avenue should look like in the year 2020. Guiding principles are also incorporated that serve as benchmarks for the recommended design concepts and streetscape improvements. A total of 12 design concepts and streetscape improvements are recommended in this Plan. Cost estimates have been calculated, and a possible plan implementation and funding approach is suggested.
It is important to recognize that the recommended design concepts and streetscape improvements are subject to further changes and refinements that will come during the final construction/design development process (including additional rounds of community engagement), ongoing traffic analysis, the realities of fiscal constraints, and ongoing lessons learned from other similar initiatives in Wichita.
Based on community feedback, the City has retained Nelson\Nygaard to review the previous plan described above, contemplate other best practices, and work with the community and City staff to recommend revisions to the previous plan. Open houses were held on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 from 11:30am to 1:30pm and from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the Downtown Wichita Innovation Center at 507 East Douglas Avenue where the public was invited to offer their input to the Nelson\Nygaard and City team. Given this input and feedback, a three-lane cross-section (two through lanes with a center turn lane) is being further contemplated for Douglas Avenue that would also allow for bicycle and parking lanes as well.
Further public input was received at a series of Open Houses and at Riverfest Monday, June 3 through Thursday, June 6. Working Draft Conceptual Douglas Avenue plans have been developed based on discussions with the community, are undergoing further revisions, and are available below.
