The City of Centralia is inviting all residents, students, businesses and property owners to help shape the future of Main Street by participating in a brief community survey, now open through Monday, Sept. 9.
The survey is part of the city’s ongoing planning effort for the Main Street Corridor, a central spine of the city’s long-term Hub City Greenways vision. This effort is supported by a technical assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Thriving Communities Program, a national initiative that helps communities plan for safer, sustainable transportation infrastructure.
“We’re excited to have been selected as one of just 52 communities across the country to participate in the Thriving Communities Program,” Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston said in a news release. “This is an opportunity to plan for improvements that make Main Street safer, more attractive and more connected for both today and future generations.”
The survey consists of 16 short questions and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Public input will directly inform:
• A preferred streetscape design for Main Street
• A design concept for a visual gateway to Centralia College
• Safer routes and a better experience for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Strategies for economic development and mixed-use housing
The city’s goal is to create a vibrant, people-friendly corridor that improves mobility, supports business and enhances quality of life, all while retaining Centralia’s unique character. At this stage, the city is engaging the community to form a vision.
“Strong public engagement will lead to a better plan,” Community Development Director Emil Pierson said in a news release. “It will also help us be more competitive for the state and federal grants that we will rely on to implement the vision.”
Improvements in the corridor will take time and require both public and private investment. Public investment will depend on grant funding.
To take the survey, visit https://tinyurl.com/rsamx89a or contact the community development department at 360-330-7662.
