The Office of Neighborhood Services has passed along a preliminary design for the sidewalk through the traffic island on North Maple.

This, you might recall, was the barren, City-owned property where volunteers from the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council planted trees in 2014 and, more recently, EGNC volunteers planted yucca and juniper as part of the citywide Greening Grants initiative.

The installation of the sidewalk should make it more attractive and safer for pedestrians, including many schoolchildren, who, for the sake of convenience, tend to walk along the North Maple guardrail instead of crossing further into the residential area.

This project will be advertised for bids by the end of June. Construction is slated to begin on all traffic-calming projects throughout Spokane in August.

If you have any comments or questions about the sidewalk based on the preliminary design above, get in touch.

Also, keep in mind that this wasn’t something that magically came about through the urban improvement fairies. This was a resident-driven initiative that was realized with the help of the EGNC. If there’s a dangerous or unattractive spot near your home or place of business, a little legwork on your part can transform it — so come bring it to the attention to the neighborhood council! The next meeting is on Wednesday, June 10, starting at 6pm at the Corbin Senior Center (827 W Cleveland).