One of the most traveled roads in Columbus may soon get a much-needed facelift. Highway 45 North, the main entrance to the city and the center for most of its restaurants and shopping, is the subject of a long-discussed beautification project.
An exploratory committee has been formed to help design the criteria and costs for the project.
“The goal is to improve the look of the Highway 45 corridor, especially where people enter the city,” city planner Christina Berry said. “We want to make some improvements aesthetically, and we also hope to address some traffic congestion issues. Some of the things we will be looking at include landscaping, new lighting and signage — we want to do something to make the corridor stand out.”
Berry said one of the main goals of the committee, which will consist of Berry, Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin and two members of the Highway 45 business community, will be to select a landscape architect for the project.
“We have several proposals on the table and we want to get input from the committee and the business owners,” said Berry.
The costs of the proposals range from $40,000 to $350,000 Berry noted.
“This will be the total costs, from concept to implementation,” she said. “We are going to look at what part of the project could be done by the city. This will be done in phases and not all at once. We have some money set aside for this. We hope to have our first committee meeting next week and begin work by the end of the year or the first of next year.”
Gavin said it will take years to complete.
“The committee’s goal is to find a firm to do the landscaping,” Gavin said. “This is a long-term project for the city, but it’s got to start somewhere. The landscaping could be done pretty quickly and pretty economically. This could take up to two years. Then we want to look at signage. Eventually, we would like to run the power lines underground, but that could cost $8 million to $9 million. This project will take years to complete.”
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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