ABOUT THE EFFORT
Destination Wabash Ave. is an opportunity for City leaders, business owners, and the public to envision how material, design, and programmatic improvements can impact the functionality and vitality of the Wabash Avenue corridor. This once-in-a-generation project will help ensure that downtown Terre Haute remains an active, comfortable, and safe destination for residents and visitors for years to come.
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The effort was initiated by the City of Terre Haute and community partners in the summer of 2023, when they directed staff, along with a team of consultants, to create a Vision Plan for Wabash Avenue.
The visioning work and all future improvements aim to achieve three goals for the corridor and the city as a whole.
# 1.
Strengthen the economic vitality of the corridor, and the greater downtown district by improving the pedestrian environment.
# 2.
Encourage the activation of the streetscape by creating multi-scaled, year-round areas for gathering and programming along the corridor.
# 3.
Improve the overall aesthetics of the streetscape to provide a comfortable pedestrian experience.
The Process
The initial conceptual design phases of the Destination Wabash Ave. process will occur over a span of 8-10 months and, when complete, will create a shared vision for future corridor enhancements that encompasses meaningful and inclusive public engagement from City leadership, adjacent business stakeholders, and the general public.
The initial process will include two key phases of work (Corridor Visioning and Conceptual Design), each of which has a variety of community engagement and outreach opportunities.
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Future phases of design, engineering, and construction will be developed as the project progresses. Currently, there are no timelines for construction activity along or adjacent to the Wabash Avenue corridor.
Learn more about our process and see what's to come!
Visioning
The intent of this phase is to develop a working program for the corridor based on input from corridor business owners.
The key work tasks within this phase include field visits, a comprehensive corridor analysis outlining strengths and constraints, and a series of engagement activities with the public, business and property owners,
and community officials.
Conceptual Design
The intent of this phase is to develop a defined set of improvements to meet the project’s overall goals.
The key work tasks within this phase include corridor scenario development including options for materials, amenities, and facilities. Input will be gathered from the community through a public meeting and focused discussions with corridor stakeholders.
Future Phases
Additional project phases will be undertaken to finalize the detailed design of each corridor element.
Following the development of a feasible set of recommendations for the corridor, future phases of design, engineering, and construction will be developed as the project progresses.
Who's Involved?
A critical part of the success of this planning process is the participation of property owners, residents, business owners, and other stakeholders in the community.
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To ensure that the Destination Wabash Ave. process takes into account the ideas, concerns, and suggestions of the broader community, the planning process is being guided by different groups of community leaders and professionals. Together, these groups will meet regularly throughout the process and help drive community involvement, review conceptual design opportunities during the visioning process, finalize corridor design improvements, and provide strategic recommendations on funding and phased implementation.
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Project Steering Committee
The steering committee will work in collaboration with a planning consultant team to guide the process and ultimately decide the direction of the final corridor improvements. The steering committee consists of representation from City leadership, the downtown district, business stakeholders, and community organizations.
VS Engineering
VS Engineering is an Indiana-owned and operated professional engineering consulting firm founded in 1980. VS is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). Our firm’s engineers are extremely skilled in turning problems into workable solutions for municipalities, counties, and the private sector.
Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group
Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group specializes in providing innovative solutions for communities through planning, design, and strategic programming. Our staff of creative, innovative landscape architects and community planners understand how community values translate into public policy, neighborhood design, community connections, and meaningful places.