What's at stake?
Fresno's Tower District will see a lot of roadwork in the coming years. City leaders are asking residents for patience.
Navigating the crowded streets of Fresno’s Tower District might get a little messy in the coming year as city leaders roll out plans for more than $30 million in street repairs and maintenance.
Tower District construction plans were announced Dec. 15 by Councilmember Miguel Arias. Securing $4 million of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, Arias said the funds would fuel sidewalk repairs, street repaving, tree trimming, and the park.
Speaking with reporters at a news conference on Feb. 15, Arias said the new park — Broadway Parque – is coming to the South Tower.
Kiel Lopez-Schmidt, executive director of South Tower Community Land Trust, praised the park plans.
“It’s really important for us; it’s the neighborhood where I grew up. We really appreciate the partnership with Councilmember Arias and his office and the city of Fresno in making (this) a reality,” Lopez-Schmidt said.
The park’s construction contract will be awarded in the next 30 days. The work is expected to take about one year.
“Overall, we’ve invested more than $34 million in South Tower and renovating and rebuilding these neighborhoods back to their historic conditions,” Arias said.
City leaders asked the community for patience over the next year, saying the district would see heavy construction as street repairs begin.
“Essentially, every corner of the Tower District will be in some form of construction over the next year,” he said. “We will start with curbs and gutters, sidewalks, tree trimming and then move to repaving of the streets and repaving will not just be a layer of tar, it will be a reconstruction of the roadway.”
Tower District construction plans
The $4 million in Tower District construction plans will focus on areas west of Palm, south of Olive to Belmont, and around Highway 99. Most of the work will occur over the summer, with Arias saying the higher temperatures help cure the asphalt faster.
Part of the area’s street problems stem from the foundations of the road—the large cracks between the asphalt result from the old cement roads splitting underneath.
Arias also announced new traffic signals near Susan B. Anthony Elementary and more residential speed bumps. He said San Pablo Park’s design is 90% complete, and the Ted C. Wills green space will be reconstructed into soccer fields.
Yania Escobar, a local resident, said she was happy with the plans.
“I think it’s good we have more speed bumps,” she said. “I’m excited about the traffic being a little slower.”
Arias also hinted at future plans involving vacant homes.
“You’ll see how the city plans through land trust, code enforcement and receivership to take some of these vacant properties and repurpose them.”
