Pullman Placemaking & Connectivity Plan
Image: Federal Highway Administration: Small Town & Rural Multimodal Networks
Beautify Pullman is leading an initiative to continue the success of our Downtown Beautification projects. The next step in the process is to develop a Nonmotorized Connection Plan with assistance from the Michigan Department of Agriculture through a Rural Readiness Grant. This plan includes the following three key activities:
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Develop a streetscape along 109th Avenue to make the corridor more attractive and safer for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
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Develop a strategy for improved sidewalk connectivity in Pullman to allow residents and visitors to safely and comfortably walk, bike, and roll in the community.
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Identify opportunities to connect Pullman to the Kal-Haven and Blue Star regional trail networks.
This process will include community feedback through a variety of methods including public events where you can learn more about the project and share your opinions. The first of these events will be Memorial Day Weekend. Please visit this website frequently as progress updates and documents for this project will be posted here along with upcoming events and public engagement opportunities!
Take Our Survey!
To collect some preliminary information and raise awareness of the project, we have developed a short community survey. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the future of Pullman’s transportation system. The survey is just the first of several opportunities to participate in this process and should takes about 10 - 15 minutes to complete. This survey will be open until May 15. We will share the survey results during our public event Memorial Day weekend.
Motivation for the Plan
In 2022, the road commission added needed curbs, gutters and drainage to the main intersection of 109th Avenue and 56th Street. During this process we lost beautiful trees and landscaping along our main corridor. At this time, only one marked crosswalk was added during the road construction. As over 20 % of the households in our community do not have access to a vehicle, concerns arose about the accessibility of downtown Pullman to those who do not or cannot drive.
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Due to these issues and a desire to continue the progress we have had in beautifying Pullman, we applied for and received a Rural Readiness Grant (RRG) from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a plan for improvements along 109th Avenue, and improved pedestrian and bicycle access and connections in the community.
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In conjunction with the RRG efforts, we are working closely with Pullman Elementary School on a Safe Route to School project, a federal program to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children, including those with disabilities, to bicycle and walk to school.
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These two projects will help to increase our bike and pedestrian infrastructure making walking, biking, and rolling safer and more enjoyable in Pullman.