Urbandale City Council Talks About Sprucing Up Douglas Ave

Urbandale’s often talked about Douglas Avenue beautification plan, intended to spruce up one of the city’s major arteries may be back “on” again. During a lunch and learn session on Friday in the chambers, members of the Urbandale city council and the mayor listened to a proposal from Shive Hattery, an architectural and engineering firm located in the Midwest.

The beautification proposal, which if fully realized would cost approximately $10.5 million, with $4.5 million earmarked directly for corridor enhancements. An alternate to the plan also includes the construction of a joint utility trench, which would cost the city another $2.1 million.

What the city will get for their $10.5 million is a new look for city signage along Douglas Avenue, including various new types of signage such as signs denoting secondary intersections, median markers extolling the virtues of Urbandale, and at the intersection of 86th Street and Douglas Avenue, a digital signboard.

The project, which would radically change the look of Douglas Avenue, is one that city council members and civic leaders in Urbandale have been discussing for years. In the past, it’s been put on the back burner when city officials have needed to divert money towards more pressing projects. For Councilwoman Mary Polson, there’s no question that this is an important project for the city.

“I think we might consider Douglas Avenue to be the heart of Urbandale,” Polson said. “Meredith runs border to border, but Douglas is really the main thoroughfare.”

One of the most distinctive aspects of the project would be the installation of lighted signage that would be visible to motorists on Interstate 35/80. The signs, designed to raise the city’s profile, tout its health, pride, diversity, family friendliness, and growth. In their proposal, Shive Hattery indicated that they consider the 80/35 interchange improvements, estimated to cost $1.7 million, to be the most critical element of the project. Craig Erickson, the Landscape Architecture Group Leader at Shive Hattery said that the signs are meant to pique the interests of motorists, and invite them to find out more about Urbandale.

“It’s not meant to tell the complete story, it’s meant to hint at what’s going on,” Erickson said.

Some members of the city council expressed concern about focusing solely on Douglas Avenue, without considering similar measures for other important corridors in the city, such as 86th Street. Councilman Tom Gayman suggested that the council look into a plan that would encompass all of the major streets leading into Urbandale.

“I’d like to see more than just a focus on Douglas Avenue,” Gayman said.

While the concept was designed specifically for Douglas Avenue, Erickson said that it was designed with the idea in mind that city officials would be able to transfer the same ideas into other locations within in the city.

“This concept is very expandable, it could certainly go to other locations,” Erickson said.

Polson said that despite the cost, she believes the project is something the city needs. Officials hope that work on Douglas Avenue would be concluded by 2017, which coincides with the Urbandale Centennial, and for Polson, that’s a perfect match.

“I know it’s going to be expensive, but I think it’s a necessity,” Polson said. “I there’s a focus on the Centennial and if we can get this project completed I think there will hundreds coming back to Urbandale.