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Councilors preview Midtown Crossings transportation choices; Franklin closure, stormwater work under review
Summary
City leaders updated the panel on Midtown Crossings and possible partial or full closure of Franklin Street for design and infrastructure work. Staff scheduled a transportation work session and flagged stormwater and bridge‑ramp funding implications.
City officials briefed the Business Development Advisory Panel on recent Midtown Crossings discussions and upcoming transportation decisions affecting Franklin Street and nearby corridors.
Officials said council heard preliminary data and community feedback on Greenwood and agreed to leave Greenwood’s current design in place while the Midtown Crossings package is finalized. Staff said a separate work session will consider the larger transportation picture — including the role of Franklin Street in the package, possible road closures and how those decisions would affect funding for Hawthorne Bridge ramp work.
Why it matters: staff said closures on Franklin would be substantial and could require months of full closure to complete both design and necessary underground infrastructure. Staff described stormwater and subsurface water‑management work as a significant component of what must be done to avoid repeated flooding; that infrastructure work complicates a simple redesign.
Next steps and engagement: staff scheduled a public work session (staff described it as Wednesday, 4–6 p.m.) to discuss trade‑offs and priorities for the capital improvement program, including whether to break Franklin’s work into smaller packages or proceed with a larger reconstruction. Staff said the Transportation Bond Committee and a core advisory board reviewed the Midtown Crossings package and generally urged keeping Franklin’s design intact, which council must now weigh alongside funding and disruption concerns.
Ending: staff encouraged public listening and participation at the scheduled work session and said council will continue to evaluate funding trade‑offs and sequencing for Midtown Crossings and related bridge‑ramp work.
