A team of students from the University of Illinois and Peace Corps Fellows from Western Illinois University will team up in the coming months in hopes of creating development ideas for Macomb's West Jackson Street



The area considered for planning could extend from the McDonough County Courthouse to the proposed Illinois Route 336 interchange west of town, but that area may be reduced.

A team of students from the University of Illinois and Peace Corps Fellows from Western Illinois University will team up in the coming months in hopes of creating development ideas for Macomb's West Jackson Street

Students to create Macomb plan

Team will develop ideas for West Jackson corridor

Methodist Medical Center

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

BY JODI POSPESCHIL

OF THE JOURNAL STAR

[Excerpt]

MACOMB - A team of students from the University of Illinois and Peace Corps Fellows from Western Illinois University will team up in the coming months in hopes of creating development ideas for Macomb's West Jackson Street.

The community-planning project will include meetings Nov. 4 and 5 to get public opinion.

"Students will then sketch that conversation," said Kathy Brown of the University of Illinois Extension office in Macomb. "There will be a visual image of how the community would like to see changes along that corridor."

Brown said the project is a way for the students to get some "real-world experiences."

"It's also an opportunity for the community to put to paper some ideas," she said.

Macomb aldermen proposed donating $3,000 to the project, with the same amount already pledged by the county. Aldermen will take final action on the donation next week.

Brown said she and other officials are working to apply for grant money from the Illinois Department of Transportation to cover the planning costs.

The area considered for planning could extend from the McDonough County Courthouse to the proposed Illinois Route 336 interchange west of town, but that area may be reduced.

Brown said students will tour the area Oct. 11. They are expected to determine then how much of the area to include in the planning sessions.

When this story was posted in October 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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