Stamped Crosswalks Installed at Cumberland and 19th Street in Middlesboro

Stamped and textured crosswalk that just went in on Cumberland Ave at 19th St in downtown Middlesboro. Credit: DDM.

Beautiful crosswalks just went in at 19th and Cumberland in downtown Middlesboro! The idea was first suggested to TOUR Southern and Eastern Kentucky as part of their C.I.T.Y. grant program in March 2010. At the time it was estimated that crosswalks at 19th, 20th, and 21st would cost around $50,000.

Same intersection at 19th and Cumberland as it appeared around March 2010. Credit: DDM.

While that initial grant was not received our volunteers and our Board President Jay Shoffner in particular did not forget the idea. So when the Transportation Cabinet approached us about a repaving project for Cumberland Avenue in April this year, we revived the crosswalk proposal and made clear what a great help this would be to making the downtown more walkable and welcoming to residents, customers, and visitors who regularly use our downtown. With help from Mayor Bill Kelley and officials from the Transportation Cabinet we were able to revive the crosswalks proposal and have it included in the project to repave Cumberland Ave.

Design proposal showing 2 mile inner loop along Canal, Yellow Creek, and Cumberland Ave, and 7 mile outer loop along Cumberland Ave, Yellow Creek, and Levee. Credit: UK Department of Landscape Architecture.

This proposal also fit in well with work being done with the University of Kentucky and Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program to connect the downtown area with the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. A two mile "Inner Loop" has been proposed connecting Cumberland Avenue, the Canal Walk, and Yellow Creek with the National Park around 13th Street. This would also help to advance our bid to become a Kentucky Trail Town by creating a walkable route that connects the National Park and the downtown.

So in a way these crosswalks at Cumberland Ave and 19th may be considered as the first visible steps of a much bigger project to connect our downtown with the National Park. More is soon to follow with bid documents going out shortly on repaving of the Canal Walk and creating a trailhead to go along with that. This eight foot wide shared use asphalt path, once completed, will provide a valuable amenity downtown for residents and visitors alike.

Discover Downtown Middlesboro is a Nationally Certified Kentucky Main Street Program and in 2014 was one of two communities nationally named "Ones to Watch" by the National Main Street Center. The grassroots Main Street Approach® to commercial district revitalization has attracted millions of dollars of public and private investment to downtown Middlesboro since our program was founded in 2006. In 2013, downtown Middlesboro reported $2.7 million of investment, 100 new jobs, and 13 new business created.

For more information please contact Discover Downtown Middlesboro at (606) 248-6155 or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @DDMBoro. www.downtownmiddlesboro.org.