Downtown Abilene will see some design improvements to Cypress Street in the coming year. The Abilene City Council has approved funding for the engineering and design plans for Cypress street. Plans include drainage improvements, mid block crosswalks, bigger sidewalks and constructing the current one way street into a two way.
City manager Robert Hanna says, like many towns across Texas, Abilene is focusing on making the downtown an attractive destination, “If you look at downtowns in Texas that are vibrant, thriving and growing they have an investment and a focus on pedestrian orientation.”
Plans also include improvement to landscaping, new artwork such as sculptures, and a new gateway monument. The city will pay for the project with dollars from Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones funding as well as the Minor Improvement Fund.
Some business owners have expressed concern about proposed changes to the flow of traffic and parallel parking. They note the parallel parking would significantly reduce the number of parking spaces, and say they worry that a new parking lot may not make up for that loss. The lack of downtown parking has been an ongoing issue for businesses that rely on patrons' willingness to walk several blocks to reach them.