MAUMEE, Ohio — Construction along Conant St. in Maumee will continue this spring and summer but planners are hoping when it's all done residents and visitors will notice an improved look and feel to the area north of the Anthony Wayne Trail.
The project aims to improve quality of life for those living, working and traveling through the area.
Maumee City Administrator Patrick Burtch says the changes to the city’s main thoroughfare are based on the Strong Towns model.
Strong Towns is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 which aims to cities safe, livable, and financially resilient, according to their website.
Some of the ways they hope to improve the area are by making buildings smaller, reducing the amount of asphalt, and pushing back sidewalks from the street in order to plant trees along the road, which will improve the experience for drivers and pedestrians.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure we start creating tree canopy, even in heavy commercial areas so traffic feels like it wants to move a little slower and it feels more like a space that you’ve created, rather than a highway,” said Burtch.
The city’s plans for the area are exemplified by construction projects this spring and summer related to three fast food restaurants on Conant.
The KFC, north of the Anthony Wayne Trail, that burned down in 2021 is being replaced with a new building.
The Wendy’s north of Illinois Ave. will also be torn down and replaced with a brand new building.
Finally, the Burger King across the street from Wendy’s will be making renovations that will make the building smaller.
Burtch says pushing buildings farther back off the road allows the city to improve the feel of that stretch of road without reducing the number of lanes of traffic.
Burtch says the construction projects should be completed and landscaping in place by the Fourth of July, in time for the fireworks celebration and other events planned for that part of Maumee.
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