At long last, a genuinely useful undertaking for DNA: "The (Wausau) project aims to increase foot traffic to businesses and highlight downtown's walkability."

Photo credit: Wausau Daily Herald.

Wausau, Wisconsin -- population 39,000.
New Albany, Indiana -- population 37,000.

Imagine these in New Albany.

It's a downtown project that would be useful on a daily basis, and wouldn't involve stereotypes apart from refuting the ones erroneously informing us that we must drive everywhere we go and park in front of the door.

(Seeing as Develop New Albany has joined City Hall and the News and Tribune insofar as generally refraining from answering NAC's e-mails, perhaps a mutual friend/reader might undertake to plant the seed. Tell them it's fine; they can have full credit, and needn't credit their friendly neighborhood blog.)

Of course, it couldn't be a members-only sort of thing ...

'It is a 2-minute walk': New signs in downtown Wausau aim to encourage pedestrians, by Haley BeMiller (Wausau Daily Herald)

WAUSAU - Wausau residents and visitors now have new encouragement to roam downtown on foot.

The Wausau River District and Marathon County Healthy Eating Active Living Coalition partnered to install signs Wednesday directing pedestrians to downtown landmarks and businesses such as Inner Sleeve Records, Polito's and City Hall. They show how many minutes it will take for someone to walk to the next destination and allow people to scan the signs with a smartphone to get directions.

The project aims to increase foot traffic to businesses and highlight downtown's walkability. Elizabeth Brodek, executive director of the Wausau River District, said the signs can help people understand they don't need to hop in the car to get somewhere a block away ...

Market, Elm -- whatever. After all, they're both one-way streets.

At this rate, the Ohio River Greenway itself will be finished before New Albany's street grid is reverted. Until the mayor belatedly resolves to act, neighborhood safety and downtown revitalization will be held in check.  

Mailer Wars '15: Speaking of $$$, Gahan will spend more $$$ on mailers alone than you'll earn in a year.

This one cried out for doctoring. Here's the original, which constitutes invasive surgery on the truth.

Except for the parts of town that aren't safer, aren't cleaner, and aren't better.

Maybe he's saving those for another mailer?

Modern times: Cleanliness is next to non-governmental in filthy NA.

Keep New Albany Clean and Green's weekly appearance before the Board of Works is recounted.

The next step in clean: Group calls for New Albany, organizations to refurbish their signs, by Daniel Suddeath (Pop Ups 'R' Us)

NEW ALBANY — Keep New Albany Clean and Green organizer Irv Stumler congratulated the city for removing illegal signage from right-of-ways last week, but added it’s time to take beautification a step further.

Appearing before the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday, Stumler said several organizational and municipal signs are in need of refurbishing.

“How can we expect private property owners to take care of their property if we don’t practice what we preach?” Stumler said ...

... Adding mulch, trimming weeds and other landscaping improvements will be made during the event. For more information, email Jerry Finn at jfinn@horseshoefoundation.org.

Merchant Mixer notes (1): New businesses, landscaping, parking, signage and dog poop.

This morning’s Merchant Mixer at Preston’s yielded much information, and so a hearty thanks to Curt Peters for emceeing and Preston Art Supply for hosting the gathering. Roughly 30 people were in attendance.

New businesses: Mike Kopp noted two new businesses moving into the spaces adjoining and above Colokial on Spring Street. One is called Dress & Dwell, and the other will be a wedding/bridal boutique (as yet unnamed).

Mike said a development company from Mishawaka had placed an offer for the old Reisz building on Main, with an eye toward rehabbing it into a senior citizens’ assisted living facility. The two frame buildings to the east would be demolished. Also, he noted that the Bobo building at 213 Pearl finally had received historic preservation tax credits, and would begin renovations into six housing units.

Finally, Mike provided these nuggets: The Impellizeri’s deal is off … the “Frenchman” is coming to the nicely repainted former Fish House space in the Bergman Building … Quill’s Coffee (also on Market St.) should be open in a few weeks … and establishments described as “Asian” and “steak” are interested in opening.

Flowers and landscaping: Mayor England told us that the fire department had gone out to water the $16,000 of flowers provided by Horseshoe Foundation (through Clean & Green?) because not all merchants were doing their share of watering. Michelle from Main Source observed that the bank would be ding landscaping around its building, and Dave Thrasher suggested folding this into a public art project.

Parking: A public parking map of downtown was handed out. It shows full-time parking lots and other places where there is free parking after 5:00 p.m.

Directional and way-finding signage: Scott Wood displayed the nice new directional signs that have been in the works for years; 29 of them will be erected “as rapidly” as possible in the next few weeks, as the street department can get to them. There’ll be a second phase next year, all of it funded by a grant from the Tourism Bureau.

State Representative Ed Clere then outlined the myriad difficulties in getting interstate highway signage for downtown New Albany, and said he’s working on it.

Doggie litter bags: They are to be hung from trash receptacles so that dog owners can clean up after their dogs. No mention was made of education to convince dog owners to do so.

(Part Two coming as soon as I get the notes typed)