Since 2021, the City of Morris has been aggressive in seeking state and federal grant dollars, working to align those funding parameters with needs in our community.

Nearly $34 million in grants have been awarded to Morris since that time, infusing resources into parks, streets and bridges, water line replacement, airport expansion, housing rehabilitation, business support, tourism, and other tangible improvements.

When state planning and research dollars became available, city officials reviewed the recommendations in the 2020 Downtown Master Plan and applied to conduct the first comprehensive study of downtown parking and a community-wide trails system. The application was approved, and Antero Group was selected as the consultant after a competitive public bidding process. They have been a fantastic partner since the study launched in July.

In August, we tested a tactical urbanism display kicking off at the Liberty Arts Festival. A painted crosswalk adorns the intersection of Liberty and Washington Streets- an area where many pedestrian-friendly events take place. The bright colors add visibility for safety and an element of interest. Several hundreds took the survey on the crosswalk in the weeks that followed. Many appreciated the visibility and felt safer. Some made suggestions on location, color-scheme, and more. The survey remains open, but the takeaway so far is that respondents are interested in more temporary, low-cost ideas like this.

After reviewing extensive data on our parking, the Antero team spent time in Morris collecting in-person data, including drone images, car counts, and turnover rates. They held interviews with several members of the Morris Police Department and set up a booth at the 3 French Hens Market to gather feedback from attendees on both topics. The team will return for Corn Fest to conduct the same.

Next, more than a dozen community stakeholders are being interviewed about their experiences related to parking, volunteering their time and representing a variety of groups.

A big-picture parking and trials survey is also available and has been completed by nearly 300 people in a few weeks. The survey is for residents, property owners, businesses, and visitors; all are invited to share their thoughts. We invite you to visit the project website and complete a survey at: https://movingmorris.com/. The first public meeting on parking and trails will take place in late October.

The 13-month study includes data collection and review, discussion of strategies, sharing of recommendations, and ample opportunities for public feedback.

With so many projects underway in our community- primarily driven and funded by grant dollars- we invite you to subscribe to City of Morris announcements at https://morrisil.org/subscribe/ . You can also follow City of Morris, IL and Visit Morris, IL on Facebook.

Behind vibrant, prospering places to live are a lot of people who care. We thank everyone who dials in to what’s happening, raises their hands to help, and then rolls up their sleeves to join us in the work. Please accept this invitation to be part of the future of parking and trails in Morris!