Ask The City – Will Lewis Street Ever Not Be Under Construction?
Your Question:
Will Lewis Street between 9th and 15th ever NOT be under construction? It seems as though construction crews have set up base camp there, which is disappointing, as I enjoy driving on Lewis street.
The City's Response:
The University of Wyoming this month obtained preliminary approval from the City to close a small section of Lewis Street permanently. The closure is from the alley between 9th and 10th Streets to the west edge of 11th Street. UW owns all properties bordering both sides of Lewis in this 1.5-block stretch.
The City and UW agreed that this step was better for public safety in the long run, partly because UW has been building new facilities on both sides of Lewis, and has immediate plans for major new construction on the north side between 10th and 11th Streets. It is possible that the University will ask to permanently close additional blocks of Lewis between 9th and 15th at some future time, as development warrants. However, there are still privately-owned properties on the north side of Lewis, so any such decisions would lie in the future.
The City understands that Lewis was a well-used corridor by many, and that its permanent closure will be unwelcome in some respects. Blocking public-street access is not something that’s undertaken casually or lightly. In this case, long-range benefits to the entire community were the determining factor.
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