Sidewalk Project in Joanna Underway

September 8, 2021

It’s been a long time coming. A very long time, and much needed.

For years there have been concerns about the safety of pedestrians walking along Main Street in Joanna. There has been no safe way for them to get from one store to another without being too close to the road or partially in the road. This is a risk to them and for those driving in the area.

Work on the new sidewalk began on Tuesday, September 7 and is expected to be completed in the next two weeks.  The work is being done by a local business, George A. Reid, Inc.

This project has been a flagship project of the Coalition for a Better Joanna, a nonprofit established in 2015 to advocate for Joanna. The mission of the coalition is to improve our community.

“We’ve been working on this project for over two years working through various options,” said John Snead, President of the Coalition for a Better Joanna.  “Members of the coalition together with local business owners, churches, and community members, are excited to see this much needed pedestrian access become a reality. We are also grateful for the support of state and local representatives including members of County Council.”

Snead has served as president of the coalition since its inception and the group has advocated aggressively for the sidewalk project. Funding for the project is mostly coming from FILOT money and was approved last year by County Council.

The sidewalk will go from the Joanna Fire Department down to the Dollar General Store and will be accessible with ramps on both ends.

The Coalition for a Better Joanna is an active group meeting normally monthly on the third Tuesday of each month. If you are interested in attending their meetings, you can follow them on Facebook for information about upcoming meetings. Click HERE to follow them.