Venice City Council began on February 23 with a presentation and public hearing with Madison County Transit and Oates & Associates Engineers regarding plans for a shared use path through the city. The path will be 10 feet wide, allowing for pedestrians or bikers to pass each other. Construction is scheduled to begin in fall of 2026 or spring of 2027 and last three months.
The purpose of the path is to connect the Confluence Trail to a new bus stop, Lee Park, Venice Library, Venice Market, and the Rec Hall. The existing walking path in the park will be replaced and an ADA parking spot will be added connecting to the pavilion. The sidewalk along Broadway will also be replaced with the path as part of the streetscape improvements.
Several members of the public expressed confusion as to why the city would want to build a path when “no one in the community rides bikes” and there are bigger problems in the community, including flooding. It was explained by several presenters and Mayor Phillip White Jr. that the project will improve walkability, fix the flooding under the railroad overpass on Klein Avenue without taking away parking, and attract new families to the new homes being built as new home buyers look for amenities such as shared use paths…