The transformational Ingersoll Avenue streetscape project keeps our district safe and easy to navigate for all modes of transportation, promotes walkability and accessibility for all, updates public utilities and maintains the beauty and character of our west side neighborhoods.

The streetscape is a key piece of our vision for The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand to become a vibrant destination for decades to come. It began in 2009 as a pilot project spanning just a few blocks – and today the streetscape stretches throughout our corridor.  The streetscape is the pathway to people-to-people connections, culture and commerce.

Everything you need – from the city’s top dining destinations, to a wide range of public art to a unique collection of locally-owned retailers – is just around the corner! Explore it all on the streetscape.

 

Streetscape Benefits:
  • ‘Complete Streets’: Dedicated lanes for all modes of transportation
  • Buried utilities
  • Accessibility
  • Walkability with wider, increased sidewalks
  • Pedestrian amenities: Curb extensions, enhanced HAWK crossings, overhead lighting, seating & trash receptacles
  • Protected, off-street bike paths
  • Mass transit amenities for DART riders
  • Stormwater improvement & green infrastructure
  • Raised planters, seasonal plantings & trees

Learn More

What's happening in 2024?

Construction of Phase 4 of the transformational streetscape project continues in 2024 on Ingersoll Avenue.

A public meeting was held prior to construction to outline the project goals, timeline and impact for this season. Read a recap of the meeting here. To see graphics of the anticipated construction stages, click here.

Looking for up-to-date construction information? Visit this page for weekly updates: www.theavenuesdsm.com/moving-forward

Contact Project Leaders

Have questions or concerns about the project? Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the contacts below:

Scott Almeida
Kirkham Michael
515-393-4771
salmeida@kirkham.com

Chris Kuhl
City of Des Moines
515-283-4073
ckkuhl@dmgov.org

Lauren Kollauf
The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand
director@theavenuesdsm.com

Construction Timeline

Phases 1 & 2: North half of Ingersoll Avenue from Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to 28th Street

  • Completed in 2020-2021

Phase 3: South half of Ingersoll Avenue from Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to 28th Street

  • Completed in 2022
Phase 4: Ingersoll Avenue from  28th to 31st Street
  • Reconstruction of existing streetscape happening in 2024
  •  To see graphics of the anticipated construction stages, click HERE.

Phase 5: Ingersoll Avenue from 31st-35th Street

  • Design of this phase is currently underway
  • Construction tentatively scheduled for Spring 2026

Phase 6: Ingersoll Avenue from 35th-42nd Street

  • Design and construction slated for TBD

Streetscape FAQs

How will parking change? 

The streetscape will create consistent on-street parallel parking throughout the entire corridor. Parking stalls will be defined by planter bump-outs and permeable parking pavers which absorb stormwater. Project engineers and the design teams made extensive efforts to maintain as much on-street parking as possible while bringing the project into alignment with ADA and sight distance standards.

Tell us about the improvements for pedestrians. Will there be more crossings for safety? What will that look like? How will Ingersoll be more accessible?

Improving walkability for the corridor was a main goal of this project.  The existing narrow sidewalks have been or will be replaced with larger sidewalks flanked by planters and the elevated bike lane. All of the improvements selected will create a more welcoming place for pedestrians, bicycles and transit riders.  These improvements are designed to calm traffic speeds and help make this a space people want to spend time walking around in.

Talk about the new ideas behind the elevated bike lanes.

The raised cycle track allows for the vertical separation of the bike lane from motor vehicle traffic.  It is buffered on one side by the landscaped planters, and on the other by parallel parking.  This layout is more attractive to a wider range of bicyclists than your standard on-street bike lane.  It also formally dedicates and protects space for bicyclists to improve comfort and safety.

How does this design bring more green to the streetscape? What will plantings look like? Is it sustainable?

The design team specifically focused on green sustainable designs for the streetscape.  We will be managing and treating stormwater runoff with permeable pavers in all of the parallel parking zones prior to any storm sewer intakes.  This will allow for the reduction of runoff and recharging of the groundwater table. The design team also added structural soil cells to all of the planter beds to allow for proper root growth of the trees and plants.  These cells contain loosely compacted rich soil for the trees to promote healthy growth without compromising the pavements above. All of these design features will allow the streetscape to be more friendly to the environment by reducing stormwater runoff, and reducing heat island by extensive plantings that can thrive.

Exploring the Benefits of Ingersoll’s Streetscape

The Ingersoll streetscape creates a vibrant and inviting environment.

4 Ways to Visit Ingersoll Avenue

Ingersoll Avenue welcomes every mode of transportation to our bustling corridor.

A Cyclist’s Guide to Ingersoll Avenue

Ingersoll Avenue is a cyclist-friendly haven with dedicated bike lanes.