In preparing the Salisbury Is Rising special section, I was blown away by the list of projects and initiatives slated for just the next 15 years.

As you can see, even the list for the next four years is as ambitious as it is remarkable.

If there’s one thing that was clear in talking to people during the reporting on the special section, there is a genuine commitment to get these things accomplished:

Priority 1 -- Now through 2020

Lot 12 Living Shoreline + Riverwalk -- $1 million

The majority of Lot 12 will remain as a surface parking lot. To mitigate detrimental effect on the Wicomico River from stormwater runoff, the parking lot will receive a living shoreline and rain garden treatment in Phase 1. This will include educational signage about river health and the rain garden. The design will incorporate a continuation of the Riverwalk to be completed at a later date.

Circle Avenue Riverwalk Completion -- $450,000

The Riverwalk extension from the intersection of Main/Mill to the Circle Avenue Bridge is a critical

missing link in the Urban Greenway. This extension will link the West Main Street Bridge, North Prong extensions of the Riverwalk and both the northern and southern banks of the western portion of the Riverwalk to the existing Downtown portion of the Riverwalk.

Salisbury Town Center -- Phase 1 -- $35 million

This transformative major infill project will occur on City Parking Lots 1 and 11. It will be a public- private partnership including approximately 200 market-rate apartments, 40,000 sf of retail, an entrepreneurial center, a park, a hotel, a library and a parking garage.

Phase 1 consists of all development on Lot 1.

Main Street/North Division Street Streetscape -- $8.4 million

The Main Street Master Plan calls for a three-phase Streetscape enhancement and roadway reconstruction of the portions of Main Street between Route 13 and Mill Street, the portion of North Division Street between Main Street and Route 50 and the portions of the City/County owned property in front of the historic County Courthouse and Government Office Building. The Masterplan calls for this project to be completed in three phases. At the time of this publication, an engineer firm has been hired and is completing design with community involvement. Part of this contract requires the designation of lighting, signage, planting, paving, stormwater management, trash/recycling receptacle, bench and other street furniture standards that will be applied throughout Downtown, major roads connecting to Downtown and the rest of the city.

Lot 14 Enhancements -- $50,000

Streetscape improvements to lighting and planting will enhance the US 50 and Church street frontages of this parking lot. It may also become the primary site for signage signifying the arrival in Downtown of eastbound travelers.

Camden Street Streetscape -- $400,000

Camden Street will receive an updated streetscape treatment, adopting the same elements, features and standards of the Main Street Master Plan streetscape, inclusive of stormwater management features. The street may remain uni-directional (one of only a handful) but 2-way traffic is always preferable where plausible. Camden Street should incorporate on-street parking. This project should occur in advance of or in conjunction with the Salisbury Town Center development.

Circle Avenue Streetscape -- $500,000

Circle Avenue will receive an updated streetscape treatment, adopting the same elements, features and standards of the Main Street Master Plan streetscape, inclusive of stormwater management features. The street may be narrowed some, or lanes may be narrowed to incorporate on-street parking and bike lanes. This project should occur in conjunction with the Salisbury Town Center development.

Priority 2 -- 2021

Camden Pedestrian Bridge -- $150,000

Although the Camden Street Bridge was torn down decades ago, this geographic link remains important to residents. The Camden Avenue corridor will be reconnected to Downtown and Camden Street not by a vehicular bridge but by a pedestrian bridge.

Salisbury Town Center -- Phase 2 -- $22 million

Phase 2 of this transformative major infill project will occur on City Parking Lot 11. It will consist of a parking garage, new library and ground floor retail.

Circle-Market Passageway -- $50,000

The direct linkage between the Downtown Plaza, the Salisbury Town Center, a new parking garage and the future Riverwalk Art Museum and Community Plaza will be completed by creating a pedestrian passageway between the new garage/library building and the existing Cannon Building.

Salisbury Green Market Building -- $50,000

This building will replace the existing shed-roof building and will provide a downtown trading space for farmers, craftsmen and other local artisans.

Market Street Streetscape -- $2 million

Market Street will receive an updated streetscape treatment, adopting the same elements, features and standards of the Main Street Master Plan streetscape, inclusive of stormwater management features. The street may be narrowed some, or lanes may be narrowed to incorporate on-street parking and bike lanes.

Division Street Streetscape -- $500,000

Division Street will receive an updated streetscape treatment, adopting the same elements, features and standards of the Main Street Master Plan streetscape, inclusive of stormwater management features. The street may be narrowed some, or lanes may be narrowed to incorporate on-street parking and bike lanes.

Medical School Pedestrian Bridge -- $150,000

This pedestrian bridge will provide the most direct linkage between PRMC and the heart of Downtown. It will also allow parking in the city garage for patrons of the Medical Education Building.