The Village of Viola has joined forces with Mercer County: Better Together (MCBT), University of Illinois Extension and the University of Illinois’ Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) to identify a sustainable future for “The Crossroads of Mercer County.” Since February, this group has begun researching and exploring development options for the area near the intersection of U.S. Route 67 and Illinois Route 17 in downtown Viola. Over the next few months, DURP will design site development options, gather public feedback and meet with Viola residents. In April, a model of the consensus design choice will be built and presented to the Viola village board. Social media feedback will be key in developing public consensus. To view site design options and give feedback, visit facebook.com/thevioladowntownproject or follow @viola_downtown_project on Instagram. A community open house will be held later this spring, where residents will have the chance to provide additional feedback on site design options through a voting process.
