The downtown square in Jefferson has seen some recent updates and will continue to have updates next week.

There have been discussions at several city council meetings about how to alleviate issues around the square with elderly people having trouble stepping over the new curbs due to the angle they were installed at.

Last week, City Administrator Mike Palmer says a contracted company cut into the curb in a six-feet amount of space at each of the alleyway entrances to create a step to make it easier for people to enter the sidewalk area.

Another project scheduled for next week, notes Palmer, is the street crew will be painting parking and pedestrian crosswalk lines around the square and at all school crossings.  They will also paint handicapped parking spots around the square.

Palmer describes where the handicapped spaces will be.

“There’ll probably be one in front of Angie’s, there’s an existing one there (and) one in front of Hy-Vee Drug, there’s an existing one there.  The other ones on the other sides of the square they may be located more around the corners so people can get to those accessible ramps, but they won’t be right in front of a business right now.  Hopefully we are increasing our access much, much better than what it is right now.”

Those projects are scheduled to be completed before school starts next Wednesday.