For a long time people have clamored for cleanup work to be done to one of Springfield’s key corridors to the downtown area – Clear Lake Avenue and the Madison- Jefferson Crossover – and now they are going to get it.

An envelope party fundraiser was cohosted Wednesday by Downtown Springfield, Inc., and Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery to help support the landscaping portion of the project, with individuals receiving a one-year membership to Springfield Green for donations over $50. The fundraiser, held at Obed and Isaac’s, featured locally brewed beer and food.

Thanks to a $500,000 grant, which will go towards the estimated project cost of slightly over $650,000, from the Illinois Department of Transportation being facilitated by Springfield Green, landscape work will begin this fall with perennials, daylilies and turf being added to some of the right of way areas on Clear Lake Avenue from Magnolia Drive to McCreery Avenue Additional landscaping, trees and decorative lighting will be added to the Madison-Jefferson Crossover area between Martin Luther King Drive and 11th Street.

Springfield Green is a city and community-driven program established in 2004, which beautifies Springfield with plants, trees and flowers through residential and commercial streetscape projects.

For more information on this project email green@springfield.il.us or call 789- 2000 and ask for the Springfield Green office.