The gist
Presented by Shannon Miller, director of the Office of Historic Preservation, the new strategic plan's geographic scope includes the historic horseshoe area, as well as the channel extending north into the museum reach and the turn basin by the River Center Mall. The plan may also include the northern and southern portions of the river.
Miller said the plan has a wide scope of focus to ensure that it enhances the experience of visitors and residents alike.
“The scope of work [will have] to take a holistic approach to consider all of the opportunities that we have to improve the overall experience, and maybe most importantly, it will include a comprehensive public input campaign,” Miller said. “... We want to hear from tourists, but we also want to hear from locals. And in particular, we want to hear from the locals who don't come to the river as much as we would like them to to hear about why or concerns we might be able to address to drive more traffic to the River Walk.”
Miller also noted that city staff intended to look into any needed updates to city code.
“We're going to look at relevant city codes, which include everything from whether or not businesses should have amplified sound to people bending on the sidewalks to signage to digital menu boards,” Miller said. “[We] will also take a look at the unified development code and the river improvement overlay district standards to see where there might need to be updates. Most of the relevant regulations are 15 to 20 or more years old, and so it makes sense that we would take a look with fresh eyes at those regulations.”
Due to the plan’s wider scope, the plan could include potential capital improvements and maintenance projects, business growth and ways to improve traffic and circulation.
Key focus areas include:
- Infrastructure improvements
- Signage updates
- Potential ordinance changes
- Wayfinding solutions
- Accessibility enhancements
- Technology integration
- Ecological considerations
- Public art
- Landscaping
Miller said the plan will seek to help improve business opportunities in slower months, such as during summer.
“We've heard that foot traffic is slower in summer months due to heat, so we will look at things like new opportunities for shade or maybe even misters along the river,” Miller said.
Miller said this is the first plan since the 2008 master plan, which focused on the historic horseshoe area and the River Center Mall extension. The 2008 master plan also included a six-stage capital improvements project that installed ADA improvements and was completed in 2022.
According to city documents, funding will be taken from the River Walk Capital Improvements Fund
City staff are currently working on selecting different projects and negotiating contracts. There will also be a citywide campaign on SASpeakUp to gather community input and inform them of upcoming projects. The strategic plan is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of fiscal year 2026-27.
