Thing of the past.

Last night, the City of Eau Claire unanimously approved consultant Short Elliott Hendrickson's reconstruction plans for our (un)beloved Hastings Way. The vote was unanimously in favor (there was once absent council member). According to the Leader-Telegram, the only significant point of contention was light poles – which ones to use, how pretty they should be, and whether or not they should match existing pole-based illumination devices.

A proposal to change the light poles outlined by the plan to an option that would save about $11,000 was voted down.

Beyond that excitement, the city eliminated a parking lot, and – despite citizen requests for a 10-foot-wide bike/pedestrian trail – the plan will entail a 6-foot-wide sidewalk running from Fenwick to Clairemont.

The project’s final cost is to be $10.47 million, with $6.2 million coming from the state. Construction wills tart in the spring.

RELATED: The next Barstow St. redesign public info meeting is on Feb 1.