Memo- Sidewalk Discussion - 2011 Street and Utility ImprovementsMemorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
CC: Rick Getschow, City Manager
From: John R. Bradford, City Engineer
Date: January 25, 2011
Re: Sidewalk Discussion - 2011 Street and Utility Improvements
This memo presents information to Council for our work session
discussion.
At the January 4, 2011 Public Hearing for this project, a number of
residents objected to the completion of the sidewalk along 14th
Avenue from Maetzold Field to 4th Street North. During the course of
the discussion, the residents expressed a desire for a sidewalk along
4th Street North from 12th Avenue North to 17th Avenue North.
General Discussion
Sidewalks have multiple purposes from a public policy perspective.
The most commonly noted is a public safety benefit by limiting
pedestrian/automobile interactions. Another common purpose is to
provide a comfortable pedestrian way to and from specific
destinations such as parks and commercial areas. A third purpose is
through the use of sidewalks as public gathering spaces. That is, in
neighborhoods where sidewalks are present, more residents are using
them, meeting and talking with their neighbors. This promotes
stronger neighborhoods and is a crime deterrent.
With Council adoption of the goal for a livable/walkable community
and the complete streets policy, it has been our understanding that
January 21, 2011
public safety and destination oriented sidewalks are a higher priority
than general sidewalks on every street.
Staff recognizes that it is generally difficult to gain public support for
sidewalk installations. Adjacent residents easily see the perceived loss
of property and increased snow shoveling, while the benefits noted
above can be more difficult to communicate. Adding to the
difficulty, pedestrian advocates tend to be very active during
seminars and general discussions, but are not present at public
hearings and project specific discussions with residents upset by a
change in front of their house.
In addition, as highlighted below, the proposed sidewalks add
approximately $105,000 to the project. All of this cost would be borne
by the City. Because sidewalk construction does not need the types
of heavy equipment used in street reconstruction, the cost difference
in completing the sidewalk as a standalone project would be small.
The choices for sidewalk construction with this project are judgment
calls that encompass more than technical merit. Budgets, timing and
public support all play a role.
14th Avenue Sidewalk
Our proposal for completing the 14th Avenue Sidewalk began with
noting the partial sidewalks already in place and the destinations of
Maetzold Field and the Regional Trail. The west side of 14th Avenue is
missing a segment of sidewalk from the Regional Trail to 3rd Street
North. The east side is missing sidewalk in front of residential property
from the trail to 3rd Street North and from halfway up the block to 4th
Street North. The remaining portion of sidewalk is adjacent to
Maetzold Field.
The cost of completing this sidewalk is estimated at $45,000 in the
feasibility report.
1) 4th Street North Sidewalk
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We have examined constructing sidewalk along 4th Street North
between 12th and 17th Avenues. There are many challenges with this
construction, including landscaped boulevard areas and short building
setbacks. The attached figure shows the proposed sidewalk. As can
be seen on the figure, we are proposing that the sidewalk be on the
2
January 21, 2011
north side of the street only. In an ideal world, we would propose a
sidewalk on both sides for the entire length.
The reason for the design compromise is that there are a number of
houses on the south side of the street that are so close to the right of
way line that the impact of the sidewalk would be great. The north
side also has significant challenges in that between 12th and 14th
Avenues, the north side has heavy landscaping in the boulevard.
The installation of this sidewalk is primarily necessitated by the traffic on
4th Street North and the large number of pedestrians. The retail
destinations at 17th Avenue appear to be a significant draw. The Alice
Smith School is also located at the eastern end of 4th Street North. The
construction of this sidewalk makes the 14th Avenue sidewalk more of a
destination walk to Maetzold Field as it would connect pedestrian ways
together.
We look forward to our discussion Tuesday night.
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