S. Paula City Council approves plans and
specifications for 21 street sidewalk projects

September 16, 2015
Santa Paula News

It looks like sidewalks are finally going to get some attention after the City Council approved the plans and specifications for the project to tackle repair or replacements on 21 streets.

City Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite asked that the item be pulled from the Consent Calendar — those items considered routine — for discussion at the September 8 meeting.

Crosswhite asked Capital Projects Engineer John Ilasin “If we could just get a report of where we’re at with the sidewalk project, an update,” including a timeline and locations of work. 

With council approval of the plans and specifications Ilasin said the bid is ready for release; once a contractor is selected “The tentative schedule would be in November,” for work to begin.

“It is a 30-day working project to try to squeeze in as much as we can before the holidays.”

The project “will only address an eighth,” or 40 miles of sidewalks in the city at a cost of about $1 million.

Ilasin noted the city has a total of 110 sidewalk miles; the initial project will also create more ADA curb ramps where needed.

Mayor John Procter asked how the sidewalks were prioritized for work and Ilasin said maintenance reports were studied, staff evaluated sidewalk conditions and inspection reports were created. 

Staff, noted Ilasin, “Did a great job in recording all the conditions of our sidewalks,” and identifying those that are a priority.

“Last year the Ventura County Transportation Commission left some money on the table,” that Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi, the former executive director of the agency, said was available “for these kinds of projects...we might as well go for it,” and apply for the funding.

“We actually applied for two,” state-funding programs related to bicycle paths and a bypath project that would open up foot traffic for Fagan Barranca.

Gherardi pulled another Consent Calendar item related to crosswalks for questions wanting to know what the city’s plans are.

The city, she was told, will be using pedestrian activated above ground beacons — Ilasin compared them to police patrol car light bars — at some intersections rather than the ground level flashing lights.

Gherardi noted “particularly the problems at Laurie Lane and Harvard Boulevard,” where several fatal accidents — pedestrians hit by vehicles — have occurred.

“When can the community expect these crosswalks to come in?” she asked.

The work is scheduled concurrently with the sidewalk project said Ilasin and completion will probably be “At the earliest December, late December...”





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