STILL ON THE PATH
Borough manager gives update on ‘Safe Routes to School’ project begun nearly a decade ago
A long-discussed sidewalk project in North Wales Borough is still in the works, despite delays that have added up to nearly a decade.
Borough Manager Christine Hart recently gave an update on the progress of the borough’s Safe Routes to School project, meant to bring new sidewalks to three local streets using grant funds originally allocated in 2009.
“We are waiting for four homeowners, and it’s been a challenge. Once we can get those, we will be able to move forward,” Hart said.
Borough residents and officials have been discussing the Safe Routes to School project, a federally funded grant program meant to extend and fill in gaps in sidewalks along Washington Avenue, Fairview Avenue, and West Prospect Avenue for students walking to North Wales Elementary School, since 2008.
In response to a resident’s question, Hart said last week borough staff is still working on securing the right to use property from four of the roughly 20 homeowners along that route.
“The word ‘diligent’ is an understatement with a few of the people. One of the homeowners is in Upper Gwynedd, and it’s right on the border there, so that’s been a little challenging, but we are working on it,” Hart said.
Resident Andrew Berenson asked for the update on the project, and whether the delays in negotiating with the residents could jeopardize completion.
“We’re not at that point yet, but
the job costs have increased so much since nine years ago that we are over on the engineering (costs), which is cutting into some of the construction costs,” Hart said. “And, the construction costs have inflated, as anything else has, over the past nine years.”
So far, the borough has expended about $225,000 in engineering, surveying, and consulting costs, and while that will be covered by the $1 million in federal grant money, once the project is finalized the borough may end up covering at least part of the total cost.
“The borough will probably be able, once we get a good cost analysis, to eat some of that, in order to gain $1 million worth of sidewalks,” Hart said.
If the project were canceled completely, the borough would have to cover the costs already spent, and Hart said she’d rather proceed and cover the overruns later on, perhaps through a bond borrowing, in order to finish the project and produce a tangible result.
“I’d rather be on the other side, where we’re putting out money and at least getting something to show for it,” she said.
More information on the project will be available in
“We are waiting for four homeowners, and it’s been a challenge. Once we can get those, we will be able to move forward.”
Christine Hart, North Wales borough manager
future council meetings as details are finalized, according to the manager. Borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on July 11 at the borough municipal building, 300 School St. For more information visit www.NorthWalesBorough.org.