‘Safe Routes’ sidewalk project may be delayed

NORTH WALES » A sidewalk project that has been on the drawing board for nearly a decade in North Wales is facing further delays.

Borough Manager Christine Hart reported Tuesday that the borough’s “Safe Routes to School” sidewalk program is still moving through the state approval process, but has now hit a new obstacle.

“Just today I received word that everything went through DVRPC, and they are still working with PennDOT,” Hart said, referring to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

The “Safe Routes to School” project was first discussed in 2008 as a way to seek federal grant money to fill in gaps in sidewalks on Washington Avenue, Fairview Avenue and West Prospect Avenue for students walking to North Wales Elementary School. Grant money was secured in 2009, but several changes in borough administration and difficulties in securing access rights from

residents’ properties have left that project unfinished after nearly a decade now. Last summer staff began working in earnest to finish securing the remaining residents’ properties, and final documents were submitted to the necessary state agencies at the end of 2017.

Hart gave an update to council Tuesday, saying several residents along the route have asked where the project stands, and the answer is that PennDOT has asked for more information before granting final approvals.

“We received word, last Thursday before the storm, that they want us to create a dialog and diary on each of the right of way documents, because there was a time lapse,” Hart said.

“That was one of the things that came out of the PennDOT review. We’re going to complete that, hopefully by week’s end, and get it out” and submitted, she said.

When documents were submitted last year, Hart said her optimistic estimate would be to finish the approval process and award bids for the project in spring, have construction

done in summer, and see the sidewalks complete in time for the start of the school year in fall.

Now, that timeline may have slipped.

“We had anticipated bidding in March and April. That’s probably not going to happen, because we need to go through those documents, and make sure the construction plans are approved, and what have you,” she said.

“Instead of having construction over the summer, which would have been ideal, I think we may be looking at construction in the fall, which is not ideal,” said Hart.

Residents along the route whose properties would be affected by the project should get an update spelling out that situation in the coming weeks, Hart told council, and bid documents will come before council as soon as possible.

“What’s done is done, and it’s going to get done,” she said.