The Division of Public Works tonight made a presentation to the Fort Wayne City Council on the City of Fort Wayne’s proactive efforts to invest in neighborhood sidewalk improvements. Division Director Bob Kennedy, and Transportation Engineer Mario Trevino, shared details about sidewalk repair procedures, construction of new sidewalks and funding.
Highlights of the presentation included:
· New Sidewalk Construction
o Sidewalks added in past three years — Maplecrest Road, Lower Huntington Road, Hillcrest Addition, McKinnie Avenue, Oxford Street, Hanna Street, Lake Avenue, East State Boulevard, Lahmeyer Road, Bluffton Road (Maplewood-Gilford),
o Sidewalks to be added in 2017 – Bluffton Road (Lower Huntington to Foster Park), Dupont Road, Lake Avenue, Illinois Road, Reed Road
· Trip Hazard Repair
o $75,000 investment ($12,500 in each district)
§ Horizontal saw-cut to level sidewalk
§ 1,980 trip hazard repairs in 2016
· Including the neighborhoods of Springfield Glen, Arlington Heights, Pine Valley, Frances Slocum, Tower Heights, Lincoln Park, Haverhill, North Shores, Indiana Village, Trier Ridge, Branning Hills
· Street Department Concrete Repairs
o Target sidewalks with heaves of two inches or greater (no more than four slabs)
o Crews focus on neighborhoods with asphalt streets
o Funded by Motor Vehicle Highway Fund (MVH)
· Contractor Concrete Street, Sidewalk, ADA Ramp Repairs
o Over the last three years, neighborhood improvements in Crown Colony, Southwick Park, Aboite Meadows, Oxford, North Highlands, Tower Heights, Haverhill, McKinnie, Lincoln Park, Crestwood Colony, Eagle Creek, Eagle Lake, Arlington Park Phase I, Aboite Lake Estates, Plantations of Aboite, Winterset, Hoevelwood, Hickory Grove, Casselwood, Windrift, Maumee Avenue, Maplecrest and Hillcrest, included sidewalk repairs
o Coming in 2017 – Arlington Park Phase II, Pine Valley, Lima Valley
· In 2014, Mayor Tom Henry became the first mayor in the City’s history to dedicate funding for sidewalk maintenance of the City’s 1,600 miles of sidewalks
§ $75,000 for trip hazard repairs (two inch heave or greater)
§ $600,000 neighborhood sidewalk improvements
§ $250,000 Street Department trip hazard repair
· 50/50 Cost Share Program (residents pay 50% and City pays 50% of the repair)
o This year, Mayor Henry restructured the cost share program – changing it from 60/40 — 60% resident, 40% City to 50/50
§ On a $1,000 dollar repair the change saves a resident $100
o 80 homeowners participated this year
o Average cost for the homeowner $500-$800
o 74 homeowners scheduled in 2017
o Residents able to use Board of Public Works financing (Barrett Law)
§ Petition through the Board of Public Works
§ Up to 10-year repayment option at 3% interest
§ Residents wanting to participate can obtain a Board of Works application (no credit check required.)
§ Petition available at cityoffortwayne.org/costshare or by calling 311
