Stepping closer to Star City sidewalks
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STAR CITY - Town council is a few weeks away from putting out to bid a project that will replace sidewalks along one side of University Avenue.
Bobby Doyle, Star City's building code official, said the project will cover about 1,000 square yards of sidewalks from the area near St. Mary Roman Catholic Church to Boyers Avenue. He said he won't know for sure until Lakecrest Construction marks where the ADA ramps will go.
That work was to happen this past week. Thrasher Engineering will then return to measure the remaining portions of the sidewalks that Star City will be responsible for.
Doyle previously explained that Lakecrest Construction would take care of the ADA corners and ramps. He said Lakecrest is now doing that same work on state roads such as W.Va. 705/Chestnut Ridge Road. Doyle said by going with the same company as the state, Star City would be able to save about $100,000 on the project.
Doyle explained this week that because University Avenue is a state roadway, West Virginia Department of Transportation is responsible for the sidewalks and will pay for the ADA portions.
"We're just trying to dress up Star City a little bit," Doyle said. "We can use TIF (tax increment financing) money for this as an improvement and try to bring in business."
Jeff Gola, with Thrasher Engineering, attended a recent town council meeting to present a preliminary report on the project. Gola and Doyle will continue to meet to firm up plans so council can put the project out for bid soon.
Doyle said there is no estimated cost for the new sidewalks, which will traverse the right side of University Avenue as motorists drive from the church toward the Monongahela River. Town officials hope specifics will be determined by the end of this month and that the bidding process will begin in early September.
Because University Avenue is a state roadway, this is the first time Star City has taken on the task of replacing the sidewalks, Doyle said.
"I don't know if the sidewalks have ever been redone this extensively," he said. "The town hasn't done it because the sidewalks are on a state highway."
The next Star City Town Council meeting will be 6 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall, 370 Broadway Ave.