GRANVILLE — Granville Town Council is working to make University Town Centre safer for pedestrians.
Mayor Patty Lewis said a pedestrian crosswalk designed by French Engineering would connect Wal-Mart and WVU’s physician’s office building and would include a signal. French Engineering gave a bid of $20,320, which is $320 over what council can pay, based on town ordinance.
At this week’s council meeting, Lewis said she would contact Tim Rice of Potesta Engineering to put a bid package together for the crosswalk.
Lewis said she’s also heard from people wanting a crosswalk between Target and Giant Eagle. She said she would speak with Rice to discuss the matter further.
Chief of Police Craig Corkrean also discussed with council plans to install cameras at the Granville softball fields and the University Town Centre. The town centre has cameras but Corkrean said there are plans to install more closer to the new exit off I-79.
“We’ve solved a lot of stuff with these cameras so far. It’s had the capability to capture plates coming and going. Now what we’re running into is people not coming up the old way. They’re coming in the new way and they’re not going down far enough where we’re catching plates,” he said.
If cameras are expanded into the town center, a pole will be installed with two cameras near the new exit and two cameras on the light on Mountaineer Drive.
“The town center starting with this holiday season, has been challenging because the new exit is so busy that we have people hitting Wal-Mart and Target from the new entrance and going out that way and we never see them on our cameras, so we need to address that, I think,” said Corkean.
Cameras at the Granville softball fields will be installed to deter activity such as joyriders doing donuts in the parking lot, Corkrean said. He said cameras will make it easier to catch license plates of those coming in and out of the parking lot. Lewis said it would be nice to have the pavilion better monitored as well.
Corkrean said the project would be assessed in January, and Lewis requested costs for each project be submitted separately.
A vacancy on the Board of Zoning Appeals was filled by Wilbur England, and council agreed to hire Brian Hyde fulltime for the Granville Police Department.
Council also agreed to drill at a vacant lot on Main Street to determine what sort of foundation will be needed if the land is developed. Lewis said after the meeting she hopes it will be the site of a new community center.
- The next Granville Town Council meeting will be Jan. 8 due to Christmas falling on a Tuesday.
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