Sidewalks south of Lakeland Rd from Rt 1 to RhodeIsland avenue will be improved
Recently the City received $90,000 as part of Community Development Block Grant (CBDG), which is is a federal program administered through Prince George’s County for the revitalization and improvement of low- and moderate-income areas around the County.
In tonight’s meeting, the City Council will ratify the filing of an application to the Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development for reconstruction of curb, gutter and sidewfalks on selected streets in the Old Town, Lakeland and Berwyn neighborhoods.
The recaptured CDBG funding was made available by Prince George’s County for eligible projects. The deadline for applications was February 10,2012.
Over fifty-one percent of the residents of the neighborhoods proposed for sidewalk reconstruction fall within federal income guidelines for low and moderate income. The City’s proposed project therefore meets the National Objective of benefiting Low and Moderate Income Individuals. Unfortunately, the north College Park is not eligible to get this fund because of relatively higher per capita income of residents living here compared to those living in the south.
You can find more about the bill here.
The sidewalks targeted for reconstruction were recommended in a Purple Line Corridor Access Study prepared for the Prince George’s County Planning Department and confirmed in the field by the City Engineer.
The specific requests are replacement of existing 4-foot sidewalks with 5-foot sidewalks on the south side of Knox Road from Yale Avenue to Princeton Avenue ($18,180), replacement of existing 4-foot sidewalks with 5-foot sidewalks on the south side of Lakeland Road from U.S. 1 to Rhode Island Avenue ($30,600), replacement of existing 4-foot sidewalks with 5-foot sidewalks on the south side of Berwyn Road from U.S. 1 to 49th Ave. ($22,700), and reconstruction of the existing 6-foot sidewalk on the north side of Knox Road from Yale Avenue to Princeton Ave.($18,060).
Last week, Councilmember Catlin expressed concern about expanding the sidewalks on Berwyn Road, and asked that this be limited to the block immediately off of US 1 and said that he didn’t feel that pedestrians typically walk on the south side of Lakeland Road. However, at this point, staff indicated that our best option is to ratify what was already submitted and to make changes later to reflect Mr. Catlin’s concerns.
bloomer
I don’t understand any Council person saying that sidewalks are not needed in any location in thes City.
I live north of Greenbelt Road, and there are thousands of people making walking trips each day from the neighborhoods to UMD, Greenbelt Metro etc. We need sidewalks on the major north/south walking routes such as 51st Avenue, where there are NO sidewalks, but there ARE man huge trucks.
INstead if improving existing sidewalks, we shoule be expanding the sidewalk network.
What gives?
Bob Catlin
The City is proposing to take out existing four-foot wide sidewalks which are generally in fair to good condition and replace them with five-foot wide sidewalks. Most of the sidewalks are adequate width wise for the amount of pedestrian traffic on them. So I don’t see the need to take out grass in residential neighborhoods and replace it with additional concrete.
No area north of University Blvd is eligible for these funds as they must be spent in a low income (heavily student) census tract.