CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the 2023 and 2024 New Sidewalk Program
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J. Novack, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
On September 1, 2022, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) recommended approval of the 2023 and 2024 Annual New Sidewalk Program (approved 5-0).
BACKGROUND:
The New Sidewalk Program was established in 2004 following the adoption of the Comprehensive Sidewalk Policy, a guiding document that defines the policies and programs for implementation of the pedestrian component of Naperville's Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The New Sidewalk Program annually installs new public sidewalk in locations that are lacking sidewalk along the roadway (sidewalk gaps). Every few years, locations for a multi-year program are reviewed by TAB and the City Council for approval. To date, the program has installed 13.8 miles of sidewalk in 118 gap locations.
Gap locations are prioritized using a scoring system that takes into account numerous factors such as roadway classification, proximity to schools, connectivity to the existing sidewalk network, presence of sidewalk on the opposite side of the roadway, and constructability. During consideration of previous programs, City Council expressed support for locations that are beneficial to students, are located within the City's corporate boundaries, do not pose considerable constructability challenges, and are located in front of incorporated properties. Therefore, locations that do not meet these criteria are filtered out.
To provide greater opportunity for resident input, property owners who live along high-scoring neighborhood gap locations are then surveyed before those locations are proposed to TAB. Locations with a high level of opposition are removed from near-term consideration. Gaps along arterial roadways are prioritized based on vehicular speeds and volumes.
DISCUSSION:
In preparation fo...
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