Staff recommends that Council approve a resolution ordering improvements identified in the 2023 Missing Sidewalk Program.

The City has an annual concrete program to make improvements addressing tripping hazards, drainage problems, property owner requests, complaints of concrete issues, and other miscellaneous concrete work.  The annual program is split into three separate projects.  The first project, "Sidewalk Tripper Repair", corrects concrete tripping hazards that can be repaired by grinding.  The second project, "Small Concrete Replacement", primarily includes tripping hazards unable to be repaired by grinding that are corrected by replacing the concrete. The third project is the "Missing Sidewalk" project that is the subject of this council action.   

The Missing Sidewalk project focused on installing sidewalk in areas that are missing pedestrian facilities.  This project is in accordance with State law (MCA 7-14-4109) and City Resolution 18-10719 that allow the City Council to order certain improvements such as sidewalks, curbs, or gutters to be constructed without the creation of a special improvement district (SID).  City staff identified and prioritized areas of missing sidewalk along arterial streets, collector streets, school routes (as shown in the Safe Routes to School study), or in high pedestrian areas for inclusion in this program.  The streets that are missing sidewalk include Virginia Lane from Rimrock Road to Poly Drive; Alkali Creek Road from Moon Valley Road to Sandstone Trail; Parkview Drive from Broadwater Avenue to Lillis Lane; 21st Street West from Grand Avenue to Avenue D; Avenue C from 24th Street West to 22nd Street West; and 12th Street West from Lewis Avenue to Grand Avenue.   

Based on City Resolution 18-10719, the property owners are responsible to pay for sidewalk on their addressed side and drive approaches on both addressed and non-addressed sides. The City is responsible to pay for curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk on non-addressed sides of properties, and ADA improvements at corners and on sidewalks that are in good condition, but were constructed before ADA requirements were in place. The estimated assessments for the properties are shown in Exhibit B of the Resolution Ordering Improvements as attached.  

The Council may:

• Approve the Resolution ordering construction of the improvements; or
• Approve a subset of streets within the Resolution ordering construction of the improvements; or
• Not approve the Resolution ordering construction of the improvements.  If the Council does not approve the Resolution, the property owners cannot be assessed and the completion of missing sidewalk will be delayed because there is no other current source of funding.

The project is funded through Gas Tax funds budgeted in FY23 and direct property assessments.  The assessments included in the resolution are in the amount of $407,000 ($330,006 construction and $76,994 bond/engineering cost).  Gas Tax funds in the amount of $612,003 comprise the remainder of the budget.