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Building Sidewalks Topic Of Meeting

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By HAROLD VALENTINE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2007

Updated: 10/15/2007 07:13 pm

CARROLLWOOD - Resident safety is the reason behind proposed sidewalks at two locations in Carrollwood and one in Town 'N Country.

Details for sidewalks to be built in early 2008 on Vandervort Road, from Hanna Road to Livingston Avenue in Lutz, and on Lake Magdalene Boulevard, from Bearss Avenue to Indian Mound Road, were discussed at a meeting with residents and county officials Oct. 10 at Twin Lakes Elementary School.

Another project in Town 'N Country, on Himes Avenue from Kirby Street to Waters Avenue, also was discussed.

A handful of residents attended the meeting, all of whom live on or near Vandervort.

One of them, Cheryl Morgan, launched the effort in 2001 to get sidewalks built. 'When I started the project,' Morgan said, 'I was pushing my daughter in a stroller, she was a baby, and we almost got hit by a car.'

Morgan said Vandervort is being used as a shortcut to work for Carrollwood commuters to get to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to the east. In the morning, she said drivers can be blinded by the rising sun. She said drivers face a lowering sun on their way home as well.

Morgan's neighbor Susan Blondino said in addition to several bus stops on Vandervort for elementary, middle and high school students, she is one of several walkers in the neighborhood.

Laura Martinez, a spokeswoman from the Hillsborough County public work's department, said the meeting was intended to let residents know what is set to take place in 2008. She said meetings have been held the past few years to discuss whether sidewalks should be implemented on Vandervort and other areas.

Martinez said Vandervort is an example of changes happening throughout the county.

'We're going from rural to urban, and I know there are lots of places where people don't like that change, but it is happening,' Martinez said.

Permits, design and funding are among the reasons the three sidewalk projects have taken many years. Martinez said wetlands issues have hampered sidewalks on Lake Magdalene and added that some residents there have been asking for sidewalks since the late 1980s.

Martinez said construction on Vandervort and Himes is likely to start earlier than on Lake Magdalene because the preconstruction process is further along.

Michael Mills, an engineer with Icon Consultant Group that helped design sidewalks on Himes, said design on the road provided 'quite a challenge, actually.'

Pre-existing sidewalks dot the area with plenty of gaps, and factors included in the retrofit include a largely urbanized area with drainage ditches, unleveled ground and a canopy of trees that are to be preserved.

Martinez said residents walk that area on Himes to shop, including disabled people. All three sidewalks will meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

'Normally, you won't see sidewalks in meetings like this requiring design because we have only a few projects that require as much design,' Martinez said.

Martinez said each of the three projects cost about $200,000, which includes the design and construction.

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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