Sidewalk Hearing Update.
Vienna Residents Split on Need for More Sidewalks
by BRIAN TROMPETER, Staff Writer
(Created: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 7:42 AM EDT)
Sidewalks are great, in theory, but the proverbial shoe leather meets the concrete when it comes time to build them in one's own neighborhood.The Vienna Sidewalk Task Force on Sept. 22 presented the Vienna Town Council with a prioritized list of 50 projects designed to improve pedestrian access and safety.
Town officials estimated the bill for all the projects would be just over $16 million. Sidewalks would cost about $185 per linear foot - up 50 percent since the task force reported to the Town Council in March 2007.
The sidewalks would cost $340 per linear foot if curb and gutter were included and a whopping $738 per foot if drainage and street improvements are added to all of the above, town officials said.
Several residents who attended the meeting said sidewalks and other improvements were not appropriate for their neighborhoods.
Most of the opposition arose from residents on Windover and Moore avenues.
Joan Lillis, of 313 Windover Ave., N.W., said she opposed sidewalks along that street because they might harm the root systems of old trees and be aesthetically out of character with the neighborhood.“I believe [sidewalks] will compromise the integrity and ambiance of the town's only historic district,” she said.
Mayor M. Jane Seeman said the town had received petitions from Windover Heights residents, opposing sidewalks and requesting the speed limit on Windover Avenue be dropped to 20 mph.
Marty Haverkamp, of 303 Windover Ave., N.W., said asphalt sidewalks would be out of place in the historic district, and would require the use of oil, which has become much more expensive this year.
“If we're concerned about oil, why aren't we doing cement and bricks [for sidewalks]?” she asked.
Any sidewalk improvements planned for the Windover Heights Historic District first would be vetted at public hearing at the Windover Heights Board of Review, then considered by the Town Council.
Patrick McCloskey, of 218 Moore Ave., S.E., said sidewalks on that street were not necessary for safety reasons.
“The trees in my yard aren't worth someone's life, but in 14 years, we've had no issues,” he said.
Lyn Beer, of 302 Lewis St., N.W., said she favored sidewalks if they served practical, not just aesthetic, purposes. But Beer said solving stormwater-runoff problems on the street should be a higher priority.
Some residents said they favored sidewalks. One was legally blind resident Steve Sedgwick, of 908 Plum St., S.W., who favored them on that street.
The task force was formed in 2006 and is co-chaired by Vienna Planning Commission member George Creed and Vienna Transportation Safety Commission member Steve Kenney.
The task force designated 15 sites in Priority Group 1, which would cost an estimated $5.5 million to build; another 15 sites in Priority Group 2, which would cost an estimated $5.4 million and 20 sites in Priority Group 3, for an estimated cost of $5.2 million.
The committee conducted a survey in the summer of 2006 and received 207 responses from residents, Kenney said.
Priority was given to areas that serve as routes to and from schools, parks commercial areas. Sites also received more consideration if they were listed on a 1998 sidewalk survey, located between existing segments of sidewalk or in areas where residents have expressed strong preferences for sidewalks.
Most of these projects have not been designed, so their costs were estimated based upon similar efforts in the past, officials said.
The town has about $600,000 budgeted for sidewalk projects, and this amount could be supplemented with federal and state moneys, Mayor Seeman said.
Comments
Most of the opposition arose from residents on Windover and Moore avenues.
Joan Lillis, of 313 Windover Ave., N.W., said she opposed sidewalks along that street because they might harm the root systems of old trees and be aesthetically out of character with the neighborhood.
I guess children dodging cars is more to their liking. Note none of these people have small children either. If they aren't going to put in sidewalks then they need to do something regarding cut through traffic. When these roads were built the cars were much smaller. Two speeding SUV's and a pedestrian is trouble.
It is a bit of a shame when we place aesthetics before safety. But sadly I expect nothing more from this leadership and their cronies.
Posted by: Susan | September 30, 2008 03:38 PM
There is someone not too bright living on Moore Ave. Just the other day I rounded the corner from Park St. and encountered a school child walking in the middle of Moore Ave. I wonder if the person objecting to sidewalks is the same person who plays with his kids in the street with fireworks which on one occasion came into the window of my car.
Posted by: Wyltin | September 30, 2008 05:16 PM
I hope the Town of Vienna and the Town Council are sued out the ying-yang, if anyone is hit by a car in the neighborhoods that need sidewalks.
Susan, your neighbors who put TREES before human lives (hello Joan Lillis) are COMPLETE IDIOTS.
Posted by: Leah | September 30, 2008 05:17 PM
Joan Lillis is a nut. Her now deceased life partner was one of the biggest you know whats to ever grace Vienna's soil. Her comments are useless.
Posted by: Nuts Will Be Nuts | September 30, 2008 06:32 PM
I\'m tired of hearing about the \"historic district.\" There\'s very little that\'s \"historic\" about it. There are new houses on it, and asphalt. If you want \"historic,\" go all the way, and make them dirt paths and only allow horses.
It\'s time to end the charade and just let people do whatever they want there. You want to paint your house orange? Who cares? You\'re the one who has to live with it. Plenty of neighborhoods in town do just fine without a homeowner\'s association.
If you\'re worried about tree roots, put in asphalt. But it\'s time to drop the \"historic\" moniker.
As far as I know, there are no descendants of George Washington living in that area, none of the houses are from that era (with the exception of the barn, perhaps), and everything else about it is relatively \"modern,\" given that there are tons of ramblers in the area, the aforementioned roads, etc.
It\'s costing the Town untold dollars to defend stupid lawsuits because someone decided that this ONE area of the town, for some reason, needs to be \"preserved.\" But it\'s not even preserved; just look around and it\'s obvious.
There are much better things to spend dollars, time, and words on.
Posted by: The Internet | September 30, 2008 06:35 PM
I want sidewalk/curb/gutter all over town. Our hodgepodge sidewalk situation is dangerous and, on a lesser note, horribly unattractive.
New trees will be planted and grow. I cannot think of one tree I value more than a human life. And, that goes for the Cedars along Windover Avenue or the Black Walnuts along Lewis Street. Take 'em all down and put in sidewalks and storm water management.
Posted by: vienna mommy | October 1, 2008 03:05 PM
I've tried asking in several forums, so I'll ask here. what IS so bloody historic about Windover? I mean, other than one or two big, relatively old houses, it's just a dangerous street with no sidewalks. There is one really awesome house near Pleasant Street, but one cool house does not a historic district make. A lot of the houses are relatively new and not in the least historic. I drive safely, but it is a difficult street to negotiate even with my little convertable when there is a pedestrian or a cyclist, and another car in the mix. Everyone drives a big car/SUV these days. Kids do walk home from Madison on Windover. I see them every day. Why shouldn't they get a sidewalk to walk on? Why should one lady's trees matter so much? It seems like the tyranny of a few old folks with money and too much time on their hands. Please tell me what I am missing. Aesthetically out of character? Other than that one house I mentioned on the corner, I'm not impressed with the rest of the houses on Windover. It's a hodge podge street. It's not all that pleasing aesthetically in the first place.
Posted by: Chick | October 2, 2008 05:07 PM
The people most impressed with Windover Avenue either live on it or sit on Town Council. There isn't anything historic about the area and losing a few trees for the safety of all sure seems like the right thing to do.
And, some people are not even that impressed with the one big house on the corner of Pleasant/Windover. Bigger does not always translate into the best.
Posted by: another vienna chick | October 2, 2008 05:58 PM
Things will keep going until they stop working. And yes, the historic district isn't terribly historic.
It's like a town-sponsored HOA on top of the HOA that is the town.
Posted by: Shawn Pickrell | October 5, 2008 04:34 PM
I thank the good Lord that I no longer have kids walking to Madison or waiting for a school bus on Windover. They survived the traffic, no thanks to Ms Lillis, Maud, etc. Regarding the "big house" on Windover near Pleasant St. noted by "Chick" and "another vienna chick", there are two of them (288 and 316 Windover). As to 288, it was built from scratch in 1982-3. As to 316, there is little,if any, similarity shapewise from all four sides to the original. Moreover, not one exterior board, etc. is original. The alleged historic aspect was that it was the first home gravity feed interior water system in town. The prime part of the system was a large galvanized tank in the attic. If you wish to view the tank, it is sitting by the wood pile in the back yard.
Posted by: HISTORIC LIES | October 7, 2008 02:28 PM
What is going on with the sidewalks on Lawyers. They are digging them up and re-doing them. Either they did not do it correctly the first time structurally or it is not possible to access per certain handicap guidelines. Either way what an oversight! What a waste of time and money.
I guess this also counts in the sidewalk budget, so anyone expecting sidewalks don't hold your breath!
Posted by: Do it right the first time | October 14, 2008 05:03 PM