Bedford city officials are assessing residents' public comments to plan where new sidewalk connections will eventually go in town.
They just received dozens of responses for the city’s Sidewalk Connectivity Plan. The plan will help bring walkways to streets that don't currently have them, boosting safety and quality of life for residents.
From here, officials will analyze the responses and determine feasibility and cost. Sidewalk needs will then be weighed against the city budget. By next summer, officials expect to have a master plan, which will guide construction efforts.
City spokesperson Molly Fox told KERA the plan will last several years, and that officials will need to devote a portion of the budget each year to putting in new sidewalk segments.
“I know it just seems like a little bit of concrete, but it's actually very costly,” Fox said. “We want to make sure that we are having the biggest bang for our buck, so to speak, when it comes to putting in our missing sidewalk segments that matter the most to our residents.”
Fox noted that it’s common for cities of Bedford’s age to have gaps in sidewalk coverage.
The city, after all, celebrates its 75th anniversary of incorporation next year. But for some of those older neighborhoods, Fox said it wasn’t always a requirement for developers to put in sidewalks in.
She anticipates public feedback will center on areas near schools, noting that the city is aware these are “high priority” and will need to be looked at first.
“Whether it's pushing their newborn baby, walking their dogs or just sending their kids off to school, our top priority — and it should be in any community — is our resident safety,” she said.
Fox said the city aims to make residents feel happier, safer and that they have a better quality of life through the sidewalk additions.
“[It’s] meaningful to us, not only as city employees, but as individuals ourselves who also enjoy the same things in our neighborhoods.”
Municipal budget season is coming up for cities across the Metroplex, which means infrastructure conversations are taking place in local governments like the City of Bedford.
Bedford adopted their current budget in September of last year.
Got a tip? Email Andy Lusk at alusk@kera.org.
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