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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JUNE 22, 1994 <br />property owners responsible for the maintenance of the <br />sidewalk. If someone is hurt because a sidewalk was <br />not shoveled, the property owner may be liable. <br />Typically homeowners insurance provides this type of <br />coverage. However, if someone is hurt because the <br />sidewalk is uneven or cracked, the City would likely be <br />liable. <br />Frank Frison pointed out that even though the property <br />owners in the area petitioned against the <br />reconstruction of their streets and requested an <br />overlay instead, the Counoil ordered the reconstruction <br />at a cost of approximately $50 per front foot. Frison <br />suggested that rather than a sidewalk improvement, a 4 <br />to 6 foot area on the street be striped for bike and <br />pedestrian traffic. Frison pointed out that even <br />though a sidewalk improvement may not be assessed, the <br />cost is still paid for by the taxpayers of the City. <br />Frison pointed out that currently Old County Road C and <br />Lakeshore Avenue are 26 feet wide. When these streets <br />are reconstructed, they will be 32 feet wide, and will <br />have adequate area for an on-street bike and pedestrian <br />lane. <br />The City Engineer replied that 32 feet is the minimum <br />width recommended for a street carrying the volummes of <br />traffic that Jackson/Old County Road C/Lakeshore Avenue <br />do. A lane for carrying bike traffic makes sense, <br />however, accepted standards require that pedestrian <br />traffic be separated from the road and behind the curb <br />or separated with a 20-foot clear zone. The Engineer <br />stated that he has never seen a pedestrian walkway on a <br />road, and felt that would be a liability issue for the <br />City. It is acceptable practice, however, to stripe a <br />bike lane on a roadway. <br />Scalze asked if the reconstructed road would be wide <br />enouqh for a bike path. <br />The City Engineer replied that the street width would <br />consist of 29 feet of blacktop and two 18-inch curb and <br />gutter areas. Therefore, a 5-foot bike trail could be <br />striped on one side of the street provided that side be <br />posted as no parking. This would leave room for two <br />12-foot driving lanes. <br />Scalze asked how the residents felt about a blacktop <br />trail along Jackson Street from Demont Avenue north to <br />13 <br />