Order 203 - Forest Avenue Sidewalks, Crosswalks, and Bus Stops

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This is the second order.

Order 203-25/26 Approving Cooperative Agreement Between the City of Portland and the Maine Department of Transportation RE: Improvements to Forest Avenue - Sponsored by Danielle P. West, City Manager

This project will improve approximately 0.5 miles of Forest Avenue sidewalks, crosswalks, and bus stops from Morrill Street to Walton Street. The City’s recommendation is to reconstruct sidewalks to ADA compliance on both sides of Forest Ave while also upgrading the crosswalks and the bus stops.

I. SUMMARY

The City Council is being asked to approve the attached Urban Partnership Initiative (UPI) for Forest Ave to improve sidewalks, crosswalks, and overall pedestrian accessibility and safety.

II. AGENDA DESCRIPTION

This project will improve approximately 0.5 miles of Forest Avenue sidewalks, crosswalks, and bus stops from Morrill Street to Walton Street. The City’s recommendation is to reconstruct sidewalks to ADA compliance on

both sides of Forest Ave while also upgrading the crosswalks and the bus stops.

III. BACKGROUND

This section of Forest Ave has sidewalks in poor condition including stretches that are non-ADA compliant. Along with poor crosswalk facilities, a lack of multi-modal travel options, and with numerous businesses on this stretch, a reconstruction of the sidewalks is needed. Using a UPI to match up to half the costs, a larger section of Forest Ave can be worked on at one time to provide a cohesive project, covering more facilities and reaching more destinations than normally possible.

IV. INTENDED RESULT AND/OR COUNCIL GOAL ADDRESSED

The Forest Ave UPI will improve pedestrian accessibility on an arterial road. This 0.5 mile long corridor, that sees 18,000 vehicles a day, has multiple businesses that need to be accessed by all modes of transportation. This will also improve safety in a known High Crash Location and a Critical Safety Corridor.

Steven Scharf

207-415-4662

SCSM...@aol.com