After nearly a decade, Selkirk residents could soon see the installation of new sidewalk along Maple Avenue.
The project was initiated in 2005, with the first two phases are completed. However, the third phase was stalled due to lack of funds. Another major hurdle was building a railroad crossing to link the sidewalk on either side of the tracks that pass Maple Avenue. Not including the safety crossing would mean liability issues for the town.
The estimated cost for the crossing was $1 million in 2007. By 2013, the cost of the crossing and sidewalk installation reduced to about $750,000, but was still considered to be too costly for the town. Completed installation of the sidewalk has been a major issue for residents in recent years, as the entire town works toward being a more pedestrian-friendly community.
It was one of the first concerns Supervisor John Clarkson heard about from residents in the area when he took office.
“I had known of the issue before, but it became one of our main focuses for the area after we heard of their concerns,” he said.
At a community town hall meeting held in Selkirk in 2013, residents took a majority of the night asking about the sidewalk project and why it had not moved forward after so many years. Clarkson said after learning of the hurdles, town staff put more effort into reaching out to CSX and the state Department of Transportation to see if they could begin to move forward.
Town Engineer Paul Penmen said the first two phases brought the sidewalk to Selkirk Fire Station No. 1 on Maple Avenue, but the next would see it up to Pausley Court.
“When we reached the railroad crossing, we learned about the regulations and the need to upgrade the signal,” said Penmen. “With the cost, we thought the project was dead — that it wouldn’t be feasible.”
For the past two years, the town’s Engineering Department has been working with CSX and the state DOT to find a solution. The state said the town would need to install pedestrian gates in order for the project to move forward, plus the signal is old, so that will still need to be replaced. The estimated cost is still $500,000.
The current solution is to widen the shoulder on the north side of the road, opposite the firehouse. A striped walking area would then be added for pedestrians, which would require some track improvements. Then, a dual crossing gate would be installed to stop pedestrians in both directions as a train passed.
“A lot of credit goes to CSX,” said Penman. “Last year as part of maintenance, they extended the track and did some extra work for the project, which saved the town a lot of money. We’ve been working with everyone on this for about two years.”
The town doesn’t have formal approval yet from the DOT, but conceptual agreement. The hope is to submit a permit this spring and do construction later this year.
The town plans to pay for the remainder of the sidewalk’s installation mostly with funds set aside from the state’s Local Government Performance and Efficiency Program grant won in 2013. CSX is set to pay for safety upgrades to the railroad crossing.
“We’re really glad to see this move forward,” said Clarkson, adding it was really owed to the hard work of the town’s engineering staff and the partnership of CSX.
