|
Detailed plans unveiled for 2.2-mile multi-use path |
|
Friday, 05 September 2008 |
 Kelly Daniels/SDN Aaron McNeal of Neel-Schaffer, an engineering firm, right, shows Ryan Storment, left, and others conceptual plans for a multi-use path from Lynn Lane into the Mississippi State University campus. Schaffer presented the plans to members of Starkville in Motion and to neighbors of the proposed path Thursday evening. By KELLY DANIELS
Starkville Daily News
What was expected to be a public meeting about a proposed multi-use path turned into a presentation Thursday.
Members of Starkville in Motion, engineers and neighbors of the proposed path all attended the meeting to see detailed plans for engineering the path and give feedback.
Three years ago, Ron Cossman and others envisioned developing a 2.2-mile multi-use path that would stretch from McKee Park on Lynn Lane to Mississippi State University.
Now the Mississippi Department of Transportation has offered services from its Travel Enhancement program, giving the city $1.2 million, an 80 percent match, to make this path possible.
The City of Starkville will have to provide the remaining 20 percent, which is $300,000.
“This is exactly what I outlined,” said Cossman, pointing to a map of the path. “I love it.”
The path will continue from Lynn Lane onto the east side of South Montgomery Street to the south side of Locksley Way.
MSU officials have pledged to continue the path from Spring Street into the heart of campus, said Aaron McNeal of Neel-Shaffer, an engineering firm responsible for planning the project.
McNeal presented detailed plans for the path and asked anyone who came to the meeting with comments to fill out comment cards for him to read after his presentation.
Opposition
Despite growing excitement among cyclists, members of the Sherwood Commons Homeowners Association have found what they say are problems with the proposed multi-use path.
Kenneth Cook, who attended Thursday’s presentation with the intention of speaking on behalf of the association, said that his concerns mainly dealt with safety.
Cook and his fellow residents will not be able to see what’s going north when driving out of their neighborhood on Montgomery Street, he said.
“If I come down my street going south to go into Sherwood Commons, I have to look at two lines of traffic,” said Cook, expressing concerns about the possibility of having to look through two additional lanes. “There’s nowhere in Starkville, West Point or Columbus where you have to cross four lanes of traffic and into a neighborhood.”
Cook presented a petition with 70 signatures from the 69 homeowners who live in Sherwood Commons.
“The demographics of our neighborhood is made up of 50 percent of senior adults,” he said.
Attorney Charlie Winfield, who is representing members of the association, also addressed Mayor Dan Camp and the Board of Aldermen on the matter Tuesday night.
Winfield said that the association is not opposed to the concept of the multi-use path.
“The association is vigorously opposed, however, to the location of such a path on the east side of Montgomery Street and the south side of Locksley Way,” he said.
“Another safety concern is the very real possibility of bikers cutting through Sherwood Commons on the way to campus. Adding to the danger of the bikers crossing the subdivision entrance, this would create a danger when residents leave their own driveways.”
Support
During his presentation, McNeal repeated the statement, “This is not set in stone,” several times.
McNeal said that his alignment plans were based on observations of the easiest, most direct route, with the least amount of conflicts with utilities, right-of-way and pedestrian and vehicular movements.
Starkville in Motion president Devon Brenner said that drivers should always look for pedestrians whether they are on a bike lane or walking path.
|
|
Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 September 2008 )
|
