Village poised to implement repair plans for sidewalks

After hashing out a five-year plan last year to extend village’s network of sidewalks, the Fredonia Village Board has approved a resolution directing several homeowners to repair sidewalks on their property as well.

The resolution is the result of a walk-through conducted by village officials every two years to see where sidewalks are in need of repair.

The homeowners have the option of doing the work themselves within 60 days or have the village do the repairs and bill them.

The cost is about $6 per square foot.

Sidewalks needing repair include those on Stoney Creek Court, at 305 Fredonia Ave., 323-335 Fredonia Ave., 719 Fredonia Ave., 801 Fredonia Ave., 118 Hill St., 211 Highland Dr. and 110 S. Milwaukee St., as well as a driveway on South Wilson Street. 

Repairing sidewalks is in addition to the five-year plan approved last year to install new sidewalks during a five-year period at an average cost to the village of $16,000.

This year, plans called for installing new sidewalks from 204 to 230 N. Milwaukee St. on the east side of the street and on the east side of Fillmore Street from the south end to the parking lot at Stoney Creek Park. The total cost was $27,755, with homeowners paying $7,255.

Because no money was set aside in the 2020 budget to pay for the installation, those sidewalks were put on hold. 

Public Works Director Roger Strohm said, however, funds have been found and put in a sidewalks account and he expects at a future Public Works Committee meeting that those funds will be assigned for the project.

Officials gave priority to areas most heavily used by children walking to and from school and to areas where street repairs are already scheduled to help mitigate the cost.

The plan calls for the village and homeowners to split the cost of installing sidewalks in front of existing homes. Developers would pay the entire cost in new subdivisions.

The village would bear the entire cost of installing sidewalks and ramps in the right-of-way and along parcels owned by the village, such as parks.