Sunbury Services Committee staff introduced a proposal Oct. 1 to direct a design consultant to produce detailed plans for Vernon Street from Granville Street south to Columbus Avenue, focusing on curb reestablishment, drainage improvements and sidewalk replacement where needed. The recommendation aims to develop construction-level estimates so the city can decide whether to include Vernon in next year’s street program.

The request matters because the stretch in question was rated a 4 on the city’s PACER scale three years ago and staff told the committee it has deteriorated since, with localized drainage failures and a steep grade that contributes to run‑off into catch basins. “I’m looking to do a more in-depth design in this location, and I want to give proper instruction to the design consultant,” the staff member said during the committee discussion.

Committee members and staff described two separate segments: a straight corridor south of Granville and an existing red‑flagged curve already on the maintenance list. For the straight segment staff proposed lowering the roadway slightly, reestablishing an actual curb line, upgrading catch basins and replacing sidewalks where the new curb work impacts them. At the curve, staff said the preferred work would be mill‑and‑infill stabilization and edge repairs that have been delayed in prior years.

Staff sought the committee’s informal agreement to prioritize design work so the consultant can develop accurate cost estimates. The consultant’s output will be used to decide whether Vernon—or a combination of Vernon, North Miller and other priority streets—should be programmed within the target of about $1 million of annual street construction funding the city is aiming to budget.

The committee did not vote on the Vernon design recommendation; members discussed tradeoffs between doing more extensive work on a single street versus spreading funds across more blocks. One member asked whether Vernon was a higher immediate need than other candidate streets; staff replied the design work would produce cost estimates to inform that prioritization. Staff also noted resident videos and complaints documenting heavy runoff near the Duncan Oils driveway and said the design team should review that localized stormwater flow.

Staff will return with consultant cost estimates and recommended phasing; no formal funding decision was made at the Oct. 1 meeting.