Services committee backs moving forward on East Granville widening with shared-use path option

The Sunbury Services Committee on Sept. 3 agreed to advance final design work for the East Granville widening project, favoring an option that adds both a 7-foot sidewalk and a separate shared-use path. City staff said they will bring a design contract for council first reading on Sept. 17 so the engineering consultant can complete final plans.

Carla, a city staff member who presented the project, said Alternate 2 — the option with both sidewalk and shared-use path — “seemed to have a slight edge in favor by the public, also, is my recommendation, as well as other staff members are in favor of this orientation.”

The nut of the debate was whether to build the 7-foot sidewalk at street level in addition to an elevated shared-use path. Supporters said adding the sidewalk improves safety and connectivity to the Ohio to Erie Trail; opponents (none strongly represented at the public meeting, according to staff) raised cost…