Residents and supporters clash over proposed Bunce Road multiuse path as rehab plan advances

Public comment during the Feb. 18 Lakewood City Council meeting focused on the proposed Bunce Road rehabilitation project and, in particular, whether the plan should include a separate multiuse path.

Residents living on Bunce Road told council the multiuse path is unsafe on such a heavily trafficked north-south arterial and asked the administration to remove the path from the plan and reallocate funds to other, lower-volume streets. Shannon Mortland, who lives on Bunce, said, "I'm not opposed to the rehabilitation of Bunce... it's just the ill advised and ill fated multiuse path." Other neighbors raised similar concerns about driveway conflicts, tree‑lawn removal and winter maintenance.

Supporters of the plan urged council to move forward. Cassandra Orkin, who said she learned about the project through the city's public information materials, said the plan "provides a dedicated separate space for people participating in active transportation such as walking, running, and biking. This will add necessary protection for our most vulnerable road users and create an accessible main North–South corridor that networks with other bike infrastructure." She also noted the city will maintain and plow the path in winter, which would help people who rely on non‑car travel.

Mayor George said the plan had undergone an extensive public-engagement process and that the project plans have been submitted: "we are quite frankly past the point of making any changes," he told council. Administration staff said they had modified the plan after outreach and that the project advanced through Planning.

Council members acknowledged the strong views on both sides and asked that public feedback be noted; several members praised the administration's outreach. No council vote on Bunce Road was on the Feb. 18 agenda — the public comment was recorded as part of general public input and the plan remains at the administrative/planning stage.

Why it matters Bunce Road is a busy north–south corridor. Neighbors and advocates disagree about whether the city should add a separated multiuse path (10-foot facility in project illustrations) or prioritize lower-volume connector streets for new active-transportation facilities. The debate centers on safety (driveway/curb-cut conflicts), tree and streetscape impacts, winter maintenance and whether available grant funding would be lost if the project design changed.

What residents asked for Several speakers asked the city to drop the multiuse path component and suggested alternatives (e.g., other streets for a shared-use path) or more local visual materials showing the plan to scale. Supporters asked the city to proceed and highlighted benefits: separation from traffic, network connectivity, and city maintenance of the path.

Next steps Administration and planning staff noted the plan has advanced through public engagement and plan submission. Council members asked for continued communication with residents; no legislative action was required or taken at the Feb. 18 full council meeting.