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Resident warns council that proposed East State Street sidewalk could worsen hazards at Hubbard intersection
Summary
John Snell told the council a planned South-side sidewalk on East State Street would require major retaining walls, worsen sight lines and increase danger at the Hubbard Street intersection used by schoolchildren; he urged the city to reassess before spending design funds.
Longtime resident John Snell used the general‑business public comment period to urge the council to reconsider a planned new sidewalk on the south side of East State Street, saying the project could create new hazards for pedestrians and drivers at the Hubbard Street intersection.
"I don't think that a new sidewalk is necessary," Snell said, adding he had reviewed video and materials from prior meetings and brought a diagram to show the existing crosswalk and the proposed new path. He estimated the sidewalk project to be roughly $700,000 and said constructing it would require building a retaining wall along a steep slope with an existing guardrail.
Snell said the Hubbard and East State Street intersection is used by children walking to school and is already dangerous because cars park close to the intersection, crossing guards are no longer present, and sight lines are poor. "To add...two new crosswalks on the South side and the East side would just be deadly, unless we had a stoplight there," he told the council.
Council members responded that the design has been approved and that contract approval will follow; staff noted school crossing responsibilities lie with the school district, which has struggled to hire crossing guards. Snell offered to walk the area with councilors so he could point out concerns directly.
Council did not take formal action on the sidewalk at the meeting; Snell asked staff to revisit the project scope and cost before moving forward with design or contracting.
