Oskaloosa council reopens debate over Eighth Avenue West reconstruction as sidewalks draw sharp objections

OSKALOOSA, Iowa — The Oskaloosa City Council on Aug. 4 held a public hearing on the Eighth Avenue West reconstruction project, which proposes replacing pavement and adding sidewalks as part of a roughly $192,138 engineer estimate for the work.

The project scope presented by staff and the engineer includes replacement of PCC pavement from South M Street to the west dead end, 1,215 square yards of PCC pavement, 256 square yards of PCC driveways, and 255 square yards of PCC sidewalk; the engineering estimate listed in the staff memo was $192,138, with the sidewalk portion estimated at $16,295 (about 8.5% of the total estimate).

The public hearing drew multiple residents who said they oppose adding sidewalks to the short, dead-end road. Les Martin, who gave his address as 1502 Eighth Avenue West, told the council that six of nine households on the street oppose sidewalks and cited loss of front-yard space, costs and worries about access for farm equipment and emergency vehicles.…