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Council approves removing a west-side sidewalk segment on airport access road to cut costs; staff says developers can add sidewalks when parcels develop
Summary
Council approved a revision to an airport-area roadway project that removes a short west-side sidewalk segment to reduce project cost, with staff saying future tenants would be required to install sidewalks as development occurs; members voiced questions about leasing impact and accessibility.
Council members approved a modification to the airport connector project that removes one short section of sidewalk on the west side of the access road to reduce construction costs and keep the project within grant funding. Councilman Shane Price, who had pulled the item from the consent agenda, said he preferred keeping the project complete but was comfortable with staff's recommendation to remove the segment and rely on future tenants to install sidewalks as they develop leased parcels.
Transportation staff described the change as a targeted cost-saving step that keeps sidewalks along the east side and near the entrance while reserving the west-side segment for future tenant construction. Staff said the project is on leased city land and that having sidewalks in place helps market the property, but removing the short section preserved the project contingency. Council discussed whether removing sidewalks could affect leasing; staff said the west side would be geared to aeronautical/aerospace tenants, while the east side would support general commercial uses.
No members of the public spoke to the item during the public hearing; council approved the project modification by voice vote.
