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Council debates House Street shared‑use path route, cost and phasing
Summary
Councilors and residents debated routing alternatives, safety near schools and potential ‘orphan’ segments for the proposed House Street shared‑use path, with staff asking whether to bid the northern bypass, build the full route or pursue lower‑cost paint‑on tests; no final construction vote was taken.
Councilors and residents spent the longest portion of the meeting debating the proposed House Street shared‑use path, a roughly three‑quarter‑mile bicycle and pedestrian route between 32nd Avenue and Armour Road that staff estimates at about $800,000.
Staff planner Shu summarized the design and the recent cost estimate from the engineer and said staff was asking for ‘recommend approval for going out for a construction bid and construct the entire route at once’ but remained open to alternatives. Resident George Schluter and cyclist Kathy West urged reconsidering the route near Clark Ferguson and Howe, citing poor visibility at a slip lane, school bus queues and the loss of roughly 68 trees on Iron Street between 23rd and 25th.
"There's a stop sign. They do not stop," Kathy West said, describing a sight‑obstructing park sign at the Clark Ferguson slip lane and urging councilors to walk and ride the proposed alignment before committing funds. Council members echoed safety concerns: several said the northern segment that bypasses the most uncomfortable riding on Howell felt useful, while others warned that bidding only the northern section would leave an "orphan" segment that might never be connected. Council member Fitzgerald and the parks board liaison both urged a cohesive plan that connects to existing bike infrastructure rather than a stand‑alone segment.
Councilors discussed lower‑cost pilot options as well: using sharrows on Macon or paint‑on bike lanes to test the route without heavy pavement work. Engineer testimony noted north and south sides are roughly even in cost, and staff suggested coordinating with the school district on bus queuing if Howell is used.
The council did not take a final construction vote. Instead they signaled a preference to have the newly formed Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee review the plans, work with staff on alternatives (Macon or Howell bypasses were both named), and return with recommendations before a bid is issued.
