Farmington council approves Meadow Road sidewalk Option 2 after public hearing

The Farmington Town Council voted unanimously on July 14 to accept Option 2 of the Meadow Road sidewalk project, approving a design that begins on the north side at Wisteria Lane, crosses west of Judson Lane and proceeds to New Britain Avenue.

Town Manager Kathy Blonsky introduced the proposal and said the project’s estimated total cost is $1,034,382, with a $500,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant covering roughly half and the remainder from town capital funds. Russ Arnold, director of public works and town engineer, described the alignment changes, five-foot concrete sidewalks that exceed ADA minimum width, ADA-compliant ramps at crossings, and rapid-flashing beacons at several crosswalks.

The council opened the meeting for public comment and heard residents across Meadow Road’s corridor weigh in. Alana Prinevitz, who lives on Windob Lane, urged the council to place the sidewalk entirely on the north side where most homes and schoolchildren are located, saying, “From my perspective, I would love to see the sidewalk on that side of the road because the purpose of a sidewalk is for safety.” Albert Petrouskas, whose wife owns property at 355 Meadow Road, also preferred a north-side alignment and questioned the number and placement of crossings. Several other residents, including Kevin Chang and Kyle Hathorn, expressed support for the project primarily on safety grounds while asking the council to control costs and consider traffic speed mitigation.

Council members discussed prior meetings and the alternative alignment. Supporters said the revised option responded to residents’ concerns while balancing budgetary and topographic constraints. Council member Keith (speaker 6) said the plan “checks as many boxes as we can within budgetary constraints,” and Council member Bill (speaker 7) commended staff for responding to feedback from the April hearing.

After discussion, the council approved the motion to accept Option 2 and directed staff to proceed with final design this fall, issue the bid in fall 2026, and schedule construction for spring–fall 2027 if all approvals proceed on schedule. The council also noted that ongoing issues such as snow removal and maintenance will be addressed separately and that property owners would not be assessed for construction costs, consistent with the town’s sidewalk ordinance.

The decision follows multiple public meetings and a council request in May to evaluate an alternative alignment. If the approved schedule holds, residents can expect continued outreach as design details and coordination with town boards and commissions proceed.