Residents Call for Sidewalk Installation on Forest Avenue
A group of Rye residents is proposing sidewalk be installed along Forest Avenue between Apawamis Avenue and Grace Church Street and along Manursing Avenue between Davis Avenue and Forest Avenue.
(PHOTO: The red lines show the approximate side walk locations.)
The residents, including Kelsey Johnson, Caitlin Layng, Juli Schmidt, Katie Schmitz, and Kristan Watson, have attended Rye Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee since February to understand the process to extend the Forest Avenue sidewalk. This sidewalk is for safe routes to school as well as safe pedestrian passage of runners and dog owners using this double-lined road for leisure.
The group has also spoken to city planner Christian Miller and Mayor Joe Sack to get feedback on their action plan. The plan was outlined to MyRye.com as follows:
May 1 – canvas door to door along Forest Avenue and Manursing Avenue to get resident feedback on the proposed pedestrian path. An email ([email protected]) was created to document feedback. This effort was extremely successful with only 3 residents opposing the project of the 57 approached.
May 15th – launch public petition (https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/forest-avenue-sidewalk) to document town support to fund a study of the proposed area. There are many more questions than answers including feasibility on each side, legal requirements (e.g. ADA curbed sidewalk required or is paved goat path an option?), and cost. The petition asks any registered rye voter to support the funding of this study in the 2015 or 2016 budget.
June 10th – On the official Agenda to present request for funding of the study to the city council meeting, supported by rye registered voter signatures. The meeting will be most successful with attendance from those in support of the project.
The organizing group is asking interested residents to sign the petition (https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/forest-avenue-sidewalk) as well as attend the June 10th city council meeting at 7:30 at city hall.
