Sidewalk along Telephone Road in the Town of Cincinnatus. (Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith/The Cortland Voice).
Town of Cincinnatus officials are in the planning stages of sidewalk renovations that would cover several sections of state Route 26, as well as Telephone Road.
The town is requesting $200,000 in federal funds from Cortland County’s American Rescue Plan allocation to fix up. Cincinnatus is looking to install approximately 7,000 yards of sidewalk.
Cincinnatus town supervisor Luann King presented the proposal in front of the county’s Federal Aid Allocation Citizens Advisory Committee Tuesday, citing the project’s potential to alleviate safety hazards in the town.
“More and more people are walking within the town, school children are walking to school and the park, residents are going to the stores, as well as the Kellogg Free Library and Cincinnatus Area Heritage Society,” King said of the town’s recovery from the socially alienating effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
King said the increased activity has prompted the town to seek renovations to their walkways.
“The town board sees the need for proper sidewalks to walk and be safe as State Route 26 runs north and south through this small rural town of 900 people,” King said. “We have various sites where there are no sidewalks. The walkers take to the side of the road because of the conditions.”
King noted the funds requested would cover approximately 50 percent of the town’s sidewalk needs. Part of the funding would also cover hauling, demolition, and other planning expenses, King said. She added the town’s highway department could help with hauling.
Part of the issues with sidewalks is that roots are starting to grow beneath some of them, King said. She also highlighted the lack of sidewalk heading south on Cincinnatus Road by the town’s post office as an example of an area of concern.
Sidewalk along Telephone Road in the Town of Cincinnatus. (Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith/The Cortland Voice).
The sidewalk revitalization process would also have an impact on the local economy.
“With these funds, we would hire local contractors, who have had a slow start (from the start of the pandemic) and would benefit from this,” King said.
County legislature minority leader Beau Harbin (D-LD 2) asked King about sidewalk maintenance going forward.
“Is it going to be the town that maintains these new sidewalks going forward?,” he asked.
King said it would be the responsibility of the town’s residents to maintain the sidewalks. However, King noted that the town is still reviewing its local laws to see if residents are in charge of the preventative maintenance of the sidewalks in the future.
