St. Robert aldermen voted Monday to accept sidewalks into the city’s street plan along St. Robert Boulevard but cautioned that the sidewalks — which will cost $493,000 paid for by state and transportation district money — may not get the best level of use due to placement.
City Administrator Norman Herren agreed that sidewalk placement is a problem but said there’s little choice.
“It will be along the south side of St. Robert Boulevard,” Herren said. “Because of the establishments already built … we don’t have the area along the north side. Realistically, the north side is where it should be, but we just don’t have the room for it.”
The share paid by the city’s North Town Village/Interstate Plaza Transportation District, which is funded by special taxes on businesses in the Wal-Mart area of St. Robert, will be $243,000. The rest of the money comes from the Missouri Department of Transportation.
“At no cost to the city this will fund a sidewalk all the way along the whole length of St. Robert Boulevard,” Herren said. “It really is kind of dangerous. If you look as you pass Wal-Mart between Wal-Mart and Seeger (Toyota) you will find that for some reason people try to walk down that embankment instead of along the side of St. Robert Boulevard. We are trying to deter that traffic.”
Herren said the loose gravel on the bank makes pedestrian traffic very dangerous, but Alderman Ralph Cook noted that walking along St. Robert Boulevard might be almost as dangerous.
Cook worried that the new sidewalk might not help.
“If they can’t get there, they won’t use it,” Cook said.
Alderman Ed Spotts agreed.
“I’m looking ahead for the future; it looks like that area is pretty congested and it’s getting more congested all the time,” Spotts said. “It would be a shame to have a nice sidewalk put in and then have to have that road expanded at a later date.”
Spotts said he didn’t object to the project but wanted to make sure the sidewalk wouldn’t have to be removed later.
“I know this is a great thing, I’m glad we are able to do it,” Spotts said. “But make sure it’s far enough out if we do look at expanding it in the future.”
Herren said the city’s engineering firm has done traffic counts for the area and five additional roads are being planned to reduce the congestion. Pedestrian crossings are also planned, he said.
Spotts asked whether it would be possible to build sidewalks along the south side of Old Route 66 where he said pedestrians may be at greater risk due to lack of sidewalks.
However, the proposal to submit a sidewalk project grant application to MoDOT passed unanimously, with Aldermen Theresa Cook and Gene Newkirk absent.