Sidewalks and Bike Lanes Sought in Town of Somers
The Town of Somers is examining how residents can be less dependent on their cars by installing new sidewalks and road lanes dedicated to biking.
Members of the town Energy Environment Committee discussed how to go forward with the national Complete Streets program, at the August 21 town board meeting. The board approved the town’s participation in the national program last year. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia are participating in the program.
Michael Blum, chairman of the Somers Energy Environment Committee, told the town board having Somers take part in the Complete Streets initiatives was recommended two years ago by his committee as part of its Sustainability Action Plan.
Committee member Mike Yee said the program would encourage more walking and biking and protect the environment. “It will improve the quality of life,” he said.
The ultimate goal of the committee would be to create three miles of sidewalks and bike lanes to connect Reis Park to the Somerstown Shopping Center, Yee said, noting rather than seeking sidewalks and bike road lanes for all three miles, the town could consider doing it piecemeal.
“You don’t do the whole thing at once,” he said. The first phase could be to create sidewalks and bike lanes from the Somers High School campus to Reis Park.
Grants are available from the state, Yee said. If the Department of Transportation approved a town project the state would provide 80 percent of the funding with the rest being paid through grants and fund raising. The committee wants the town to apply for state funding in November.
The next phase would be for the town board to approve the initial planning and design of the first project, Yee said. The committee is seeking bids for firms who would do the design work.
Supervisor Rick Morrissey said an announcement of the forming of a Complete Streets advisory committee would be placed on the town’s Web site in an effort to seek volunteers.
“This is a multi-year project,” Blum said
