Major sidewalk improvements slated for Cassville’s Main Street
A worker with MoDOT pushed a wheelchair up and down the sidewalks along Main Street to help finalize the plans for the new sidewalks slated for April 2016.
March 18, 2015
Charlea Mills
Main Street in Cassville will get a major improvement thanks to a project initiated by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The sidewalks on Main Street from 5th Street to 17th Street will be improved to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
The project is tentatively slated to begin in April 2016, but according to Cassville Public Works Director Steve Walensky, “That really is a guess, because they haven’t finished the plans yet.”
However, employees with MoDOT were out working on the project by pushing a wheelchair up and down the sidewalks and taking notes and measurements on Monday and Tuesday this week. By the end of the project, a multitude of guidelines will be met that will make the sidewalks safe and easily accessible for persons with disabilities. Everything from the surface of the sidewalk to the curbs, ramps and drainage systems have to meet certain criteria.
Walensky said, “[MoDOT] said they have had this on the books for a long time with the Southwest District in Springfield.” That district will be the ones completing the overhaul.
The sidewalk improvements will not cost the city anything, but instead there was a maintenance agreement established for when the project is complete. Once the project is done, the City of Cassville will maintain the sidewalks as part of the established agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. The City Council voted unanimously to accept the agreement at their regular meeting on Monday, March 9. Walensky said, “Maintenance costs are going to be minimal, if any, for a long time.”
One issue that could have cropped up with the improvements were the sidewalks at the Cassville High School where graduated senior classes have their names stamped into the concrete. However, Walensky said, “I confirmed that the graduates names won’t be disturbed. They’ve assured me of that.”
Charlea Mills
Main Street in Cassville will get a major improvement thanks to a project initiated by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The sidewalks on Main Street from 5th Street to 17th Street will be improved to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
The project is tentatively slated to begin in April 2016, but according to Cassville Public Works Director Steve Walensky, “That really is a guess, because they haven’t finished the plans yet.”
However, employees with MoDOT were out working on the project by pushing a wheelchair up and down the sidewalks and taking notes and measurements on Monday and Tuesday this week. By the end of the project, a multitude of guidelines will be met that will make the sidewalks safe and easily accessible for persons with disabilities. Everything from the surface of the sidewalk to the curbs, ramps and drainage systems have to meet certain criteria.
Walensky said, “[MoDOT] said they have had this on the books for a long time with the Southwest District in Springfield.” That district will be the ones completing the overhaul.
The sidewalk improvements will not cost the city anything, but instead there was a maintenance agreement established for when the project is complete. Once the project is done, the City of Cassville will maintain the sidewalks as part of the established agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. The City Council voted unanimously to accept the agreement at their regular meeting on Monday, March 9. Walensky said, “Maintenance costs are going to be minimal, if any, for a long time.”
One issue that could have cropped up with the improvements were the sidewalks at the Cassville High School where graduated senior classes have their names stamped into the concrete. However, Walensky said, “I confirmed that the graduates names won’t be disturbed. They’ve assured me of that.”
