Construction of the Burns Valley sidewalk is expected to begin in Summer 2007. Estimated cost of the project is $485,000 with funding secured through a variety of sources.
A project status update was delivered by Clearlake City Administrator Kathy Kivley on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at Autumn Village, also known as Austin Manor, which is a retirement community located adjacent to the project site.
The Burns Valley Sidewalk Project will provide safe access to nearby shopping facilities on Olympic Drive. The project will consist of widening the west side of Burns Valley Road between the Safeway complex and Bowers Road to provide for a bike lane and the installation of curb, gutter and sidewalk.
The Burns Valley Sidewalk Project has been a heightened concern in the city for several years with particular regard for the senior citizens of the community. The Autumn Village area houses a number of senior living facilities as well as the Clearlake Senior/Community Center. Completion of the project will provide those seniors with a safe, ADA compliant route for accessing nearby shopping at the Burns Valley Shopping Center.
Currently, the project is in the engineering stage, which according to Kivley, is about 75 percent complete. The project includes designs for the installation of curb, gutter and sidewalk and storm drain restructure. Relocation of utility poles is also an issue; Kivley said City Engineer Bob Galusha is currently working with AT&T and PG&E to ensure ADA requirements are met in relocating the poles.
A portion of the project area is owned by the Estate of Bill Wilder. According to Kivley, funds are available should the city be required to purchase the property in order to move forward with the project.
Construction of the Burns Valley sidewalk, estimated at $485,000, will be funded through a variety of sources. The Area Planning Commission (APC) has allocated $80,334 to the project. Those funds had been earmarked for a City of Lakeport project, however, in light of the postponement of that project, Lakeport rescinded its claim on the funds. At the request of the City of Clearlake, the APC has allocated the money for support of the Burns Valley sidewalk.
Additional funds will come from a Community Development Block Grant ($140,000) as well as money obtained through the refinancing of Redevelopment Agency bonds (about $300,000).
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
