Amherst Council approves $500,000 in sidewalk repairs

AMHERST — City Council authorized $500,000 in a fast-tracked vote Monday, with eyes on a massive summer sidewalk repair program. This is the fourth year Amherst has required residents to fix aging, crumbling walkways. They got a reprieve in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now Mayor Mark Costilow said he intends to make up for lost time. The city is seeking bids from sidewalk contractors to handle two years' worth of repairs. Residents can do their own or hire workers they prefer, but stretches left untouched by June will be fixed on the city's dime and the cost added to property tax bills. Letters are expected to go out this spring to the owners of hundreds of properties, mostly south of the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks that bisect town. According to Amherst Building Official David Macartney, there are 523 properties that have been identified as having substandard sidewalks. Any number of maintenance issues could land a sidewalk slab on the list: any condition that could be considered a safety hazard, being sunk or upheaved more than 3/4 of an inch, holes more than an inch deep, buckling and cracks. Councilman at-large David Janik previously voiced concerns over the list, saying many addresses are in newer subdivisions. There is a formal process for appealing a sidewalk repair letter. "I think we may see some more objections, because a couple of neighborhoods that I went to check out this afternoon, the sidewalks look to be in good shape, very good shape," Janik said. In a phone interview, Costilow said he does not believe there will be many appeals. The rules are clearly laid out, he said. "It starts with the ordinance. There's an ordinance that says we need to keep the sidewalks in good condition," he said. That ordinance wasn't enforced for decades. Now that it has been, Costilow said he sees more Amherst residents using sidewalks, running, pushing strollers and walking "without having to look at their feet the whole time, wondering if they're going to trip and fall on their faces." The goal, Costilow told Council, is to start repair work in June and complete it by early July at the latest. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.