Grover Beach residents will benefit from more complete sidewalks throughout the city in coming years. This will encourage the use of alternate forms of transportation as well as reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and provide a healthier and safer way for residents to travel short distances. The Grover Beach City Council chose to emphasize sidewalk improvements as part of the adopted 2021-23 Major City Goals and recently approved a priority-based plan for completing sidewalk infill projects throughout undeveloped areas of the city, as well as a cost-sharing program for improving sidewalks on private property.
“Creating additional sidewalks will help make Grover Beach a more ‘walkable’ city,” said Grover Beach Mayor Jeff Lee. “Walkable neighborhoods can help increase social interaction and sense of community, as well as assist our local economy by providing more opportunities for residents and businesses to interact and mingle.”
The City completed a citywide sidewalk inventory earlier this year to better understand the scale of need for sidewalk infill. Currently, approximately 59% of blocks in Grover Beach have complete sidewalk, 26% have limited sidewalk, 6% have no sidewalk and 9% of blocks with some sidewalk are close to complete. To begin to address the additional sidewalk infill work, the Grover Beach City Council adopted the following priority framework so that the most urgent project needs are addressed first:
• Priority 1: Complete sidewalk infill on all major streets (including 4th Street, West Grand Avenue, Oak Park Boulevard, 13th Street, Farroll Road and The Pike) and within two blocks of points of interest (such as parks and schools).
• Priority 2: Complete additional sidewalk infill in a grid pattern with a goal of no more than three streets apart so residents need only walk approximately one or two blocks to access an uninterrupted sidewalk.
• Priority 3: Complete remaining sidewalk infill, prioritizing areas with existing concrete curb and gutter and without right-of-way impediments.
The cost to infill all missing sidewalks across 509 blocks is estimated at $38 million. Currently, the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) has a Citywide Sidewalk Infill project with a total of $450,000 over a five-year period. The City’s work this year will focus on designing and constructing new sidewalks on sections of South 4th Street, South 10th Street, Mentone Avenue, and North 9th Street. The City will continue to identify priority areas each year to add additional sidewalks.
“In recent years, the City has added approximately two miles of sidewalks and pathways in conjunction with Measure K-14 street improvements. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements were also completed recently near Grover Beach Elementary School, funded by the Safe Routes to School program,” said Matthew Bronson, Grover Beach City Manager. “While additional funding will be needed, Council’s prioritization of sidewalk projects reinforces our commitment to make Grover Beach accessible for all”
In addition, the Council authorized a new cost-sharing program that encourages Grover Beach property owners on a street scheduled for an upcoming Measure K-14 repair project to complete sidewalk infill at their properties. The City will design and construct these curb, gutter, and sidewalk improvements and pay 50% of the construction costs for participating properties. Participation will be on a first-come, first-serve basis based on available City funding. More information will be provided in the coming months as this program is finalized and funded.