Title
Lake Forest Drive Sidewalk
Brief Description: Staff will be in attendance to discuss the proposed alignment of the new sidewalk along Lake Forest Drive from Boston Mills Road to Essex Road.
Body
Legislative History
None.
Purpose & Explanation
The proposed sidewalk installation along Lake Forest Drive (Boston Mills Road to Essex Road) is currently budgeted for construction in 2024 as part of the Connectivity Program. Staff designing the project will present the proposed sidewalk alignment and answer any questions from City Council and the Mayor. Overall and preliminary plans are included as Exhibits A and B.
A Public Input meeting was held for the project on March 6, 2024. Attendees were able to review preliminary plans, discuss the project with staff, and submit comments via written comment sheets or the City's website. Comments received to date are included in Exhibit C - Public Comments.
The preliminary plan recommended alignment includes connecting the new 5-foot sidewalk to the proposed trail along Boston Mills Road, on the west side of Lake Forest Drive. The new sidewalk would then head north for three lots before crossing to the east side of Lake Forest Drive at Chadbourne Drive. The location of a crosswalk at Chadbourne Drive, versus Boston Mills Road, was due to the skewed alignment and large radius at the intersection of Boston Mills Road/Lake Forest Drive, allowing for higher speed turns off Boston Mills and creating a potential conflict with pedestrians.
Concerns raised about the crosswalk at the intersection of Lake Forest Drive and the southern intersection with Chadborne Drive led staff to re-review this concern with our traffic consultant. They identified that the intersection of Lake Forest Drive at Boston Mills Road could be realigned. This realignment would not only eliminate the skewed intersection and large turn radius, but also shorten a crosswalk at this location, improving pedestrian safety. The estimated cost of the intersection r...
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