Oct. 31 deadline for 2020-2021 sidewalk project submissions
The annual Call for Projects for the City of Spring Hill’s Neighborhood Sidewalk Program (NSP) begins today, when citizens and neighborhood associations are encouraged to submit new sidewalk projects for consideration for the upcoming budget cycle.
The NSP annually builds new sections of sidewalk all over town, connecting neighborhoods to key areas, such as schools, parks, recreation facilities, and retail areas. The annual Call for Projects is residents’ chance to partner with the City to have needed sidewalks installed to fill in pedestrian gaps and make their neighborhoods safer.
The Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen launched the NSP in 2013 after identifying a need for a quick response to public requests for multi-modal projects, which traditionally can take a long time to prioritize within a standard capital improvement construction program due to their short length, disconnected nature, and perceptions related to public support.
The NSP provides a separately funded annual budget allotment specifically for small-scale projects, including sidewalks and multi-use trails. When being considered, each project must meet specific criteria, and are based on the availability of funding. The main criteria and goals of the program are to provide improved safety; pedestrian mobility; partnership with neighborhoods to complete projects; and improved connectivity to schools, parks and recreation facilities, multiple land uses, and transit options.
“Walking is a healthy activity, a way to meet your neighbors, an environmentally conscious form of transportation, and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office has long highlighted the important health benefits of walking as a means of combating diabetes, obesity, and other diseases,” said Mayor Rick Graham, whose Fitbit measures his own walking steps each day.
“And what better way to encourage walking than by building sidewalks. We want our residents to be able to get out and enjoy their neighborhoods and walk throughout the City and feel safe doing so. These Neighborhood Sidewalk Projects make critical safety connections to key pedestrian networks and add to our city’s quality of life. I encourage all residents to submit the sidewalk projects you feel are needed in your neighborhoods.”
Homeowner associations, neighborhood groups and individuals are encouraged to submit requests for sidewalk or multi-use trail projects to be installed in their neighborhood for the 2020-21 budget cycle. To do so, neighborhoods must demonstrate support for the proposed project by submitting a petition to Public Works for verification. Projects will be scored according to their safety need and ability to connect to other pedestrian networks. These projects require neighborhoods to share in the cost of the project with the City.
The submission deadline for 2020-21 NSP projects is Oct. 31, 2019. For questions and an application to submit sidewalk project requests, visit: https://www.springhilltn.org/515/Neighborhood-Sidewalk-Program-NSP.
