Public safety committee recommends Edgewood pedestrian barriers
At their April 6 meeting, the public safety committee recommended the construction of pedestrian barriers in the downtown Edgewood shopping area.
The proposed pedestrian barriers would be approximately three feet high and created from custom-made steel bars. They would be placed along three sides of the sidewalk in front of the shopping center, which includes stores such as Dreamcakes, La Bamba and Edgewood Creamery.
Greg Cobb, the director of the department of engineering, planning and zoning, brought a sample of the barriers to the committee meetings. He said certain sections would be removable for maintenance vehicles to access the streetlights, and the barriers would be drilled or bolted into the concrete. They would be placed on the interior of the sidewalk’s brick pavers to keep the barriers out of the way of vehicles. There would also be gaps for crosswalks and wheelchair ramps.
“The idea is to keep kids out of the streets,” Cobb said, also noting he received positive response from residents when he brought the sample barrier to the Edgewood shopping area.
Ward 4 Place 2 Representative Heather Reid brought up high traffic events like We Love Homewood Day, when pedestrian barriers could become a hindrance to residents. Cobb said it would be possible to make all the barrier sections removable so the city has the choice of leaving them in place or removing them.
“I just think it’s good to have the option,” Reid said.
The cost of installing the barriers would be around $3,000. The issue will be sent to the finance committee for consideration, and if that committee approves it will be brought before the full council.
During its meeting, the public safety committee also:
- Carried over discussion of traffic calming measures on East Edgewood Drive because the traffic counter will remain on the road for two more weeks.
- Carried over a Lancaster Road traffic study. Once the East Edgewood study is complete, the equipment will be available for Lancaster.
- Dropped the proposal of a right turn lane from Valley Avenue to 18th Street South, due to a proposed cost of $250,000.
- Carried over discussion of new security procedures for City Hall after Officer James Sharbutt informed the committee of the police department’s ongoing security camera efforts and the hall’s security limitations.