FALL RIVER — The plans are still a blank canvas and in the pre-design phase, but the third streetscape project, along a portion of Bedford Street, won't begin until next year.
“These public projects can transform neighborhoods and the area. They can do that. Now, does it do it over night? No, but it lays the seed. I truly believe it transforms neighborhoods,” City Planner William Roth said.
Roth and city engineer JR Frey talked about the latest major road improvement project on the drawing board.
“This is a 2020 project,” Frey said.
The streetscape project will span North Main Street to 13th Street near Portugalia Marketplace and is currently bonded for $2.4 million. But the city is looking for funding awards to enhance the project.
“We have the $2.4 million to leverage for a much more significant project and it’s what the citizens deserve,” Roth said.
The city is about to enter into contract with the engineer and design firm McMahon Associates, whose engineers and subcontractor have been working on the concept of the Bedford Street streetscape project in pre-design.
Frey said one of the main areas of attention is the intersection of Bedford and Robeson streets, tagged as a “high accident corridor.” Any signaling upgrades could make the project eligible for state funding for the project.
Another study being conducted before any serious design moves forward is a “road diet audit” that looks at possible lane reduction for better transportation efficiency, including the inclusion of bike paths.
“It would be a connective path that gets you to the rail trail,” Frey said.
Roth said if the study shows that roadway reduction, which could also make way for on-street parking, would be successful, the city would be eligible for state Department of Transportation funding.
The city has also finished its Complete Streets Prioritization Plan process, including plans for a more walker- and bike-friendly Bedford Street, which also is eligible for funding.
“So we want to take that $2.4 million project and add another up to $250,000 to $350,000 in Complete Streets funding, and if the road diet comes through we’ll have additional funding,” Roth said. “Our goal and strategy is to use Complete Streets money, to use potential road diet money and to use transportation improvement money to install new signals to truly make this project a showcase.”
Roth said that by August or September he hopes the project will be well past 25 percent designed.
Frey said the process would also include a public meeting to get input from residents, and property and business owners.
Last summer, a majority of streetscape construction was done on on Purchase and East Main streets.
On Purchase Street, the city funded the project with $1.3 million and Chapter 90 road construction funding from the state. During the construction, a significant amount of underground work was funded by the sewer department, which reportedly experienced cost overruns although the city has yet to provide the dollar amount.
East Main Road is complete using a $1.2 million bond plus Chapter 90 money. Although the street work is completed, new lighting was not part of the final design of the project.
Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.