Document text
Cross with caution By JOHN DARLING Tidings Correspondent Pedestrians are complaining about safety hazards from torn-up crosswalks on Siskiyou Boulevard. Along the south side they are met with a roped off pile of dirt. This forces walkers into the busy boulevard for 20 or 30 yards until they hit regular sidewalk. One frustrated pedestrian named John - he would only gave his first name - said Monday that crossing Walker Avenue is "very haphazard and dangerous." A torn-up crosswalk at the corner of Walker Avenue and Siskiyou Boulevard is making it difficult to cross. Ashland Daily Tidings/ DENISE BARATTA But pedestrians are warned by signs saying "sidewalk closed ahead." Assistant City Engineer Karl Johnson said contractors have been asked to put up signs warning walkers to go to the next nearest intact intersection. The bad news is that the situation at several intersections is likely to persist for weeks and maybe longer. The only good news: Curbs, gutters and sidewalks must all be re-paved and open by Dec. 15, the deadline for the whole boulevard project, Johnson said. Complaints to the city, and the Daily Tidings, suggest that Walker Avenue and Mountain Avenue intersections are the biggest crossing challenges. The north or downhill sides have been completed at these and other intersections. But the south corners are roped off and outfitted with elevated pipe to guide the curb-and-gutter machine in its paving work, said Chad Purdy of Purdy Construction, Central Point, which is building the new curbs and sidewalks as subcontractor to LTM. "We know it's inconvenient," Purdy said, "but we'll have the curbs poured here (Walker) Tuesday, then come back and do the sidewalks and handicapped ramps. It'll look pretty, just like the north side in no time." The old crossing areas have yet to pulled out at Gresham and Liberty Streets, but when that happens, the same inconveniences can be expected there, said Johnson. Pedestrians should stick to the opposite side of the boulevard that is not being worked on, he added. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -