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Project will add bike lanes, sidewalks By Tony Boom TALENT � Sidewalks, bicycle lanes and curbing are among the improvements targeted for a land-acquisition project along a half-mile stretch of Talent Avenue. The right-of-way acquisitions, located south from Wagner Creek, will begin next year. The land taken will be up to a yard wide to provide sloped easements for property owners. "We want to make sure there�s a smooth transition to people�s property," said Tim Dedrick, public works director. The project has also been designed to preserve trees in the right of way. The acquisitions are the second phase of a $785,000 project largely financed by federal highway dollars through an Oregon Department of Transportation grant. The City Council approved the acquisitions, which will cost approximately $100,000, at its Dec. 20 meeting. Construction will begin in 2002. Citizen opinion on project alternatives will be sought through public meetings scheduled by Sevrdru Civil, Inc., Portland, and the project engineers. Engineering work has been substantially completed. While the council�s resolution allows for any of six alternatives to be utilized, the budget probably will only allow for the least expensive option, said Dedrick. The minimum budget alternative would include acquisitions of rights of way west of Talent Avenue, bike paths and sidewalks on both sides of the street, curbs and gutters on the west side, a storm drain system from Rogue River Parkway to Wagner Creek, and other improvements. Improvements will start at the Wagner Creek Bridge. The work will end between Rogue River Parkway and Arnos Avenue. It extends street improvements that were completed by the town�s urban renewal agency from downtown to the bridge. No modifications can be made to the bridge, which is a historic structure built in 1910. Minimal repair work will be done on the bridge. A second pedestrian and bike path bridge will be added on the east side to match the one on the west side. "We want to work the project to fit in with the nice trees that are already there," said Dedrick. "Like (the project) on Main and Wagner, we�ll work around the trees the most we can." ODOT granted $682,000 for the project. The city will provide $103,000, which includes participation by the urban renewal agency and the Rogue Valley Transit District. RVTD contributed $19,000 for the project, which includes six concrete pads for bus shelters. Talent was one of three cities in the region to receive funding under the Enhancement Grant Project program. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.