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Council eyes an expensive sidewalk fix Orange fencing around tree wells alerts passers-by of potential tripping hazards in downtown Medford. Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch Thursday Jan 19, 2017 at 5:04 PM Jan 19, 2017 at 5:30 PM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm The Medford City Council on Thursday didn't seem inclined to pay $300,000 for a temporary fix to deal with 12-year-old sidewalks on Central Avenue that have buckled and heaved, creating trip hazards. "Are we really fixing the problem?" Councilor Kim Wallan said. The council was looking at removing pavers from the sidewalk and leveling the surface before putting the pavers back down. Also, the metal grates around trees, which have pushed up, also would be removed. Cory Crebbin, Medford Public Works director, said the repairs should minimize the amount of shifting of pavers over the years, but he could offer no guarantees it wouldn't happen again. Crebbin offered another, more expensive alternative. Rip out the pavers and pour concrete sidewalks that are scored in two-by-two-foot squares to simulate the pavers. The cost estimate is $1.2 million. The council will schedule a study session later this month and decide on how best to resolve the issue, which has irked local businesses that have installed orange fencing around tree wells to alert pedestrians of the trip hazards. In Crebbin's experience, poured concrete sidewalks seem to hold up better than pavers, which were paid for by the Medford Urban Renewal Agency to beautify the downtown. Councilor Dick Gordon said he didn't want the city to be facing the same issue with sidewalks again in 12 years if the existing pavers were repaired. "I don't want to spend taxpayer dollars to fix a problem of MURA," he said. Gordon suggested finding some way to make MURA, whose board is made up of city councilors, pay for a whole new sidewalk or reimburse the city. Dan Ebert, owner of Central Art Supply, told the council he would like to take out a tree in front of his business because it contributes to flooding in his basement. He said he hoped the council would consider finding a better solution to the sidewalk problem. "I hope it will fix a problem instead of band-aiding it," he said. Wallan asked Crebbin whether a new sidewalk would solve the basement flooding issue at Ebert's store. Crebbin said he didn't know but pointed out the water table is high in that area of town. Councilor Michael Zarosinski said he hasn't been in favor of the city taking on the repair of the sidewalks in the downtown area. Typically, the city requires the abutting property owners to fix sidewalks. The council had sought waivers from all the property owners on Central to declare the city would no longer be responsible for future repairs of the sidewalk, which basically reaffirms the city's existing regulations on sidewalks. "I don't know if removing the tree will fix problems at Central Art Supply," Zarosinski said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.