Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... NEW SIDEWALK Talent students will have a safer walk to school Project will be completed before school starts Sept. 8 Comment By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News TALENT — Elementary school students will have a new sidewalk on the east side of their campus this fall while the city is preparing to seek grants to improve other nearby student routes. Talent City Council approved a contract for the 650-foot walkway on South Second Street that borders Talent Elementary School between School House Road and Wagner Street. The area is currently a dirt path. Cut N Break Construction, Inc. is scheduled to start the sidewalk Monday and to finish by Sept. 2, said City Manager Tom Corrigan. City capital improvement money is funding the $28,675 project, which has been planned for several years. Residents of South Second Street between Main and Wagner streets in April voiced concerns to the council about increased traffic that seemed to be linked to the opening of a roundabout joining Main Street and West Valley View Road. School kids and other pedestrians use that route, which lacks a sidewalk. “We can apply for Safe Routes to School (state) money,” Corrigan said of plans to upgrade school routes on Foss Road, Wagner Street and South Second Street. The city has engineers designing projects for those routes. “The state gives priority to the shovel-ready projects that have been engineered,” said Corrigan. The new sidewalk also will help Talent Elementary students on their monthly, one-mile run around the campus. “It’s always a little bit of a risk — it's uneven ground and it’s rutted,” Principal Curt Shenk said of the route. Rainy weather can add to the runners' challenges. The run, held to increase student fitness, is a tradition that began before Shenk became principal three years ago. Students do one lap on the track, then run around the campus perimeter, then finish with a three-quarters lap of the track. The sidewalk will also get plenty of use in daily trips to and from school. “There is quite a bit of foot traffic that comes in through that area. We have a gate on that far side that lots of folks come in,” said Schenk. The sidewalk will be nearly 6 feet wide and features a low, 90-foot-long retaining structure in the middle, because the school grounds are slightly higher. Cut N Break's bid was $3,000 more than the other one submitted, but was taken because the firm said it would have the work completed before classes begin Sept 8. Working with residents, city officials have cleared vegetation and removed vehicles parked for extended periods from rights of way along parts of South Second and other streets to improve walking paths. In some cases, vegetation was obscuring school zone and speed limit signs. Other improvements, such as concrete bollards to prevent vehicles from cutting corners without curbs, may also be installed, Corrigan said. The city is also looking into solar-powered, flashing crosswalk signs for the area. Talent Middle School sits just west of the elementary campus across Wagner Creek Road. Installation of a sidewalk on School House Road adjacent to the campus will present more of a challenge because the roadway is several feet below the school grounds, Corrigan said. Tony Boom is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected]. By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501