County officials today announced a $3.16 million project to improve Leeds Avenue--a longtime bane of pedestrians, the disabled, and those pushing strollers.
Work is scheduled to begin on sidewalks, curbs and gutters, storm drains, and a new road surface from Linden Avenue to Beechfield, county executive Kevin Kamenetz told Arbutus Patch.
"We're moving ahead with a complete reconstruction project," Kamanetz said.
Lacking a continuous sidewalk on either side of the street from Linden Avenue to Southwestern Boulevard, Leeds is a route that many people take to the supermarket and other destinations in Arbutus.
Leeds doesn't have curbs, stop signs or traffic lights, or crosswalks. Residents complain that it is impossible to safely navigate by wheelchair.
Last month, a citizen's group emerged to pressure the government to improve Leeds Avenue. A call to Leeds United Pedestrians for comment has not yet been returned.
"Leeds Avenue is an important route, so this is a big win," said First District councilman Tom Quirk. "I'm very happy to see it."
The design and bidding on the project are expected to be completed by July, and construction will begin as soon as weather permits.
"It could happen this fall, but more likely in the spring [of 2012]," Quirk said. "You don't want to be tearing up the road in the middle of winter."
The project is expected to take 12-18 months, according to Kamenetz.
Sunny Rhodes
7:40 am on Friday, June 17, 2011
On behalf of Leeds United Pedestrians:
Key words in this article are "DESIGN and BIDDING" and "EXPECTED to be completed in July". This blogger has heard some version of this for years. The money was designated and disappeared. Last spring we heard that it would be done in the Spring of 2011. We have heard it all. And, the county deserves NO KUDOS for doing their job. This should have been handled years ago, which I say on behalf of people who are needlessly dead and needlessly injured.
And, unless the state get the highway ramps off this street, all it means is that the murderous speeders will have a smoother raceway and more pedestrian targets as they kill us.
However, Mr. Quirk is a bit of a rock star for making it to this point so early in his term. His predecessor, who we hope has returned to the shire with the other hobbits holding no public shire-office, did nothing but blow residents off. Only Jimmy Malone is steadfast and true as a representative of people. They could all take a lesson from Jimmy. Jimmy is not a bit of rock star, he is the real deal.
We will believe it when we see it. Meanwhile, we will proceed as planned. The community website will host stories and incidents. The splash photo on the website (www.leeds-united-pedestrians.com) features an ambulance getting T-boned on Leeds Avenue. Priceless.
al walker
7:07 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
that photo of the ambo being t-boned on leeds as you say. is a sure fake and staged photo. any doe doe can see that.