Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is going to be a public hearing on the proposed sidewalks for Thornapple St. and Oakridge Ave. on Wednesday night at the during the regularly scheduled Town Council meeting of the Town of Chevy Chase beginning at 7PM at the Leland Center. I live on one of the affected streets and here are my thoughts on the proposal which I've also sent directly to the Councilmembers:

Like my neighbors, I recently received a copy of the plan for the proposed new sidewalks on Thornapple St. and Oakridge Ave. The new sidewalks would run between Curtis and Thornapple on Oakridge Ave. and between Oakridge and Maple on Thornapple.

I support the idea of installing new sidewalks. A number of our neighbors have expressed concerns through petitions and statements during the public comments period of Town Council meetings that sidewalks are needed to increase safety on both streets. Kids walk to Chevy Chase Elementary and to the bus stop to Rosemary Hills located at the intersection of Maple and Thornapple. Unfortunately, some drivers add to the problem by going too quickly around the curve on Thornapple or over the hill on Oakridge even though they can't see the other side.

The proposed sidewalks on the north side of Thornapple have been the subject of much discussion on my block of Thornapple. While some families on Thornapple would prefer not to have the sidewalks go through the right-of-way adjacent to their property, most appear willing to accommodate new sidewalks in some form in order to address safety concerns by neighbors living in other parts of our community.

At the same time, the sidewalk plan for Thornapple St. needs refinement. A number of my neighbors on my block have interesting ideas for improvements which would reduce the degree to which the new sidewalks would impinge on the enjoyment of their homes. I strongly urge you to consult closely with them and to listen to their ideas. Just as we asked the developers at Woodmont East to improve their plan, I know you'll be willing to work with the residents of my block to accommodate the sidewalks in the least painful way possible.

One universal concern on our block of Thornapple was the issue of storm drainage. It's well-known that our block is the drainage center for a large area. The County just invested large sums in improving the drainage and we're grateful for the improvements. Naturally, we're concerned that the proposed sidewalk bump out on Thornapple might undermine the operation of the new drains by diverting water away from them.

If the bump out is constructed, we could well need an additional drain at the location of the bump out to prevent the recurrence of a problem much money has just been spent to address. Alternatively, some of my neighbors have creative ideas about how to install a sidewalk without a bump out, or at least with a smaller one. Again, I urge you to speak with them since they are affected most directly by the proposal since their homes adjoin the proposed sidewalks.

Some of the ideas for improvements to the original plan may add to the cost. However, Chevy Chase is a fortunate community. It should be willing to spend more to accommodate neighbors who are working hard to take into account overall community needs even though they have serious concerns about how they will affect their property.

While I haven't yet had a chance to speak with our neighbors on Oakridge, I similarly urge you to consult with them. The proposed plan eliminates one-half of the parking on their block with potential for spillover on to our block. Nonetheless, the proposal outlined by the Town may be the least bad option due to the presence of heritage trees and hilly terrain but I hope the Town will consult with our friends around the corner to see how they feel about it before proceeding further.

On Thornapple, we think it makes sense to move the crosswalk closer to its natural position near the intersection than indicated in the plan, and we're pleased to hear from the Town Manager that this change will incorporated into the design. Again, however, we think it makes sense to consult with residents on Oakridge as to the overall scope of the plan on that block.

Thanks for your concern. We look forward to working closely with you on this question.