Sidewalk Policy Review: Survey & Public Meeting

Remember last winter, when the Republican Tredyffrin Supervisors voted to let St. Davids Golf Club out of their expansion-agreement obligation to build a sidewalk on Upper Gulph Road, it set off a firestorm of criticism.

After some backpedaling, apologies and side-shifting, the Board of Supervisor’s end solution was still pretty wily: They have “suspended” the requirement that the St. Davids club construct the sidewalk, and they have instituted a major policy review of walkway planning in the township.

The supervisors created a committee of committees–a special subcommittee with members from several relevant township advisory committees. This special study group is expected to “re-examine where the community wants and needs sidewalks and paths in the Township” and “address both the timing, prioritization, funding sources, the conditions upon which the Planning Commission may… grant relief to our Land Development Ordinance and recommend any other changes the new policy might require.”

Now there are two important opportunities for public participation in the last quarter of this year, as the sidewalk committee closes out its review.

The first is a public meeting on Thursday, October 7, 7:00 P.M. at the Township Building. Anyone concerned about walkways, bike lanes, and paths should attend and participate.

Secondly, a survey is underway. Whether you can attend meetings or not, it’s important to offer your views through the township’s “Walkway and Bike Lanes Survey.” Here is a pdf copy of the survey to complete and mail. Or, you can answer the survey questions online here.

It is important to have enough responses from a broad cross-section of the community for the survey to be valid and representative.

The deadline for submitting your views is November 5.

Here are two particular analysis goals from the sidewalk policy committee:

To prioritize the segments of the “Green Routes Network” outlined in the township’s Comprehensive Plan and determine which should be walkways and which should be bike lanes.

To get an understanding of how the public is willing to fund walkway projects in the township–whether through private developer funding, use of township funds, grants, or any combination of these means.