Concrete sidewalks being torn out in Waynesboro

Efforts under way to gather releases, donations for brick sidewalk effort

July 28, 2009|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- Crews have started tearing out concrete sidewalks along West Main Street in Waynesboro, while borough officials and volunteers are gathering the legal releases and donations needed to replace them with bricks.

The Waynesboro Borough Council voted July 15 to install brick sidewalks along Main Street (Pa. 16) from Walnut Street to Cleveland Avenue.

Their decision came with two problems -- the portions of sidewalks against buildings are private property and the $500,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development being used for the project doesn't cover the entire cost.

The council asked nonprofit organization Main Street Waynesboro Inc. to help gather signatures on release forms and ask for donations. Paul Gunder said he's coordinating the fundraising efforts with other volunteers from the organization.

"We really have just started. ... I've met with two property owners so far and both said 'yes'" to donations, Gunder said.

Borough Engineer Kevin Grubbs created estimates of how much it would cost property owners to install bricks in the section of sidewalk they own, establishing the suggested amount for donations. That could range from a few hundred dollars to $4,000, depending on the amount of sidewalk.

"We're also showing them the comparison if they would've had to do the entire sidewalk themselves," Gunder said.

Grubbs on Tuesday joined GRC General Contractor Inc. workers at the intersection of West Main and South Potomac streets, where sidewalk efforts are starting. He planned to talk in the afternoon to the remaining three property owners whose signatures he needed for the initial phase -- Cleveland Avenue to Center Square on the south side of West Main Street.

"It's going well," Grubbs said. "It's going to be an inconvenience for the businesses until we get everything back in place."

The initial phase will last 32 days, he said.

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