GALVESTON, Texas — The Galveston City Council abandoned a proposal to build a sidewalk at Stewart Road and instead approved moving forward with an original design to have two bike paths along both sides of the road.
Bidding can start within six months.
"It’s in bad, bad shape, and it’s dangerous," City Manager Steve LeBlanc said. "We can’t wait 24 months."
The Stewart Road project includes widening the road to make bicycle lanes from 75th Street to Cove View Boulevard at Campeche Cove. The plan also would straighten Dead Man’s Curve and realign 7 Mile Road.
The project is part of nearly $12 million in road work approved by the county in 2009.
In June, design engineers proposed removing one of the two 5-foot bike lanes in initial plans and building a 10-foot mixed-use path next to Stewart Road for both pedestrians and cyclists.
But changing the project would have complicated construction, costing thousands more in redesign work.
Coordinating with utility lines and revising plans would have cost the county an additional $500,000 and delayed the bidding process 18 to 24 months.
In a second project also approved by the county, Avenue H would be extended as a four-lane divided road between 59th and 61st streets.
Both the Stewart Road and Avenue H projects are part of $75 million in road work approved in a county bond election in 2009.
This story was brought to you thanks to khou.com’s partnership with The Galveston County Daily News.
