Syracuse’s Common Council approved funds Monday to fix city sidewalks and add new bicycle lanes on University Hill.

The city will spend $1.2 million to reconstruct deteriorated sidewalks and make other sidewalks more accessible for people with disabilities. Councilors also approved an additional $200,000 for a project to add bicycle lanes in the SU area.

The Department of Public Works will rebuild sidewalks at the request of the property owner or if the sidewalk has been condemned by the city.

The Assessable Sidewalk Program — where the $1 million was allocated — will go into effect for the 2019-20 fiscal year. The $200,000 will be allocated to a separate program within DPW, the City-Owned Sidewalks, Curbs and Corners Program.

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Syracuse is replacing deteriorated sidewalk corners with handicapped-accessible corners and curbs based on public complaints and community programs. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires municipalities to have accessible sidewalks for people with disabilities.

The city is expected to be reimbursed for 80 percent of the cost of the University Hill Bike Plan Implementation Project. Councilors have approved a total of $2,483,000 for the project. City Engineer Mary Robison said in November 2018 that construction will begin during the 2019 construction season.

Other business

Councilors also voted unanimously to make April 2, 2019 Equal Pay Day in Syracuse. Common Council President Helen Hudson, Councilor Bryn Lovejoy-Grinnell and Councilor Latoya Allen — three women out of 10 council members — proposed the resolution.

The resolution said it is essential that fair pay equity policies are implemented in the public and private sectors.

“It is time the wages paid to American women catch up to the wages paid to men,” the resolution said.

Published on March 25, 2019 at 10:41 pm

Contact Casey: casey@dailyorange.com | @caseydarnell_