After much debate, historic Fort Collins neighborhood settles sidewalk conundrum

Sometimes seemingly non-controversial things become big deals. Such was the case with a proposal to build sidewalks in a north Fort Collins neighborhood.

City officials wanted to build about 1,100 feet of sidewalk in the historic Alta Vista neighborhood, which sits northwest of the intersection of East Vine Drive and North Lemay Avenue.

Alta Vista was established in 1923 by the Great Western Sugar Co. as a colony for Hispanic workers. Its original homes were built with adobe bricks made on site.

The neighborhood remains largely Hispanic. Some families have been there for decades.

It was built with narrow streets and little space of walking. Some homes have sidewalks, but they are not connected.

The city has a pot of money dedicated to assisting low-income neighborhoods. Alta Vista seemed a logical place to put in sidewalks because some residents have been asking for them for years.

The idea was to improve safety by getting pedestrians out of the streets while improving accessibility to area bus stops, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

But the city’s plan was met with resistance. A major concern for some residents was the impact sidewalks would have on parking. Some streets are already barely wide enough for two cars traveling opposite directions to pass.

Duggan:Avery Park neighborhood celebrates revitalization

Neighbors said they had other concerns, such as cut-through traffic when the Vine/Lemay intersection backs up. That happens a lot.

Another concern was preserving the neighborhood’s character: Longtime residents don’t want it to change.

The neighborhood’s pushback led to community meetings and much discussion about what residents wanted. City workers went door-to-door to survey residents about their opinions.

Staff members learned that their idea of building sidewalks in the neighborhood was less important to residents than making Alta Vista feel connected to the rest of the city, said Rob Mosbey, asset manager for the city’s engineering department.

So, a compromise was reached. Instead of sidewalks inside the neighborhood, a sidewalk will be built on the north side of Vine Drive between Alta Vista Street and Lemay Avenue.

Medians will be built as traffic mitigation devices at the two entrances to the neighborhood. The entrances will include artwork designed by a local artist, Mario Miguel Echevarria.

Nearby:Tower fight extends Fort Collins neighborhood's cell reception woes

The Vine Drive sidewalk will provide a connection to a Transfort bus shelter west of Alta Vista Street as well as a crosswalk to the south side of Vine. That would provide a pedestrian connection to a new park that is expected to be built on the southwest corner of the Vine/Lemay intersection.

Construction of the sidewalk is expected to begin in October and take about three weeks, weather permitting, Mosbey said.

Neighbors seem to be on board with the project, Mosbey said. The plan for internal sidewalks has been tabled but not forgotten.

Pedestrian safety issues remain inside the neighborhood, he said, but perhaps there are ways to address them other than traditional sidewalks.

Some Alta Vista residents might not like this idea, either. Their lives will be disturbed by construction and the relentless forces of change.

A lot of change is coming to that part of Fort Collins. Perhaps with enough talk and outreach, it won’t be overly disruptive to one of the city’s unique neighborhoods.

Kevin Duggan is a Coloradoan senior reporter covering local government. Follow him on Twitter, @coloradoan_dugg and on Facebook at Coloradoan Kevin Duggan.

Previously:Miles of Fort Collins sidewalks fail to meet ADA standards