The change would eliminate two crossings for bicyclists/pedestrians of a busy Riverside Drive from the east to the west side, said Patrick Titterington, city service and safety director.
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In addition to the path and the new road, the project would include water and sanitary sewer improvements along Riverside and Orchard drives.
Some residents of Riverside Drive attended the presentation to commissioners, but did not have the chance to speak because the meeting did not include a public hearing. The project subsequently was discussed further Oct. 1 with Troy City Council by Titterington.
Before the meeting with the commissioners, the residents notified the commission of concerns with having the bike path along their properties as they would attempt to back out of driveways and across the path.
The commissioners do not have a role in the project, but the county would be asked to approve a permit to work within the county road right of way. A portion of Riverside Drive is in the city and a portion in the county.
In a letter to commissioners, the residents said they had several concerns, the largest of which was “the danger and liability factors.”
“It is not difficult to imagine that with all the car traffic, the bicycle use, the runners and the kids oblivious coming from many directions at the same time … one of us residents will accidentally run over someone,” the residents stated. “Yes, the same thing might occur in the crosswalks but people are used to crosswalks, especially if they are marked properly and well, which these should be.”
In a response to residents’ questions posed during an earlier meeting, the city noted, “There are areas of the county such as along the North County Road 25A recreational trail at sheriff’s (facilities), Miami County Garage and Engineer’s Office where multiple drives are crossed … All new public residential sidewalks require five-foot sidewalks, which cross multiple driveways.
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