NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There appeared to be an appetite among the Hutchinson City Council members to see more funds put into a program to allow property owners to improve or install sidewalks in the city.
"I'd like to see a comprehensive sidewalk plan that we actually put some money behind," said Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho. "This factors in to the parks and recreation master plan, which also pinpointed that there isn't walkability and bikeability to our parks, which has impacted usage."
$20,000 has been allocated to the SAFER Sidewalks program. Ryan Hvitlok with the city says they'll have a lot more requests than that.
"It's about $40 a foot to do a sidewalk," Hvitlok said. "You do the math, it's only 500 feet. It's not going to go very far. The purpose of this was really to show what the need is."
Councilwoman Sara Bagwell likes the idea of getting buy in from the neighborhoods and funding that program more.
"I was just thinking we already have a process that's started and with an application process," Bagwell said. "Maybe we just need to infuse money into it. I would be in favor of putting a million in."
Obviously, that is a discussion for the 2023 budget process, but with two council members on board, it only needs a little more momentum to become a priority.