Clifton Boulevard Sidewalk Replacement Slated to Begin

Starting next week, Clifton Boulevard is set to get some new sidewalks — on both sides.

City officials recently determined that the most of the slabs of sidewalks on the busy pedestrian thoroughfare are “tripping hazards” and must be replaced.

White dots on the sidewalks mark the spots that are set to get new cement.

The $400,000 project — extending from W. 117^th Street to West Clifton Boulevard — will begin next Monday and is expected to wrap up by Halloween.

Property owners on Clifton Boulevard are required to shoulder half of the total cost of the project. Each slab has been priced out for the residents: $7 per square foot for a 4-inch slab and $8 for a 6-inch slab.

Residents who wish to opt out of the city’s plan are still required to replace the defective portion of the sidewalk in front of their property.

Joe Beno, the city’s public works director, told at a recent public works committee meeting that most of the damage to the sidewalk was caused by growing and aging trees.

“Clifton has been looked at for a while,” he said. “It was paved about three years ago. It was going to be a part of the RTA project, and then the . So the sidewalks are still bad. I think anyone would agree that the sidewalk on Clifton needs work.”

At issue, is the “lip” of the sidewalk — the portion of unevenness between the slabs. 

“A big part of Lakewood quality is that we’re a pedestrian community,” said Mayor Michael Summers. “If you walk too many of our city’s sidewalks, it can be hazardous.” 

“These sidewalks have gotten in this condition over 25 to 30 years,” he added. “By addressing this now, maybe these new sidewalks can last another 30 years.” 

Summers said he hopes to keep the program going forward noting that there are more than 180 miles of sidewalks in Lakewood. 

But some city council members aren’t so sure, with some expressing concern about how the sidewalk program is carried out. 

“It’s frustrating to me that we do these in piecemeal fashion,” said Ward 2 councilman Tom Bullock. “What’s our plan to cover the rest of these streets?”