Project FAQs

The FAQs below address questions generated during the City’s public engagement and outreach events throughout the life of the project.

• The project began as a sidewalk petition project and addressed the need for an additional sidewalk on Reaves Drive to help with connectivity. For more information on the history of the project, see the History section on this page.
• Many of the people who responded to the survey were concerned about the speed along Oxford Road. 
  • The posted speed along Oxford Road is 25 mph.
  • Currently, Oxford road is not eligible for a traffic calming project. However, narrowing a roadway is one of the strategies used to slow traffic. Learn more about Neighborhood Traffic Management.
• The road width has been measured and found to be sufficient to accommodate two-way traffic and the Our Lady of Lourdes carpool line during school's drop-off and pick-up times. 
• The concrete raised sidewalk adds a safety feature for pedestrians that a painted sidewalk would not accommodate.  
• The sidewalk is being designed at five feet to minimize environmental impacts to the park.
• Most of the sidewalk will be built from the current curb line into the roadway. This will limit the impervious surfaces installed.
• Railing will be installed along the park as needed for safety.

Schedule

2021 Public Engagement

Early Design Public Touchpoint, May 2021

View survey results and comments

Key Survey Results

• During the public touchpoint for Oxford Road, we had 49 participants take the survey.
• 95 percent of the people taking the survey walk on the road, and 31 percent walk on the road more than ten times per week.
• 77 percent drive their car
• 59 percent ride their bikes
• 80 percent of people who took the survey think that the proposed sidewalk will meet the purpose and needs of pedestrians along Oxford Road.

For more project information you can also view the Early Design Map. 

History of the Project

The City received a sidewalk petition request in August 2014 for Oxford Road between the intersection of Reaves Drive to the existing sidewalk near Overbrook Drive. Following an assessment and recommendation by staff to install a five-foot-wide sidewalk on the west side of Oxford Road ( along Fallon Park frontage), the petition passed with 15 out of 22 property owners voting in support of the request. A Public Hearing was held on April 7, 2015, where citizens expressed concerns about the impact on the park, Stormwater, and traffic calming measures. Following the hearing, City Council directed staff to consider various alternatives, solicit further input from the community, and return with final recommendations considering these concerns.

HDR Engineering, Inc. was selected for preliminary evaluation of design alternatives and recommendations. In August 2018, five different options were prepared by HDR Inc .. as follows:

• Alt I: A five ft. sidewalk behind the curb & gutter on the west side along the park. This alternative would necessitate a retaining wall on the park side for about 70 ft. length.
• Alt 2: utilized an open-shoulder·concept with a two-foot-wide buffer to separate travel lanes from the sidewalk. This would need about 65 ft. of retaining wall on the park side and some visible physical barriers within the buffer strip and guardrails at multiple locations.
• Alt 3: This alternative proposed a narrower roadway width of 24 ft. for about 750 ft. in length on the southern end of the project without any parking provisions.
• Alt 4: This alternate combined design elements from #2 and #3. It included an open shoulder instead of curb & gutter with a two-foot-wide buffer between travel lanes and sidewalk. There would be no parking accommodation for about 750 ft. on the south end. This alternate also necessitated guardrail at several locations.
• Alt 5: This alternative was similar to that of Alternative #1 but proposed nine-foot travel lanes for the southern 750-foot length, which eliminated the need for the retaining wall at the south end of the project. The alternative would narrow the existing pavement width from 33-35 feet to 28-30 feet.

Alternate Number five was recommended for the following reasons:

• It would maintain the existing traffic pattern and accommodate the existing parking on the east side of the street, as well as the carpool from Joyner Elementary School;
• This alternate would minimize impact to the park and its environment by reducing roadway width;
• The majority of sidewalk would be installed along the existing grass shoulder and would minimize impacts and clearing along the side slopes of the park property;
• It Eliminated the need for a retaining wall on the park side; 
• It Provided safe pedestrian access to the School, and the Park; and,
• This alternative would help promote traffic calming by narrowing the street width.

A Public Meeting was held on August 23, 2018, to present and discuss the alternatives and recommendations by the consultant. 
During October 16, 2018, City Council Meeting, City Council decided not to move forward with the project.

At the City Council’s February 19 meeting, the Council directed the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to review the current street configurations and bike and ped infrastructure on Oxford Road and to make recommendations for improvements to enhance safety and connectivity in the area.  
BPAC determined that Oxford Road is strategically important, and it facilitates a direct connection between Five Points and the Crabtree Creek Greenway. BPAC also felt that the sidewalk was vital as it connects to two schools and a public park.
BPAC also reviewed the construction strategy presented by City staff and agreed with the suggested approach given to the City Council during the October 2018 meeting. The Commission also recommended extending the construction around the southern edge of Fallon Park to create continuity with an existing sidewalk along Kenmore Drive.