On Feb. 5, the Travis County Commissioners Court decided to continue working on building a sidewalk along El Rey Boulevard.

The county had stopped design work on the sidewalk in January after some residents objected, claiming they were not given the opportunity to express their concerns with the project.

The project, estimated to cost $666,600, would add 0.7 miles of sidewalk along the road's west side from West Hwy. 290 to Espanola Trail.

The project was included in the county's 2011 bond package and will be paid for using bond money. The Travis County Citizens Bond Advisory Committee had vetted the project, and the court had placed it on the ballot. Voters approved the bond in November 2011.

The county contracted with Chan & Partners Engineers to design the project, according to background documents.

Addressing the court, Steve Manilla, county executive of transportation and natural resources, said the sidewalk was a safety improvement project that separated pedestrians from motor vehicles.

"Staff strongly recommends continuing the project to get it built," he said. "We believe that is the prudent thing to do."

Project Manager Lee Turner said the sidewalk would be placed on the west side of the road because it would be less expensive and easier to build. Manilla added that it would have a smaller effect on the trees.

Since the county had heard testimony on the issue at previous meetings, County Judge Samuel Biscoe allowed a few speakers both in favor and opposed to the sidewalk to address the court at the Feb. 5 meeting.

Opposition

Resident Charlotte Ready said the county was about to spend three-quarters of a million dollars on a project without concrete data.

She said that no vehicle counts or objective look at pedestrian usage has been done. She called on the county to do due diligence.

Resident Mike Ready argued that few people aside from the residents of El Rey Boulevard and La Tosca Drive would use the sidewalks.

He added that the money approved for the project could be better used elsewhere on more pressing safety concerns.

"This is a gross waste of taxpayers' money, and if you do not defund it, at least do a quantitative study to see if it is needed," he said.

Support

Resident Rick Perkins said the neighborhood has been working on getting sidewalks put in since the mid-2000s.

Perkins added that the neighborhood has tried to get sidewalks "by the book," meaning waiting until the project could be put in a bond package and placed before voters.

He added that the sidewalk would not just be used by the current population of the neighborhood, but future residents because of the sidewalk's long use life.

Jaime Anderson said she goes out of her way to not walk on the street on which she lives.

She said she did not know why the neighborhood would need to wait for an accident to prevent one.

Court response

Precinct 3 Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, who represents the Grenada Hills and Grenada Estates neighborhoods where the road is located, said he understood both sides and that both sides had made good points.

After the vote, he summarized his view on Facebook.

"Arguments by both sides were compelling, but in the end, safety has to come first," he wrote. "Which is what drove my very difficult decision to support the construction of the sidewalk along El Ray Boulevard today."

Commissioner Margaret Gomez said that it was important that the county get out as much information as possible about projects. She referred to public hearings during the bond process.

Daugherty made the motion that work continue. Gomez seconded. The court approved the motion unanimously.