Council approves contract to begin improving sidewalks, safety around Pearland ISD schools

Pearland City Council approved a $3.38 million Advanced Funding Agreement for the Safe Routes to Schools project at its May 18 meeting.

The item adds and extends sidewalks near three schools in Pearland: Carleston Elementary, Cockrell Elementary and Pearland Junior High South. City staff considered seven schools in Alvin and Pearland ISD for the project before choosing these three in 2014, according to the agenda packet.

Council Members Tony Carbone and Gary Moore asked why all of the schools chosen were in Pearland ISD. City Manager Clay Pearson replied that staff chose schools based on the study done in 2014 and could not change that direction at this point.

“I don’t know that the prioritization we did is accurate anymore,” Moore said.

Pearson and Assistant City Manager Trent Epperson said TIRZ reimbursements will be used to fix many of the sidewalk issues in Alvin ISD and that council will see a contract for that in June.

“It is a holistic approach in the TIRZ area to address some of the sidewalk issues that have been brought to our attention over the years through interactions with Alvin ISD,” Epperson said.

The AFA would allow the city to be reimbursed for 80% of the cost of construction, according to the agenda packet.

Council approved the motion unanimously. The design phase will begin by the end of May, according to the agenda packet.