ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy has proposed a block-by-block approach to installing permeable brick paver sidewalks along Pine Avenue where meandering unpaved paths currently exist.
New crosswalks would also be installed across Pine Avenue in a similar block-by-block fashion as part of the long-desired Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvement project.
The existing concrete sidewalks along Pine Avenue will remain in place for now and potentially be replaced with brick paver sidewalks later.
When initiated, the sidewalk and crosswalk improvements will be funded by a state appropriation previously approved by the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
New streetlights will be installed later using different, non-state funding sources.
In recent years, the commission, at the mayor’s recommendation, has rejected four previous project-related bids received from the Sarasota-based C-Squared construction company.
C-Squared’s most recent bid was $1.38 million to install a one-block Reimagining Pine Avenue prototype area between Gulf Drive and North Shore Drive. The prototype would have included new brick paver sidewalks along both sides of Pine Avenue and new crosswalks. The bid did not include street lighting.
On May 23, the mayor proposed a new approach to securing a local contractor or contractors to do the work in a more piecemeal fashion. Murphy said he engaged in preliminary discussion with the project engineer as to how to go about the piecemeal approach to installing the brick paver sidewalks one block at a time, beginning with the stretch of Pine Avenue between Gulf Drive and North Shore Drive. Murphy said three local contractors have expressed interest in the project.
“That’s a good sign,” he said. “One contractor told me, ‘You finally have an approach that makes sense and I want to bid on it.’ ”
Murphy said the city’s public works department may be able to assist with the crosswalk installations.
Murphy said once the brick paver sidewalks are installed in the unpaved paths, the concrete sidewalks will be replaced by brick paver sidewalks, to be followed by new street lighting.
Murphy said with the commission’s support he’d work with the project engineer and the Florida Department of Transportation – the state agency controlling the expenditure of the state funds – and figure out how to move forward with the solicitation of bids.
The city commission expressed preliminary support for the block-by-block, one-step-at-a-time project approach and now awaits additional information from the mayor.
