West University Place Council Debates Buffalo Speedway Sidewalk Widening

City staff in West University Place asked the City Council to begin the process of widening pedestrian sidewalks along Buffalo Speedway on October 26. The proposal targets the first phase of a project outlined in the city's 2027-2036 Capital Improvement Plan. The plan, which was approved on August 17, identified the high-volume route as a priority area for pedestrian improvements.

City Manager Dave Beach presented the scope of the work to the council. The plan involves installing a sidewalk between eight and twelve feet wide from Bissonnet Street to West Holcombe Boulevard. This infrastructure change is designed to integrate with five traffic studies currently being conducted by the civil engineering firm BGE Engineers. Updates on three of those studies were also part of the October 26 agenda, including signalized intersection evaluations at both ends of the proposed project segment.

The Capital Improvement Plan documents list specific funding allocations for the Buffalo Speedway Pedestrian Enhancements Project. The city has programmed $90,000 in 2026 to conduct a feasibility study. Design costs are estimated at $995,000. Construction costs are projected at $11,240,000, with 80% of that amount expected to come from grant-sourced funding.

Beach explained that widening the sidewalk would give officials the flexibility to designate specific zones for different uses. He noted that this could include creating a bike lane, though he left the final designation open for later stages of the design process. Council members will need to evaluate any potential limitations or problems that arise from these designations as the project moves forward.

Mayor Susan Sample opened the council discussion by stating that the major arterial street lacks adequate walking pathways. She described a pattern where residents walk in the street because existing sidewalks are too thin, creating safety hazards. Sample added that many people avoid Buffalo Speedway entirely because it is the most direct route but currently unsafe for pedestrians. She expressed support for improvements that promote resident safety.

Mayor Pro Tem John Barnes raised concerns about the continuity of existing pedestrian pathways. He stated that residents prefer continuous walking paths and dislike when routes break up and require crossing the street to continue. His comment focused on the general practicality of the city's current sidewalk infrastructure rather than the specific Buffalo Speedway project.

Council members Clay Brett and Kalie Rainsberger voiced doubts about whether Buffalo Speedway is the best route for sidewalk widening. Brett argued that streets inside residential blocks are safer for north-south travel and might be better candidates for pedestrian safety improvements. Rainsberger said the road already has too many lanes and questioned the value of encouraging more outside traffic. She expressed concern that the project could remove neighborhood tree canopies and increase cyclist-related issues if a bike lane is added.

Council member John Bertini suggested that the council route all questions and concerns through the planned feasibility study. He recommended that city staff request an internal arborist review the trees along Buffalo Speedway and report findings at a later date. The council agreed to this recommendation, deciding that an internal review would help identify the road's specific needs. City staff will work to fulfill the request for an arborist, though a specific date for those findings was not set.