By Bonnie Culverhouse
Although there is still an ongoing discussion concerning ownership of Sheppard Street – city or state – and who is responsible for repairing and maintaining it, City of Minden officials are working toward a safety issue for foot traffic along that thoroughfare.
“Until ownership is settled, there’s nothing we can do about the street – and we know the state it’s in,” said Mayor Nick Cox. “But a lot of people walk along that street to get to retail businesses, and we can make it safer for them.”
Cox and councilmen Michael Roy, Andy Pendergrass and Carleton Myles traveled to Washington DC to request federal grant funds from three departments (see below) to build a sidewalk on the northern side of Sheppard and north of the drainage ditch.
“Technically, the City of Minden doesn’t own any sidewalks,” Cox said. “And normally, we are not responsible for upkeep on existing sidewalks, but we are committed to the upkeep on this one once it’s built.”
Sheppard Street Multimodal Transportation Project
PROJECT TIMELINE: 12 MONTHS
The City of Minden is seeking approximately $343,000 in
federal, state, and local funding to construct a new sidewalk
on the northern side of Sheppard Street to connect to
existing sidewalks along Lee Street and East Union Street. The
proposed project will stretch 1,500 linear feet and will include
related grading and drainage improvements. The proposed
sidewalk will provide a safe walking path for Minden
residents (especially those living in a nearby low-income
residential area), connecting them to essential public services,
commercial businesses, and recreational facilities. The current
span of Sheppard Street does not have a defined shoulder nor
pedestrian pathway, yet experiences regular non-vehicular
traffic in addition to an average daily traffic count of 7,305.
Upon completion, the city has committed to maintaining the
facility with local funds.
Funding & Support Needed
Estimated Funding Needed: $343,320.60
Title Abstracting: $1,350
Property Appraisal: $10,800
Appraisal Review: $5,400
Property Negotiations: $6,000
Right-of-Way Acquisition: $35,000
Engineering: $30,000
Survey: $10,000
Construction: $187,325.60
Contingencies: $57,445
Potential Funding Opportunities
• Louisiana Department of Transportation &
Development Safe Routes to Public Places
Program (pending)
• Louisiana Community Development Block
Grant Make a Difference Program
• Louisiana Transportation Alternatives