Excerpt from
Downers Grove Village Council Meeting, March 6, 2007

Comments and Questions on Active Agenda

1. Christine Fregeau, 1918 Elmore Avenue, commented on the discussion at the Council’s last Workshop meeting in regard to the 2007 sidewalk program. She was pleased to see the GIS mapping information for sidewalks resurrected and playing an important role in the current 2007 report. She referred to three items asked of the Council at the end of 2006, which were to increase the level of stable and dedicated funding to complete the sidewalk program; reallocate developer contributions to supplement the sidewalk budget; and plan for annual increases with an escalator for the program. Ms. Fregeau thanked the Council for their support of the program and acknowledged the creative design by Village engineers regarding layout of the sidewalks. She said she hoped the Village would continue to widen its focus, and hoped that the Public Works staff would work on a Plan B walking path for schoolchildren in the Nelson Meadows area. She said that the Village’s commitment by providing stable funding for projects to make the Village a safe place to walk is not taken for granted. She is grateful for that commitment.

2. Dr. Gordon Goodman, 5834 Middaugh, complimented the Village for moving forward on the sidewalk matrix, referencing a survey conducted by the Park District saying that the leading need expressed by residents was for places to walk. He said he doesn’t think this can be supplied on Park District property, but is to be found within the community. He encouraged the Village to develop a pedestrian circulation plan and policy. He felt that the Village’s policy of sidewalks on one side of every street is great, but is not enough. He recommended that the Village conduct an analysis of how people would walk the community.