City Steps Up Work On North Franklin Sidewalks

 

October 17 -- Nearly all of the work to install new sidewalks on North Franklin between West College and West Liberty streets has been completed.  Once this phase of the long-term project is completed, this segment of Franklin Street will then be paved--thereby eliminating one of the worst eyesores in the downtown area.

            As far back as the early 1950s, students walking from the old L.C.'s Grill would often stumble over the large cracks in the sidewalks, which probably dated back to the 1920s.  In the years since then, these sidewalks had continued to deteriorate.  Not surprisingly, area residents and store owners were glad when the city's Street Department was sent in to completely remove the old sidewalks and begin work on new ones.

            Along with work on the sidewalks, the city also greatly improved the storm sewer drains on this part of Franklin Street and along the adjoining part of Liberty Street.  According to a spokesman at Radar's Detail Shop, which is located in the rear part of the old Ford dealership building at Liberty and Franklin streets, hard rains would often cause water to flow over the sidewalks in the area.  With the newly installed enlarged draining points, such flooding problems should be a thing of the past.

            Below is a slide show of the work on this part of North Franklin Street.