New sidewalks coming to downtown Lakeside

County Commissioners Bob Main, Kevin Stufflebean, Nikki Whitty

At a special meeting chaired by Coos County Commissioner Kevin Stufflebean, it was announced that a parking and pedestrian project is coming to downtown Lakeside.

Stufflebean has been spearheading the project along with the City of Lakeside, primarily City Administrator, Charlie Hill, and Public Works Director, Dennis Langley.

All three county commissioners are in  support of the project.

PBS Consultant, Paul Slator and Road master, John Rowe

By the end of June, on the west side of North Eighth Street in downtown Lakeside, from Hilltop Drive to the Railroad tracks there should be new sidewalks and handicap ramps. The ramps will be on both sides of the street.

Parking places will be expanded with new paint stripes for angle parking where permitted, replacing the existing parallel parking.

The bids are going out soon, it will then be known if the project will include streetlights. The plan calls for eight, but does not include the cost to light them.

It will take some creative ideas from the community to come up with the funding for the cost of electricity.

The three Commissioners seemed very willing to look at future projects for Lakeside. The County owns North Lake Road, North Eighth, Bowron Road, Airport Way and Hilltop Drive. Some at the meeting were urging the county to maintain and improve their other roads.

Special Lakeside City Council and Coos County Commissioners meeting in Lakeside

A cooperative effort is in place between Lakeside’s Public Works Director, Dennis Langley, and the County to partner on grants, making it more likely to receive them.

Here is an abbreviated look at the Downtown project. A more detailed plan can be viewed at city hall.