LOCKWOOD — Yellowstone County, in partnership with the Lockwood Pedestrian Safety District, has nearly completed a project aimed at making the community more accessible and friendly to walkers.
The Lockwood Sidewalk Project will add 2,200 feet of new sidewalk south of Old Hardin Road, connecting Woodland Road and Rykken Circle.
Yellowstone County Public Works has contracted Askin Construction and DOWL Engineering for the project.
See construction on the 2,200-foot sidewalk in the video below:
According to DOWL Engineering, the enire project cost roughly $174,000, and $23,000 of that comes from local funds. The additional $151,000 comes from the Transportation Alternatives program, through the Montana Department of Transportation.
"So (the Lockwood Safety Pedestrian District's) main focus was first the schools. (It) started with an unfortunate fatality that happened because there wasn't sidewalk in place," said Logan McIsaac, the Yellowstone County construction project manager.
The Lockwood Safety Pedestrian District was established after two teens were hit by cars and died.
In April of 2003, 14-year-old Jarred Dean (J.D) Fasching died on Old Hardin Road when he was hit by a car on the shoulder while riding his bicycle.
Ten years later, 16-year-old Dustin Freese was walking down Becraft Lane when he was struck and killed by a vehicle.
Before the Lockwood Sidewalk Project began in September, Old Hardin Road was missing over 2,000 feet of sidewalk, which created significant challenges for wheelchair users and people with visual impairments trying to travel between different parts of Lockwood.
"There's definitely a need for it," said Garrett Burch, the program director for EagleMount Billings, an organization that provides adaptive recreational activities for people with disabilities. "Not having that sidewalk creates a really dangerous scenario, 'cuz they go right along with traffic, I assume, or in the grass, which is also a dangerous area for people."
According to Burch, EagleMount serves approximately 700 participants. Burch said each year, the organization serves around five wheelchair users, and three to five participants with visual impairments.
"Some of our participants ride their bike to every program, and that can be dangerous as well if they don't have a place designated for them to ride," said Burch.
Burch said he's an advocate for the Lockwood Sidewalk Project, as Old Hardin Road will now meet the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each block now features tactile paving for the visually impaired.
"Just having that sense of representation is huge," he said.
"Any new project, whether it's federal, state, local, all needs to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act," McIsaac said.
Recently, construction crews were preparing the gravel base for the final stretch of sidewalk to be poured. The Lockwood Sidewalk Project is set to be completed this fall, marking a significant step forward for pedestrian safety in Yellowstone County and its 7,000 Lockwood residents.
"I think it's awesome," said Burch. "I think it's awesome that people are getting their voices out and the community is hearing them."
McIsaac is asking the public to be cautious around construction zones until the project is completed.
"Just a reminder that these are your friends and family, your neighbors, moms, dads, kids, grandparents that are working out here," McIsaac said. "Everybody wants to go home safe. We just want to get the job done."
