Shelton — Residents and council members pressed the city Tuesday for clearer timelines and funding to repair sidewalks and add ADA parking downtown. City staff described an upcoming downtown sidewalk and street-tree repair project and changes to COTA Street striping intended to improve parking and accessibility.

Kathy McDowell, during public comment, said she has walking difficulties and asked the city to prioritize handicap parking and sidewalk repairs. “The handicap spots and the sidewalks are absolutely necessity to get going on those,” McDowell said.

Dean Jewell told the council the city needs a proactive approach to maintenance and enforcement and urged council direction to the manager and police for more active response to encampments and street conditions.

Interim City Manager Jay Harris and Public Works staff responded with project details: a downtown sidewalk and street-tree repair project will go to bid in about a month with a goal to start construction in February; the city’s annual sidewalk budget is currently about $25,000. Harris said the project “should be opening the bids up sometime around the first of the year” and acknowledged budget limits could affect scope, including tree planting.

Public Works staff also described changes on COTA Street: centerline striping has been restored, parking stalls are being restruck using the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices guidance (changing T markings to X markings to help drivers see stall edges), and the city plans to convert painted crosswalk bars and stall markings to thermoplastic to lengthen durability and reduce repainting. Harris said the city is exploring use of a thermoplastic machine and buying beads for application so the work is longer-lasting.

Council members discussed adding ADA parking stalls on Railroad Avenue as part of future thermoplastic restriping; staff said creating ADA stalls will likely require restriping and may reduce the total number of on-street stalls. The council asked staff to return with options and potential budget adjustments.

Provenance: resident comments by Kathy McDowell and Dean Jewell; manager and public works briefings and Q&A recorded in the meeting transcript.