Fuquay-Varina is about to launch a town-wide sidewalk building project estimated to cost $500,000.

Some segments will get partial funding from the town and part from federal funds channeled through the N. C. Department of Transportation.

All of the construction is to be done on a pay-as-you-go basis. The town will not tap into the $500,000 in bonds for sidewalks approved by voters in 2007.

Half a dozen citizens attended a public hearing last week held by the town board’s public works committee to get citizen input on the sidewalks plan. None voiced complaints. Marty Cotton and his sister, Sheila Cotton, both of whom grew up on East Broad Street and whose mother still lives there, asked about the possibility of better lighting in the area and the possibility of trash cans being installed along the sidewalk routes.

Arthur Mouberry, director of public works for the town, said trash cans could be installed, but servicing them would be a big expense. Mouberry said lighting along DOT maintained streets is in the transportation department’s jurisdiction. He explained that Progress Energy will install area lights on private property at the owner’s request, but such lights must be paid for on a monthly basis by the property owner. The Cotton family’s property is next door to Home Deport.

Cotton family members were pleased that plans call for sidewalks on the north side of Broad Street; now they hope some private property owners will make improvements on the south side.

The three main projects in which the DOT is sharing costs include a sidewalk along Wake Chapel Road between Broad Street and Main Street; a sidewalk along East Broad Street from Ennis Street (end of the Streetscape in Varina) to the existing sidewalk in front of Home Depot, and sidewalks along the east side of South Main Street beginning at the Fuquay Mineral Spring Park and running to the intersection of South Main and Judd Parkway. At that point the sidewalk will go east along the north side of Judd Parkway and connect with an existing sidewalk at Phillips Point subdivision. That project also extends a sidewalk along South Main from the existing sidewalk/pedestrian trail in front of South Park to the entrance of the Fuquay-Varina Homes for the Elderly.

In his introduction to the hearing on sidewalks construction plans, Parks and Recreation Director Woody Harvey said areas selected for sidewalks were chosen where pedestrians are drawn to centers of activity such as shopping centers, parks and community centers.

The parts of the sidewalk plan recommended by town staff include: Church Street from Main to Ennis; W. Academy to Baytree and Lawrence Street to Bridge; North Main and Judd Parkway (on the KFC side) to the Doctors’ Family Practice building; James Slaughter Road to the shopping center (connecting two existing sections and Judd Parkway from the Academy-Judd intersection between the post office and Academy Street.