The City of Gridley will move fire hydrants in conflict with Caltrans’ construction of a new sidewalk on the northbound side of State Highway 99 as one of two initiatives approved Aug. 18 to improve pedestrian safety.

 

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - The City of Gridley is taking proactive steps to improve pedestrian safety and address infrastructure issues related to its sidewalks. 

On Aug. 18, the City Council approved separate contracts related to two key initiatives: a comprehensive sidewalk inspection program and the relocation of three fire hydrants that currently obstruct new sidewalk pathways on Highway 99. 

The council, during its regular session, approved a $20,458 contract with Precision Concrete Cutting to inspect approximately 53 miles of sidewalks throughout Gridley. This inspection will identify trip hazards where elevation differences exceed a quarter inch, which pose risks to pedestrians, said Public Works Director Jerry Cox. 

Each hazard will be documented with photographs and precise locations, and all data will be integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. 

Cox said the system would allow the city to prioritize repairs based on severity, enabling the most damaged sidewalks to be fixed first. 

“This is the first step of us addressing our current broken sidewalk issues,” Cox said. 

Cox said the inspection program is reimbursable through the Northern California Cities Self Insurance Fund (NCCSIF), and the necessary funds have already been allocated in the city’s Capital Improvement Program. 

City Manager Elisa Arteaga highlighted the efficiency of this approach, which would provide transparent tracking of repairs through before-and-after documentation.

“Once we get the information, then we can send staff out and start evaluating the worst of it…” “Or in most cases, it might be cheaper for (Precision Concrete) to do it because they're out there already taking the before and after pictures and doing the repairs.”

Cox said a system to tackle the worst first is designed to enhance pedestrian safety and reduce the city’s liability. 

In addition to the sidewalk inspection program, Gridley will also address an immediate issue related to the relocation of three fire hydrants discovered during Highway 99 construction that are in the middle of a soon-to-be poured eight-foot-wide sidewalk. 

The City Council reluctantly authorized Arteaga to execute a contract with Martin Brothers Construction in the amount of $65,538.06 to relocate the fire hydrants that conflict with Caltrans’ construction project along the northbound side of State Route 99.

City officials said the hydrants are technically compliant with ADA standards, due to sufficient clearance, but leaving them at their current placement will be visually unappealing and create practical obstacles for pedestrians. 

“If we leave it the way it is, Caltrans is just going to pour around them,” Arteaga said. 

Arteaga said she will meet with Caltrans about responsibility and potential reimbursement, but potential litigation with the state, should they refuse to pay for hydrant relocation, would be more costly. 

Arteaga said relocating the hydrants from the middle of the sidewalk is not just about improving aesthetics or whether it will cost the city money. 

“It’s the safety of people who are walking on that sidewalk,” Arteaga said. 

The council, after lengthy discussion on how the hydrant conflicts were left out of the overall construction plans and who is financially responsible, voted 4-0, absent Councilmember Catalina Sanchez, to move forward.