The Fairfield City Council acted Monday, March 9th, on several infrastructure and safety initiatives, including street improvements and pedestrian safety measures.
Adams Avenue Overlay Project
The council unanimously approved a $34,700 engineering services amendment with French Renker and Associates for construction observation on the Adams Avenue overlay project.
The project will resurface Adams Avenue from Main Street to Sixth Street, though the design work originally extended to Seventh Street. Budget constraints limited the construction contract to Sixth Street.
A representative from French Reneker and Associations said the project is expected to begin in April. The engineering services will include setting up pre-construction meetings, observing the contractor’s work, reviewing submittals, and preparing pay estimates and any change orders during construction.
The amendment is necessary because the initial contract only covered design work, not construction observation. While not required by law for local projects, city officials said having someone on site to ensure compliance with plans and specifications is essential.
School Crosswalk and Stop Sign Request
City Engineer and Public Works Director Melanie Carlson reported receiving a request from the Fairfield Community School District for a crosswalk and rollout stop sign at Fourth Street and Fillmore Avenue.
The school district currently has two crosswalks with rollout stop signs on Fillmore—one at Fifth Street and one at Sixth Street—and is requesting a third at Fourth Street.
“Fourth is the one that goes back into the ball diamonds,” said Councilman Tom Twohill. The intersection sees significant pedestrian traffic, particularly during fall sports seasons and after school hours, with many students walking in the area.
Fourth Street functions as a collector street with higher traffic volumes, as many drivers use it to avoid Sixth Street.
“I’ve lived out in that area for over 20 years and it’s after school especially, it’s a busy intersection with kids crossing right there. So I don’t see any problem with that at all,” Twohill said.
The school district is now using turnable stop signs at all their crosswalk locations. Both the crosswalk and rollout stop sign will require an ordinance, which Carlson will bring directly to the full council without committee review given the widespread support.
Sidewalk Liability Update
City Attorney John Morrissey briefed the council on the Iowa Supreme Court’s Splitberger decision from approximately a year ago, which significantly impacts municipal sidewalk liability.
The ruling places sidewalk liability fully on cities, with the only exception being ice and snow removal, which can still be shifted to adjacent property owners through local ordinances requiring them to shovel and salt sidewalks.
“Before Splitberger, it was easier to involve the adjacent owner,” Morrissey explained. “Splitberger put it back on the city, generally, unless you can show that there is something with notice to the adjacent owner that is grossly defective about the sidewalk and they’ve had an opportunity to resolve it.”
Morrissey noted that the city’s last comprehensive sidewalk inspection and enforcement program was conducted 25 years ago, which weakens the city’s legal defense in liability cases.
“We have been pleading with what we did decades ago as an affirmative defense because we have such a good policy about keeping track of our sidewalks, giving people three choices on how to fix them, and being responsible about it,” Morrissey said. “Now, that’s going to deflate our affirmative defense somewhat knowing that it was that long ago.”
Morrissey said neighboring cities are discussing whether to promote an amendment to state statutes to address the Splitberger decision’s impacts. He indicated the city will likely need to resume sidewalk inspections once a code enforcement officer is hired.
“I’d really like to see us get in this rotation every year, do a ward, so we can stay on top of it,” Mayor Connie Boyer said.
Morrissey mentioned that when the city last conducted sidewalk inspections 25 years ago, eight neighbors in his area coordinated to pour new sidewalk sections together as improvements. He will bring recommendations back to the council in the fall.
Fourth Street Sidewalk Repairs
In related sidewalk matters, the council approved accepting a $21,112 quote from Drish Construction for sidewalk replacement on Fourth Street between Briggs Avenue and the railroad.
City Engineer Melanie Carlson explained that the repairs are necessary to close out a DOT-funded paving project from several years ago. Sidewalks were damaged after the contractor completed work—primarily from semi-trucks driving over curbs—and DOT requires the repairs before closing the project.
“It is a huge pet peeve of mine that they expect no trucks to run over sidewalks and not crack them,” Carlson said. “But it happens, and if that happens before DOT looks at it, it has to be replaced.”
The city will pay for the repairs, which wouldn’t have been necessary if DOT had inspected before the damage occurred. However, Carlson noted the city needs to close out the DOT project to remain eligible for future DOT funding. She mentions, “I would not be recommending we do it because we have much worse sidewalks than what’s here, but we need to close out this DOT project if we’re ever going to have DOT money again.”
The contractor will be mobilized as soon as possible to complete the work and allow the DOT to conduct their final inspection.
Photo by A.J. Roe.
