The Brundidge City Council held a public involvement meeting at City Hall on Tuesday to give citizens an opportunity for input into a proposed sidewalk project.

The city is making application to the Department of Transportation for a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, and the public involvement meeting was a part of the grant process.

Britt Thomas, city manager, said the sidewalk project has been on the city’s backburner for a couple of years and the pre-engineering work was done at that time for the proposed sidewalk on S.A. Graham Boulevard.

Thomas said the cap on the TAP FY2013 grant would allow the city to construct sidewalks along S.A. Graham Blvd. and also on Galloway Road.

“The estimated total cost of the project would be $430,847,” Thomas said. “The TAP grant requires an 80-20 match with 80 percent in federal funds and the city paying 20 percent of the cost. The grant would require $344,678 in federal funds and $86,169 in local monies.”

Thomas said the city’s match would be paid from gas tax funds, which are monies restricted for such projects and are readily available.

Thomas said the sidewalk project would extend the sidewalks on the north side of S.A. Graham Boulevard to the Chevron station on U.S. Highway 231 and construct sidewalks on the Community Cemetery side of Galloway Road, over the hill and past Windmill Drive. A crosswalk at that point would join the two sides of the road.

“There is no guarantee that the city will receive the grant,” Thomas said. “But based on the criteria, I think that we have a strong application.”

Thomas said pedestrian traffic is heavy and risky along both roadways.

“The TAP grant would make it possible for the city to provide a safe route for pedestrians on both of those roadways,” he said.

The TAP grant application is due on Friday. Thomas said that it could be early fall before the grants are awarded.

Council members Betty Baxter and Margaret Ross and Mayor Jimmy Ramage attended the public involvement meeting. No public opposition to or support of the project was expressed by those in attendance.