• David Tewes •
• Originally published January 19, 2009 at 11:09 p.m., updated January 19, 2009 at 11:09 p.m.

The Victoria City Council is poised Tuesday to spend $325,300 on a project that may never happen.

It will consider awarding a contract for that amount for the design and engineering of the controversial proposed downtown sidewalk project.

"Who spends $325,300 on a project they're not certain they want to move forward with?" Council Member David Hagan asked. "That would be ridiculous."

The proposal would provide the council with a better idea of what can be done and with a more accurate cost estimate, council member Jim Wyatt said.

"It would be very difficult for me to make a decision until I see the design and cost estimates," Wyatt said.

City staff has presented the council with sidewalk improvement options ranging in cost from $2.6 million to $4.5 million. The work would be done in conjunction with a downtown utility replacement project that will result in streets and sidewalks being damaged.

The project would cover a five-block section of Main Street between Commercial and Juan Linn streets. It would also cover sections of Forest, Constitution and Bridge streets surrounding De Leon Plaza.

The contract amount would also pay the consultant, Urban Engineering of Victoria, for overseeing both the bidding process and the sidewalk construction, Lynn Short, the city's public works director, said.

"If we don't move forward with the actual construction, then we don't pay for those services," he said. "All the council has done is authorize the design."

Wyatt said he's heard from people both for and against the sidewalk project, which includes removing the old sidewalks, curbs and gutters and possibly replacing them with colored, textured or grooved sidewalks. Brick pavers could be installed at crosswalks and as accents on sidewalks.

"The basic comments I've heard is we have other streets and other necessities that should come before spending those dollars on sidewalks for downtown," Wyatt said. "On the other hand, I talked to other leaders and they say that it makes good sense while we're tearing up the utilities downtown to do it."

Hagan will vote against awarding the design contract, he said.

"We're in an economic downturn, and it's predicted to get worse," he said. "We shouldn't do any project right now that is not absolutely critical."

Hagan doesn't oppose improving downtown sidewalks, but it's a matter of priority and timing, he said.

• If you go

  The city council meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chamber at 107 W. Juan Linn St.

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