The Seward City Council is looking into possible ways in ensure the crosswalk by Memorial Hospital remains safe.
At its April 21 meeting, Roger Reamer, the CEO of Memorial Health Care Systems, spoke to the council about upgrading the crosswalk signs and moving the crossing area that leads from the hospital’s west parking lot to the building.
He said the hospital hired a firm to conduct a study on foot and car traffic on the crosswalk and on Columbia Avenue.
The study found that around 70-80 people and 400 cars pass the area on Monday mornings alone, according to Reamer.
“If you ever go down there, it’s kind of a ‘chicken crossing the road’ type of thing,” Reamer said. “I think it’s very unsafe.”
Reamer added the hospital would be willing to fund the new signage and move the crosswalk to the south. He also said the hospital will install a fence around its west parking lot, with an opening to encourage pedestrians to use the crosswalk.
Councilmember Barb Pike also mentioned improving the street lights in the area to increase visibility on the crosswalk, especially at night.
The council decided to have the departments involved meet with the hospital to create a proposal that the council can approve or modify at a later date.
Also during the meeting, Jen Olds, a representative from the Southeast Nebraska Development District, spoke to the council about the Nebraska affordable housing program’s down payment assistance funding.
Olds said Seward is entering into an application to partner with the Seward County Housing Corporation.
Olds added that SENDD and the SCHC assisted 17 families with home ownership in the 2012 program, and leveraged more than $1 million in first mortgages for residents in Seward.
The council authorized Mayor Josh Eickmeier to apply for NAHP funds.
Additionally, the council approved a final plat for Web 4th Addition and its voluntary annexation
Web Development is building a subdivision north of Star Street. This has added to some concerns about increasing flooding to the area, but Public Facilities/Capital Improvements and GIS Director John Hughes said that is a separate issue.
Hughes said the city is working with the school to alleviate the flooding from the west of Star Street, and they have slowed the water. Web also has drainage plans in place for the new subdivision to limit flooding from the north.
No one spoke for or against the subdivision during the public hearing portion of its consideration.
