By Rich Pollack
The cracks are back along Highland Beach’s 3.5 miles of walking paths, and town leaders say something needs to be done soon before someone gets hurt.
The Town Commission, in its December meeting, agreed to explore the cost of putting a 1-inch asphalt coating along the entire walking path, rather than spending a budgeted $75,000 to do patchwork repair in the most hazardous spots. The town also will be exploring the cost and feasibility of removing tree roots that have created hazardous conditions on the path.
“The 1-inch overlay of asphalt would fill in the holes and cracks in the walk path and appear like a brand-new walk path on the surface,” Public Works Director Jack Lee wrote in a memo to Town Manager Kathleen Weiser. “It would mitigate the chances of someone tripping on the walk path.”
A contractor already doing work in Highland Beach estimated the cost of the overlay to be about $125,000.
Town commissioners agreed that any work done to the path now would be only a temporary fix until the town can move ahead with a complete overhaul of the path. That extensive repair, which could include landscaping and other beautification efforts, is estimated to cost anywhere from $400,000 to $1 million. No timetable has been set for the overhaul, which is part of the town’s long-range capital plan.
“The one-inch overlay is a nice Band-Aid that adds a safety element to the walk path,” Weiser said. Ú
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