Sidewalk upgrades may soon be coming to Hamlet. The town is once again accepting applications from residents interested in taking part in this year’s 50/50 sidewalk replacement program.
Meanwhile, Hamlet also continues to explore the possibility of extending the Starke Street sidewalk north from Plymouth Street to the trailer park and gas station. During Wednesday’s town council meeting, town officials noted the area gets a lot of foot traffic, even though people currently have to walk in the street or on the grass. Council member Brian Earnest suggested that the town start looking into costs.
Hamlet is also considering road repairs there, possibly with a Community Crossings grant. While sidewalk work is not eligible for Community Crossings funds, Hamlet officials note that could change in the future and they want to be ready. For now, they plan to speak with Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase about potentially upgrading a culvert, to accommodate the proposed sidewalk.
Also during Wednesday’s meeting, council members began planning for the next phase of Hamlet’s downtown revitalization effort. This year, the town plans to install decorative streetlights on the west side of Starke Street between Pearl and Davis. That’s in front of the town hall and across the street from the first phase, which was completed last year.
