South Seton sidewalk renovations to begin

Sarah Harrington

(5/23) Work on the South Seton sidewalks in Emmitsburg is set to begin in June.

The construction will be focusing on the area from just below the Square to the town office. Improvements will be made to the entrances in that area, including FEMA and the Daughters of Charity facilities such as the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton.

The town wants to get the sidewalks redone to be in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The act prohibits the discrimination toward individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and Governmental activities. By making the sidewalk revision, the town is making themselves more accessible to all. The renovations have limits due to the Square renovations that will begin in 2017. Due to these limits, sidewalk renovations will begin just past the Square.

Jerry Muir, the town’s zoning tech, said the renovations are expected to be quick. There is no set date yet for when work on the sidewalks will begin, but Muir reports that the contractors working on the project estimate that the work will only take two weeks.

These kinds of repairs will be happening in Thurmont as well, also as part of their sidewalk projects. Both towns are hoping to improve their sidewalks and entrances, allowing them to meet the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Once work on South Seton Avenue sidewalks is complete, workers will focus on similar renovations to North Seton Avenue. These renovations will reach further than the South Seton Avenue renovations. The crew will work on the area from around the Square down to the bridge just past FEMA. No date for these renovations has been scheduled and the details of the renovations are still in the works.

As of now, the renovations to South Seton Avenue will begin within the month of June, but no specific date has been nailed down at this time.