At the Dec. 5 Town Council meeting Town Manager Grady Miller and Public Works Director Justin Weldy provided council with an update on plans to replace the gate on Technology Drive at Saguaro Boulevard with a permanent structure.

Weldy showed the plan to end Technology Drive at Saguaro with a bull-nose and curb with a drainage gutter leading to Saguaro Boulevard. A concrete block wall would be constructed about three feet high that stretches the width of the street in an arc.

Decomposed granite would replace the removed asphalt.

Along Saguaro Boulevard staff provided two options. One would include a six-foot sidewalk all the way across with two sidewalk ramps along with a connection to a sidewalk along the west side of Technology.

The second option would extend the sidewalk only a short distance past the connection to the Technology walkway and include one crossing ramp.

Weldy said cost estimates for the two options were $25,000 for the second choice with abbreviated sidewalk, and $31,000 for the sidewalk all the way across.

Mayor Linda Kavanagh said she would prefer a landscaped area in lieu of the solid wall. She compared it to the street closure on Stancrest Drive at Hampstead Drive.

Other council members suggested they should just leave the gate for the time being, make no improvements and save the money. It was noted that the purpose to install the permanent closure was to keep a promise to residents in the area and resolve the issue over whether to remove the gate and open the street from coming back again and again.

Miller said they would research the cost of installing landscaping over the wall and get back to the council. It has been placed on the council agenda for Dec. 19, No vote was taken on the issue.