About a dozen West York residents and elected officials turned out for a Wednesday night meeting to listen to and return feedback on a streetscape plan to improve the borough.

Most of those who spoke during the meeting at Reliance Fire Co. said they like the brick-lined sidewalks and sidewalk bump-outs that are planned for parts of the borough.

Resident Patti Brenneman said she's a fan of the bronze bulldog statue that could stand guard on a corner of Highland Avenue and West Market Street.

"My favorite thing so far is the bulldog," she said of the statue of the local school district's mascot. "That is definitely spot-on for West York Borough. West Yorkers love their bulldogs."

Also in the works for the intersection - known locally as the square - are bump-out sidewalks at the corners and planters and benches on the bump-outs, said Jennifer Line, architect designer with Murphy & Dittenhafer.

Line showcased those improvements and others during a PowerPoint presentation.

Square work: Additional bump-out sidewalks are planned for at the York Expo Center gate on West Market, the intersections of Pearl and West Market streets and Adams and West Market streets, Line said.

One man said he has concerns about the bump-outs at Adams and Pearl streets because both side streets are narrow.

Alternatively, the bump-outs could only be placed on West Market Street at both intersections, Line said, adding the bump-outs would make the area more walker-friendly.

North Highland Avenue could also be reconfigured from straight and left and right turn lanes to a left turn lane and a straight/right turn lane, said Tom Austin, transportation planner with TRG.

That would make the square more walker-friendly, he said.

Other possible improvements include angled parking on South Highland Avenue, new sidewalks and bricked pedestrian street crossings and the addition of trees along streets.

The brick-lined sidewalks would run the borough line near Richland Avenue to Adams Streets.

Next step: Line will incorporate feedback she received during the meeting into the final plans that will then be presented to the borough council.

Construction will start sometime after the plans are approved and the project goes out for bids.

But not all the aspects talked about Wednesday night will be constructed right away.

With $200,000 set aside to implement the plan, council members will have to decide which aspects they wants to see brought to fruition first, Line said.

Welcome signs: For the most part, drivers don't know when they enter West York from York City or West Manchester Township, Line said.

The plan calls for "Welcome" signs to be installed along North Highland Avenue and West Market Street at the borough line.

"It'll be great to get to a welcoming point that says 'Welcome to West York,'" Line said.

Another aspect that could be incorporated in the final plan would be a bike lane on West Market Street. The street was a designated a bike route by the state.

However, Brenneman said heavy tractor-trailer traffic on the street could be too dangerous for bicyclists.

"I don't think Market Street is the street for it," she said.

Mayor Sam Firestone said tractor-trailers could also be problematic for the bump-outs at Highland Avenue and West Market Street.

But over all, Firestone said he likes the plan.

"I love the concept," he said. "I think it's going to be beautiful."

- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.