NORWICH — A study exploring whether to extend sidewalks along Beaver Meadow Road another half-mile outside of the village is winding down, with transportation officials expecting concrete answers later this fall.

Wednesday marks the final chance for residents to fill out a survey about the road, a popular running spot near Huntley Meadows.

The results, town officials say, will be used to determine whether Norwich should invest in a roughly half-mile system of sidewalks or turn to other forms of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure upgrades.

Neighbors, who have long worried about speeding on the residential road, have their fingers crossed that the survey will spur the Selectboard to action.

Beaver Meadow Road is posted at 25 mph but few drivers abide by that limit, according to resident Peter Orner. At the same time, he said, more people seem to be taking up running and getting outside because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The problem is that cars are not slowing down and I think it’s a serious safety concern,” said Orner, a member of the Beaver Meadow Working Group, which is made up of community members advocating for a sidewalk.

Beaver Meadow Road also connects to Route 132 in Sharon, meaning truck traffic sometimes uses it to travel between the Upper Valley towns, he said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Figures from the Vermont Agency of Transportation show that about 1,805 vehicles travel the road on a given day.

“The road is not just for cars,” Orner said, adding he frequently sees cyclists, families walking with strollers and roller skiers out on the street.

Residents last year petitioned the town for a scoping study to explore costs and the feasibility of a sidewalk.

And using a grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Norwich hired Bedford, N.H.,-based firm DuBois & King.

Engineers last month mapped out hurdles to a possible sidewalk, including fences, fire hydrants and steep slopes that could make construction difficult.

If a sidewalk were to be built, they expect it would run northwest along Beaver Meadow Road from Huntley Street to Moore Lane, connecting to existing sidewalks that form what’s known to runners as “the loop.” Sidewalks already flank the first quarter-mile of Beaver Meadow Road as well as nearby Turnpike Road.

Initial survey results released in mid-September show that the majority of Norwich residents support such an idea.

More than 68% of the 356 people who responded by Sept. 16 said they want to see a sidewalk built on the road, while nearly 15% said they oppose construction.

Only 12.3% of the respondents lived directly on Beaver Meadow Road, while almost half said they “use it often” and a quarter “live within a short distance.”

Norwich Town Manager Herb Durfee said Tuesday that DuBois & King will use the final tallies in its report, which is expected by early November. The Selectboard needs rough cost estimates to determine whether to seek grant funding and plan for future spending as part of its upcoming budget process, he said.

While there is support for a sidewalk, some people say the price tag could be a deal-breaker.

Ann Marie Smith, who lived on Beaver Meadow Road in the 1990s, inquired about sidewalks at the time and thinks they would ultimately benefit the public.

However, “I don’t think right now is the time for that sort of infrastructure funding,” Smith, who now lives on Carpenter Street, said via phone.

“I think the next year could be difficult for a lot of people and it’s not the time to be trying to fund a project like that,” she said. “If we don’t do it now, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.”

Orner said he understands people’s reluctance to spend money on new road projects, especially during the current economic climate. But, he said, state grant money may be available to help reduce costs and the return on investing in walkability and safety may be worth the upfront price.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” he said of discussions in town. “I feel like we’re listening to each other and talking about this.”

People can find the sidewalk survey at tinyurl.com/beavermeadowsidewalk. Comments can also be directed to engineers at beavermeadowsidewalk@dubois-king.com or Durfee at Hdurfee@norwich.vt.us.

Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.