Bellevue Council has ordered that no more work be done on the Glaser Avenue project after the majority of property owners refused to grant the easements necessary to construct sidewalks along the street.

The lack of easements is just the latest in a series of problems that has plagued the project since a Safe Routes to School grant was obtained a number of years ago. The grant, at the time it was awarded, was expected to pay for part of the cost of building a sidewalk along one side of the street used by students walking to Northgate High School. Officials quickly discovered that they could not use public money to do work on the privately-owned portion of Glaser, and that it would cost substantially more to accept and reconstruct the roadway.

Officials say that they have been unable to obtain easements from eight of the 12 property owners along Glaser. Although the borough could exercise its powers of eminent domain to condemn the needed land, that process is both lengthy and expensive, involving court action and payment to the property owners.

Council voted unanimously at its work session Tuesday to spend no more money on the project, and leave the decision on the project -- along with its cost -- up to the Northgate School Board.