Bellevue City Council members Monday approved the city’s first major construction contract under the new Neighborhood Sidewalk Program.

The contract for construction of a sidewalk on 128th Avenue Southeast between Southeast 25th Street to Southeast 32nd Street is expected to provide an important connection between the Woodridge neighborhood and the Factoria area.

The project also will provide a safer school walking route to Woodridge Elementary School.

Dennis R. Craig Construction, Inc., which submitted the low bid for the project, is expected to begin construction late this spring or early summer once the relocation of utility poles is complete.

The Neighborhood Sidewalk Program was established last year to respond to neighborhood priorities for sidewalks that exceed the financial capacity of other city programs. Last July, the Council allocated $3 million to the program for three projects.

Besides the 128th Avenue project, the Council approved projects on Southeast 26th Street between 168th Avenue Southeast and West Lake Sammamish Parkway, and on Somerset Avenue Southeast between Somerset Boulevard Southeast and Somerset Place Southeast.