Step on a crack brake your mothers back, is not a wives tail, in this city anyway.
The sidewalks, curbs, slabs, gratings, entry ways, sewer inlets, water shut-off area– all dangerous. 7th Avenue from one end to the other is a Hodge-Podged patchwork of pot holes, cracks, heaves, separations and years of hot patching the sides.
No disabled person(s) should attempt to walk the deadly 1/2 mile without significant risk to body and limb. Forget high heals, walkers or any other ambulatory device unless it’s a 4 wheel drive wheel chair or military vehicle.
The City refuses to fix this because of the cost. The cost NOT to fix it is even greater. I thought when all the City government managers, workers, staff, crews got all their multi-million dollar buildings, toys, cars, tools they would get to it, not.
Scott Duddeck, Public Works Manager is aware of this, and is trying his best to wrangle the City to get off the dime, get with it, but no mention of it anywhere in the City run local newspaper or website.
Having spoken with Mr. Duddeck, I was assured he would jump on it if the funds were there (paraphrase).
Just keep kicking the football down the road COUNCIL…pun intended.
I smell a lawsuit coming, don’t you? A half million for repairs or one broken neck? You decide–you might wind up with both.
The cost should be SHARED by all of the residents, not just the businesses. This is necessary, but not the time to beat up he building owners/business people completely.
This is something I am willing to pay for through higher taxes or bond interest.
-Culper717
Sharing sidewalk repairs across a municipality sounds like a (gasp) liberal plot. Sidewalks on the property of a landowner are the responsibility of the landowner. Actually, there is a worse sidewalk problem around NSP. Decades ago shade trees were planted in neighborhoods on very narrow boulevards between street and sidewalk. Throughout the city can be seen large numbers of sidewalk slabs heaved by tree roots anywhere from ¼ inch to three inches, creating a lot worse condition for tripping. Repair of every one of those heaved slabs is the responsibility of the home owner. I had been noticing a strange phenomenon lately that I believe is related. All around my Casey Lake neighborhood are sidewalks, yet nearly all the walkers and runners are using the street. From all appearances, the sidewalks have become hazards and homeowners are liable.
Property owners should not be off the hook for sidewalk repairs but the city could possibly organize an economical organized approach to assessments, permits, repairs and inspections. What of the future after a repair? The trees are still growing. What of a mature tree that goes down and takes its sidewalk with it? We all love our trees but everything needs to be cared for.