opinion

Povinovinonon

Friday, April 23, 2004

DIY Sidewalk 

The lack of sidewalks in my neighborhood bothers me. The road I live on is the primary pedestrian pathway to the bus stop, the mall, the grocery store, and several other shops and businesses. Every day people walk along the shoulder of the road to get where they're going. This wouldn't be a problem except that the people on my street have the delusion that thier property goes all the way to the asphalt. I personally haven't been yelled at, but a couple of guys who walk down Harrison Road more regularly than I do told my husband that people are constantly telling them to get off the easement.

I think that clearly marked sidewalks could help solve this problem. Of course, getting city council to fund sidewalks in an already tight budget year is a pipe dream. Besides, half the people in the neighborhood would be pro-sidewalk, but the other half would burn down city hall before letting the gub'mint interfere with their property. I don't know which side would win.

So here's my crazy idea for putting in a sidewalk on Harrison Road, or any other similar street: Everyone who walks down the road keeps a bag of gravel by the door. When you leave the house, pick up a handful of gravel and drop it somewhere along your route where a sidewalk ought to be. Nobody would notice a few extra pebbles next to the road, and the gravel would build up so gradually that an honest-to-gosh pathway would appear right under the noses of the anti-sidewalk folks. It's not something you could jog or roller-skate on, but it might be better than nothing.

Discuss

Comments:

Post a Comment