Sidewalk Bandits Make Off With the Pedestrian Right-of-Way
What happened to the sidewalk? That’s what Steve Patterson at Urban Review STL has been wondering when venturing around his hometown of St. Louis.
Private businesses are depositing sandwich boards, awning supports, and other items on the sidewalks, encroaching on space that should be clear for walking. Patterson is especially aware of these problems; since suffering a stroke about four years ago, he has relied on a wheelchair to get around St. Louis. It’s always interesting to read his observations:
When I first passed Copia, above, on Wednesday three people were conversing just outside the door, blocking my only path. One moved the sign as I started to hit it and he said “sorry,” apologizing for the sign blocking the sidewalk. A half an hour later I come back through and the sign is placed in the same location. The supports for the awning also reduce the width. So does the planter in the background.
Block after block our sidewalks are effectively reduced to single file. Not exactly friendly or what was envisioned when the sidewalks were widened at significant public expense some years ago.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Biking in LA shares ideas for putting an end to Los Angeles’s egregious hit-and-run problem. Beyond DC explains how “bike bays” help cyclists to make left turns safely. And the Urbanophile issues a call to put some extra effort into improving your city.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
