Right next to the Ministry of Silly Walks....
Now we need a federal program to build sidewalks.
Not a city program; not a call to the mayor.
Maybe we can have an entire federal department, the Department of Sidewalks, to handle the matter.
Right next to the Ministry of Silly Walks....
What we need is local planning boards that don't sell out to contractors by using variances that create high density neighborhoods which devolve into cesspools.
“Now we need a federal program to build sidewalks”
Look up “Safe Routes to School”...just one of many ways federal funds are used to build sidewalks.
Wake up, where have you been. The feds have been funding sidewalk improvement projects for years.
There are already federal programs for Pedestrian and Bicycle access projects.
As a former City and County Engineer I was involved in compiling plans and studies to show “gaps” in sidewalks. This was part of the American with Disabilities Act.
The Transportation Secretary is comparing apples to oranges. A city or county is required to upgrade all sidewalks to current standards if any federal money is involved. But federal money can only be used on any functionally classified road, i.e., arterials and collectors, which in other words is typically the busiest roads and streets in the community. Residential neighborhood roads do not qualify. The only way to re-classify a road or street is through engineering analysis that must be approved by the State and Federal agency.
It is really up to the local community whether to have design standards that require all new development to install sidewalks, but the key word there is NEW. No consideration is given to older neighborhoods that don’t have sidewalks, again because of the road classification. The only way that I know how for an agency to rebuild road ands streets to new standards is if the neighborhood forms a Local Improvement District whereby they agree to raise their own property taxes to pay for the improvements. This LIS cost can be shared equally or apportioned based upon road frontage and the homeowner has 12 years to pay it off on their annual property tax bill.