Everyone knows that there’s a problem with road maintenance.
Everyone knows that there’s a problem with road maintenance. Municipal and county budgets are overwhelmed by the costs of necessary repairs, and not enough ever gets done. The Pedestrian Safety Work Group of Santa Cruz County says that the same problem is prevalent on the county’s sidewalks. The situation is so bad, says Veronica Elsea, chair of the group, that disabled people, especially people in wheelchairs, can no longer use some sidewalks, and it even makes it difficult for children walking to schools. But, she adds, everyone is at risk, especially these days, when pedestrians will often be texting or chatting on the phone and not paying attention to the bumps along the road—er, sidewalk.
Elsea says that the problem can be attributed to many factors, not least of which is budget constraints. On the other hand, Karena Pushnik of the Regional Transportation Commission points out that sidewalk repairs are most often the responsibility of property owners whose property borders the sidewalk. Most people don’t know this. Additionally, authorities are lax in pointing out problems to property owners, and when they do, they suddenly find that repairs can run into thousands of dollars. In the City of Santa Cruz, even after all those hurdles have been overcome, the property owner still requires a permit to make the repairs, and that can run into several hundred more dollars.
The Pedestrian Safety Work Group’s report contains several proposals that it believes would alleviate at least some of the burden. It calls for taking an inventory of sidewalks, especially in unincorporated areas; reducing the fees for repair permits; and making public financing available. Until these steps are taken, they say, pedestrians will have a bumpy walk ahead of them. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
