Quote:
Originally Posted by hulkrogan
How about we start with the simple stuff, like actually putting sidewalks in along 10th avenue?
I find it embarassing that right in the core of our city you have to result to walking along mud trails to get anywhere.
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Couldn't agree more. Did a lot of work in 2011 and 2012, including a presentation to Council members using 10th avenue and other corridors as a case study for the sorry state of some pedestrian infrastructure around downtown. Went through some pains to secure about a million dollars to fix the very worst of them. So in 2012 we had a program that put in at least a passable standard of sidewalk where they were completely missing (such as 10th between 1st and 2nd st SW). So at least most of the mud trails are now gone. These sidewalks will be further upgraded as part of corridor projects. One or two stretches may be left, but those are locations where redevelopment projects are imminent.
We also changed policy related to pedestrian infrastructure - scrapping the ongoing pedestrian overpass program. It got $5 million annually while places like Downtown and Beltline (Centre City) where people walk a lot got nothing. That money mostly got transferred to Centre City, which is funding projects like the 1st street SW and 8th Street SW underpass projects this year. In 8th's case the first phase of the overall corridor upgrade. Between 1st and 8th the underpasses carry about 20,000 pedestrians a day, while many over the overpasses carry 100-150 per day. The policy change was "redirecting pedestrian infrastructure investment to places of high use and high potential"
That's not to say we won't build overpasses where needed, they just don't have an automatic $5 million annually. They will be part of normal prioritization of transportation projects.