Better Maintainance of Pedestrian Roads, Please

In order for any transportation-related discussion to be more accurate, I propose that we try to remember that sidewalks, walkways, etc. are ‘pedestrian roads.’ I believe that this is significantly important, given London, Ontario’s official position of striving to reduce ‘Single Occupancy Vehicle’ travel (SOV), the widely-accepted ‘Transportation Hierarchy’, and my own often-repeated reminder that although driving is only a priviledge, walking is a natural human right (just like breathing, eating, sleeping, self-protection, etc).

Nearly a week after the big snowstorm, but a lot of sidewalks have become hard-packed by winter boots, smooth as a skating rink and as slippery in some places, semi-mountainous in others, and most are still in need of better clearing.

The images below were taken 2007/12/22, a week after the snowstorm and a temp. of +5C. They show the walkway that connects Eagle Crescent with King Edward Ave. Note that the Eagle Cr. entrance is blocked by a snowbank, and that the walkway has not been plowed. The only good thing that can be observed is that someone has shoveled the steps and put some sand on them.

Also taken 2007/12/22, this photo of the sidewalk along Commissioners Rd. E. Plowed, but not well enough, and not sanded; dangerous for many. Observe the fact that the roads are completely bare.

Would the city take so much better care of vehicle roads than it does of pedestrian roads, if it really meant the rhetoric that’s to be found in it’s official documents?

Links:
2007/12/22 – Toronto Star: Small people cast adrift…
2007/12/22 – Toronto Star: Ice-clogged sidewalks …

Tags: city, CLEAR, landscape, maintain, municipal, obstruct, pedestrian, rhetoric, road, rough, slippery, smooth, snow, street, travel, treacherous, urban, walk