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"THE FINE PRINT"

The musings of Michael Schrader

                      THE IMPORTANCE OF SIDEWALKS
(Published 1994 in the Farmington Press-Leader; posted in toto with Preface and Epilogue 5 July 2001)

PREFACE -- In older parts of cities and towns across the country, sidewalks are commonplace. However, in new developments, sidewalks are considered to be luxuries, and many of these developments do not have any sidewalks. The trend toward eliminating sidewalks started with the suburbanization of America in the 1960s, as the motorcar surpassed public transportation and walking as the primary means of transport. However, sidewalks are still important, and should be standard on every urban street.

      There has been much discussion the past several years concerning handicapped accessibility. While I applaud every renovation being done to bring buildings into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, all the ramps, elevators, and automatic doors in the world will not help if the disabled cannot get to the building.
      In Farmington, for instance, sidewalks are a rare commodity. It is up to the individual property owner to install sidewalks. Even if you install sidewalks, if your neighbors do not, you have accomplished nothing. Lack of sidewalks severely restricts pedestrians, as pedestrians are forced to battle vehicles in the street. As most pedestrians are children, senior citizens, or the handicapped, this lack of sidewalks could be considered discriminatory. On top of all that, it is dangerous.
      I live about three blocks from a park. However, I cannot walk there. Why? No sidewalks. Thus, although I would prefer to improve my health by exercising, and save fuel and not pollute the atmosphere by not driving, I can't. I want to live, and I am not quite ready to risk my life walking the three blocks on a busy road because somebody somewhere decided that there didn't need to be sidewalks. The long term result will be a shortening of my life, not only due to the lack of exercise but also due to the ingestion of extra pollutants.
      In fact, about the only exercise I get besides mowing the lawn is walking down to the end of my gravel road to drop off, and conversely, to pick up, the trash cans. And that exercise comes only once a week.
      It has been proven that a healthy population is good for the economy. First of all, healthy people are more productive than sick people. Second, healthy people have more discretionary money than sick ones, as they don't have to go to the doctor as often. Not only do healthy people have more money to spend, they have more time to spend away from medical facilities. On top of that, add longevity. With people living longer with more time and more money, they are more likely to spend that money buying things, as they have more time to enjoy the things they buy. Thus, health is an economic stimulus, i.e. healthy people make a healthy economy.
      Not only do sidewalks make people healthier by providing a means for exercise, they keep people healthier by preventing pedestrians from being mutilated by motorists.
     Sidewalks not only stimulate the economy by making people healthier. They also provide a more direct marketing tool, exposure. With sidewalks, businesses have a venue for displaying their wares. It is much easier for a business to display itself to pedestrians walking at 2 miles per hour than motorists traveling at 30 in several different ways. First, there's the physical space of the sidewalk itself, which has been used effectively for displays of merchandise. Second, there's the window display, the opportunity for a business to market itself. Window displays are much more effective with leisurely pedestrians than motorists. Finally, there's the display in the store itself. Pedestrians are much more likely to browse than motorists.
      The benefits of sidewalks far outweigh the costs of installation and maintenance. Isn't it time we start making sidewalks mandatory on all new street construction?

Epilogue-- Since 1994, there has begun a re-evaluation of the need for sidewalks, with sidewalks again becoming a standard feature in many new developments across the country.