Walkability for Everyone
As your Council member, I will continue my work toward creating sidewalk-repair and snow-shoveling programs to increase safe sidewalks everywhere in Cleveland Heights.
Currently, many of our city’s sidewalks are damaged. Cracks, holes, and uneven sections create trip hazards and make it difficult to walk easily or to navigate wheelchairs or strollers. In addition, many property owners don’t or are unable to shovel their sidewalks promptly after each snow. The result of both of these is that walking on our sidewalks can be just as dangerous as walking in the street.
I have been working with the Transportation and Environmental Sustainability Committee (TESC) to develop a sidewalk repair program. With this, each year the City would assess sidewalks within a section of Cleveland Heights and identify all the sidewalk sections that need repair. The City would then partner with a bulk concrete contractor to repair the sidewalks for less cost per section than individuals could get. Property owners would then be billed, and they can pay it directly or have the cost added to their property tax assessment. In addition, any sections in which the damage is caused by a City-owned tree-lawn tree, the City would cover part of the cost.
The sidewalk-repair initiative evolved from models similar to Lyndhurst and Shaker Heights, where the City negotiates bulk concrete rates for citizens who have been cited for damaged sidewalks. The initiative evolved because the directors of Public Works and Housing and Building Departments stated that the City does not have the capacity at this time to take on a project this large. Lyndhurst reimburses property owners up to 50% of the cost of repairing the sidewalk if the cited damage is caused by City-owned trees pushing the sidewalk panels up high enough to create a trip hazard.
Currently, the Municipal Services and Environmental Sustainability committee is discussing legislation that would provide reimbursement for property owners if the City’s trees are creating the trip hazard. Funding and staffing are a concern as we look at these code enforcement violations. The MSES committee hopes to collaborate with the Public Works and Housing and Building Departments to ensure the reimbursement program is created by well-written, enforceable legislation.
Although a program to remove snow from sidewalks has proven to be complicated, I continue to speak with neighborhood groups to coordinate pilot programs to clear sidewalks blocked by snow so residents do not need to walk in the street to arrive at their destinations. I am also currently working with church and citizen groups to brainstorm ways to bring the community together to pair people who need help shoveling with volunteers to help them shovel their sidewalks after it snows.
With these changes, we will make our sidewalks safer and more pleasant to traverse—whether you’re walking, using a wheelchair, or pushing a stroller. Walkability must always prioritize safe walking for EVERYONE.
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