Can it be safe and comfortable for people to walk on local streets?
The committee agreed that while they felt comfortable walking on most local streets they did not feel it was always appropriate for children or the elderly. A committee member commented “we are all young and able, someday we won’t be”. They acknowledged that if 40% of the City’s population was under 15 and over 65, there was a large number of people that would benefit from sidewalks. Can trails be a substitute for sidewalks? People with baby buggies, in a wheelchair, or simply walking, benefit from the smooth surfaces sidewalks provide in all weather. Trails must be properly constructed and well maintained to provide a surface condition comparable to sidewalks. If a pathway is not maintained by someone it will lose its existence. The City cannot afford to maintain trails on all local streets, and maintenance agreements with individual property owners would be problematic. A committee member observed “a trail may be in the best interest of a property owner right now, but it may not be i
