Sidewalks To Expand
On Tuesday, El Paso City Council voted to expand the width of sidewalks from four to five feet.
“I’m one of those people, i’ve got a walker so I need a little extra room on the sidewalk,” said Lisa Turner. Other residents expressed concerns about cracks and debris.
Sidewalks may not interest everyone, but city council is listening to those with concerns.
“City Council has taken a real interest in walkability and if you want walkability, you have to have street trees,” Mathew McElroy, Deputy Director for the City’s Planning & Economic Development Department. “You can’t plant street tress under our old standards because it’ll pop the sidewalks.”
City Council also voted to mandate a 5-foot wide parkway. That’s the area between the curb and the sidewalk. But not everybody likes the idea.
“We’ve not had a problem in the city where you play chicken as you’re walking toward each other,” Ray Adauto, Vice President for the El Paso Builders Association said. “Sidewalks have been wide enough that you give way or you step aside or whatever.”
Adauto adds wider sidewalks are an unnecessary cost.
“You’re adding additional costs. You’re adding another foot of concrete. You’re adding another foot of preparing,” Adauto said. “You’re taking another foot away from the lot.”
But city officials said safety and shade are worth the cost.
“It immediately provides more separation between automobile traffic and pedestrians,” McElory said. “You need to do street trees next or people still aren’t going to get out and walk at the numbers you want because it’s not a comfortable walk when there’s no shade anywhere.”
