Jackson, MO, improves trail & sidewalk system

A SEMissourian article details Jackson, Missouri's efforts to improve its sidewalk and trail system:

Property owners allowed the sidewalks in front of their homes to crumble and disappear over time. The city didn't require or encourage developers to build sidewalks. Developers and homeowners declined to build sidewalks in many neighborhoods.

As a result, the sidewalk pattern in Jackson is patchy and unpredictable. In the span of one block that does have sidewalks, the concrete path may start and stop several times with grass in between. In many cases, including streets near the city park, joggers, walkers and baby strollers have effectively been forced into the street.