Columbia Resident Seeks Sidewalk Repairs

Columbia resident Michelle Adams believes the city needs to focus on fixing the sidewalks. "If I want to go downtown, I have to ride all over the bumpy sidewalks, the cracked sidewalks, the sidewalks with holes, and it can take a toll on my wheelchair as well as my body." 

The sidewalk ends . . .

But Columbia Public Works street engineer Scott Bitterman said the owner of the property surrounding the sidewalk is responsible for upkeep, but Public Works employees are available to help.

This situation is common in cities across Missouri (and the U.S.): Roads are built and maintained by the city, but the adjacent sidewalk is the responsibility of property owner--who usually doesn't even aware of that responsibility.

 And then we wonder why the sidewalk network is incomplete and always in a state of disrepair . . .