Sidewalk to nowhere

To the Editor:

In the Aug. 5 editorial, “Where the sidewalk dilemma should end,” you stated that the easy solution was to follow Alderman Ronald Lade's suggestion. I agree. In fact this is the way any new subdivision should be done and the way the East Towne Estates sidewalks should have been handled in 2001-02. But it wasn't. The Common Council kept deferring the sidewalks and now this debate, problem (whatever you want to call it) has reared its ugly head.

Have you been in our subdivision? Have you looked at the evidence that has been gathered to show you what the sidewalks will look like? Have you talked to the people that live here? Have you calculated the cost to the residents if the sidewalks are put in? (Even with the sidewalks being paid for by the developer.) There is the cost of landscaping, building retaining walls, moving existing plantings, and moving flagpoles.

Your argument that it only takes one tragic accident involving a child walking in the street to prove that the sidewalk is needed is a valid one. It would also be a tragic accident if a car jumped the curve on Eastern Avenue and hit a child on the sidewalk on their way to school. Accidents happen all over in all kinds of circumstances, in all places. Saying that if East Towne Estates does not have sidewalks a tragic accident will occur, this you cannot predict. And the child will have been walking on the road from East Towne to Eastern Avenue because the sidewalk will have ended at East Towne Estates. East Towne Estates will have sidewalks going nowhere.

The Common Council is elected by the people to serve the people and represent their ideas and wishes. Not the council's. We meet exceptions in the city's regulations. We do not want sidewalks. Adhere to our wishes.

Thank you.
Jan Kinas, resident,
East Towne Estates