POLL: Should Cape St. Claire Road Have Sidewalks?
Sidewalks would make the community more walkable, but at what cost?
Photos
Cape St. Claire Road features some beautiful views along the hilly street to the coast of the northern peninsula. But it's not very walkable. There are no sidewalks.
Just before the Strawberry Festival's parade on Saturday, I parked at Graul's Market. I walked along with the parade, taking the photos you see in the photo gallery. But after the festivities were over, I walked all the way back to Graul's. In doing so, I realized that the Cape community could probably use some sidewalks.
I passed by a few groups of people encountering the same issue of dodging cars, and walking along the sloped lawns. I asked two of these people the same question: "Does this area need sidewalks?" And I got two very distinct answers: "Yes, that would be great," and "Absolutely not."
The difference of opinion seems to stem from a few factors: Maintenance of the sidewalk and cost being the negative factors, and the safety of residents and children being the positive factor.
So what do you think? Let me know in the comments why you voted the way you did.
Voting will end at 8 a.m. Friday morning.
D. Frank Smith
11:29 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
No comments yet. Let's hear the arguments on both sides about whether there should be sidewalks along Cape St. Claire Road.
Tim Mann
8:38 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
If everyone followed the unwritten pedestrian rule of walking facing traffic sidewalks would not be as necessary. My wife and I walk every morning and approximately fifty percent of our fellow walkers are on the "wrong" side of the road.
Anita Merson
9:58 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Is this a trick question? Of course we need sidewalks I tell people who are walking on Cape St Claire Rd and that's where I live to walk inside my yard so they can be somewhat safer
D. Frank Smith
10:05 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Nope, no trick question. It's just that since I'm new to the area, I only noticed it while walking out there myself, and wondered if I was the only one who thought it was a problem.
For Cape residents who have been here a while, have there ever been initiatives to get sidewalks built, and how did that go?
Anita Merson
4:42 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Yes they said its in the works if you can believe that
D. Frank Smith
9:17 am on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Oh, really? Who are "they" anyway? =)
KT
7:45 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Totally need them! It would be so nice to be able to walk safely with my kids, as it is we NEVER walk to the shopping center.
D. Frank Smith
9:16 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Thanks for the vote/comment. The poll ends in a few hours, but I think it's pretty clear what the result is going to be.
rachel perron
9:35 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
The safety and health of our kids and community should be the TOP priority. As it is I think people walk to the center and the beach more often if it was safer to do so. As for walking against traffic as a rule of thumb. It is almost more dangerous to cross the road to do that as it is to ignore it. 25 mph means nothing in the cape and I feel even that is too fast.
Edy and Don Seyfferth
8:27 am on Friday, June 15, 2012
In my opinion, sidewalks are DESPERATELY needed. Our children have no where to learn to ride their bikes or even play. When I was young, we would play on the sidewalks all day. Building little towns for our matchbox cars, hopscotch and just putting our chalk artwork on the sidewalk (to be rinsed off that evening) by mom so we had a clean easel. WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE ROOTS OF OUR CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO PLAY OUTDOORS, without some chronic flying up and down the streets in their REVVED up vehicles