Utica Ave - Sidewalks?

[PonderInc]

With all the work on Utica Ave (currently between 36th and 41) are we going to get any sidewalks out of the deal?

I've always been shocked that Utica doesn't have sidewalks and bike lanes.  It's beautiful, but it's not safe to walk in the street (cars go too fast, and the rolling hills and curves limit visibility).  Stretches of Utica are plenty wide enough for bikes, but I never felt safe riding on it, b/c cars whipped around curves so fast...and didn't seem to consider the possibility that a cyclist might be there.  (I always felt much safer riding on Peoria!)

I've watched old ladies and people with strollers attempt to walk to Utica Square...either trekking across grass, or walking in the street.  Crazy!

[Kenosha]

Cascia Hall has agreed (via PUD) to build a sidewalk...I know that for sure.  I wouldn't count  on the rest of those people on Utica to voluntarily offer their yards for them however.

[BierGarten]

What are they doing on Utica between 36th and 41st anyway?  New water main?

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by BierGarten

What are they doing on Utica between 36th and 41st anyway?  New water main?

Yes

[PonderInc]

I was hoping that as long as they had everything torn up, and were going to be pouring concrete...

[BierGarten]

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

Cascia Hall has agreed (via PUD) to build a sidewalk...I know that for sure.  I wouldn't count  on the rest of those people on Utica to voluntarily offer their yards for them however.

I am not sure how large the right of way is on Utica, but I am guessing it is large enough to cover plenty of area next to the road, meaning landowners would have no say regarding a sidwalk in "their yards".

[PonderInc]

It always ticked me off when I lived on Cincinnati to watch S. Maple Ridge homeowners tear out sections of sidewalk and then PLANT TREES exactly where the sidewalk should be.  I think their argument was that "it's OK b/c it's not a continuous sidewalk."  I bet it USED to be continuous...until, one by one, people started tearing them out.  Utica, in my lifetime, never had one.  But I agree that there's plenty of room!

[SXSW]

It always ticked me off when I lived on Cincinnati to watch S. Maple Ridge homeowners tear out sections of sidewalk and then PLANT TREES exactly where the sidewalk should be.  I think their argument was that "it's OK b/c it's not a continuous sidewalk."  I bet it USED to be continuous...until, one by one, people started tearing them out.  Utica, in my lifetime, never had one.  But I agree that there's plenty of room!

I've been biking down Utica frequently lately and wish it had bike lanes.  It wouldn't be difficult to do.  Sidewalks would be nice too and would be used often.

[nathanm]

I think their argument was that "it's OK b/c it's not a continuous sidewalk."  I bet it USED to be continuous...until, one by one, people started tearing them out.  Utica, in my lifetime, never had one.  But I agree that there's plenty of room!

There's a lot of that in my neighborhood. Very few of the north-south streets have continuous sidewalks at this point, but it's plainly obvious where the sidewalk used to be. None of the east-west streets have them, because when the neighborhood was built everyone rode the trolley and walked either north or south from it.