Sunday, February 07, 2010
Christiansburg's search for sidewalks
Christian Trejbal
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- Tough times ahead for schools
From the RoundTable blog
I walk to Christiansburg Town Council meetings when I can. It burns calories instead of fossil fuels and clears my head before hours of sleep-inducing zoning discussions.
It is also risky because much of my route lacks sidewalks.
That's true of pretty much any route in town. A few busy streets have sidewalks, but they are often disconnected from each other, forcing pedestrians on and off the road. Side streets are worse. In residential areas, walkers and runners must compete with vehicles for space.
So on Tuesday, I slogged through the slush on the streets to hear council members discuss what they were going to do about the sidewalk shortage.
At least three councilmen agreed the town needs to be more pedestrian friendly. Henry Showalter, who brought the issue up in the first place, Brad Stipes and Mike Barber all supported mandatory sidewalks in new residential developments. Barber called the lack of sidewalks "the number one complaint you hear from citizens."
For a glorious moment, in front of citizens and two dozen Boy Scouts, it appeared council might act on the simple premise that citizens should be able to travel on foot in Christiansburg.
Then Mayor Richard Ballengee waded into the discusison.
He urged his colleagues to punt to the planning commission, which could come back with some ideas in three months -- conveniently after the next election. Council fell in line.
Granted, Christiansburg rarely rushes into anything, but this is not a complicated issue. Council easily could have directed the town manager to draft an ordinance with the requirement.
A sad trend has emerged with this council under this mayor. Anything that smacks of progress in a town whose motto is "Progressive, small-town living at its best" disappears into a committee or, worse, is just postponed for future discussion at some indeterminate time that might never arrive.
At the same meeting, for example, council demurred on open space requirements, handing that issue to the planning commission, too.
The mayor worried that mandatory sidewalks would increase the cost of new homes.
Of course it would. Many things increase the costs of homes -- sewers, running water, electricity. That doesn't mean you don't install them.
Sidewalks provide value. They increase livability in the community, which in turn increases the desirability. They connect neighbors.
"We've lost a lot of our cohesiveness because we're not interconnected," Councilman Stipes said.
There are health benefits, too. Doctors recommend people of all ages exercise more to combat the nation's obesity addiction. Just a half hour of vigorous walking four or five times a week helps tremendously.
Christiansburg knows this. It is building a temple to fitness. The aquatic center will attract top-caliber athletes for swim meets and provide a place for citizens to swim for health and fun. It will be an athletic jewel, but swimmers will have to drive to get there.
It has no pedestrian access.
The sidewalk on Franklin Street is on the other side of the road with neither crosswalk nor light to provide safe passage across five lanes of 45 mph traffic. An accident is almost inevitable if the pools become a popular after-school hangout for Christiansburg High School students.
Nor is there a safe route for foot traffic coming from the back side of the center. Depot Street lacks sidewalks nearby. Walkers must take to the street in an area where blind curves conceal them from drivers almost until it is too late.
Even the new town-built Mill Lane next to the center has no sidewalks. So much for leading by example.
There are some glimmers of hope for walkers and runners. The Huckleberry Trail extension is under way. That could provide a spine for future interconnected system of sidewalks and trails.
The town also applied for a $112,000 grant to fund some infill sidewalks. It was disqualified on a technicality this year, but its application will be strong next year.
At least council has started the conversation. In three months, it might even do something about it.
Maybe next they can talk about some bike lanes.
