Jaime Lewis is a Transit Advisor for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC), the premier organization in Colorado advocating for disability rights. CCDC endorses Denver Deserves Sidewalks, identified as Initiated Ordinance 307 on Denver’s November 8 ballot.
I like studying history. It gives me perspective on how things have developed and how we have arrived at the diverse culture and working conditions of our city. I have the privilege of living two blocks away from the City of Denver’s main library so researching is a treat.
A few years ago, I wanted to see the functionality and look of streets in the 20th century. As I reviewed photos and clippings with careful hand, I noticed that the proportion of streets and sidewalks were different than they are today.
The sidewalks were wide and inviting while the streets were narrow and they required traffic, whether horse driven carriage or car, to acknowledge each other as they passed each other because of how narrow the street was.
Of course, the city has grown since then and the car is the dominant form of transportation. However, people are realizing that the simple sidewalk is the foundation for mobility of its citizens.
New City designs encourage development that includes basic needs for a homeowner or renter. For example, within 10-15 blocks it is helpful that a neighborhood has access to groceries, schools, recreation and health facilities. This new neighborhood design will help reduce the number of cars needing to travel because most people can traverse 10 blocks whether they are walking or using a micro mobility device. Walking this distance promotes health, mental health and provides people an opportunity to interact with their neighbors.
Some cities recognized this dynamic sooner than Denver. Cities like Ithaca, New York, and Englewood, Colorado, realized that sidewalks were a key to their city’s success. They both realized that the old way of funding sidewalks was too onerous on the property owners. In the past, they used an ordinance that required property owners to repair sidewalks surrounding their property. That meant if the city deemed that the sidewalk outside your home was in disrepair, the property owner would be notified that they needed to repair, at the property owner’s expense, within a short period of time.
These cities designed a new method to create revenue to repair sidewalks. A similar method will be on your ballot in November.
Sidewalks deteriorate over time due to weather, usage and tree growth. Sidewalks that have been laid in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s are in dire need of repair. Currently, Denver residents are on the hook to repair their sidewalks that can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on average.
This November, Denver residents have a chance to vote on a ballot issue that will return the responsibility of repair to the City. A nominal monthly fee, based on the square footage of your sidewalk, will be assessed to the property owner. You could refer to it as an insurance policy. Instead of having to pay out thousands of dollars unexpectedly, your sidewalk will be repaired or replaced by the City of Denver.
This is an opportunity for our community to support each other. Not only do good sidewalks increase your property valuation, but they will also be adding to the quality of life for children, older adults, and people with disabilities. Our disability community is one of the most mobile groups in our community. However, without good sidewalks they are left with few options to enjoy our neighborhoods.
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition has had a proud history of supporting measures to provide equitable and accessible transportation to everyone. We support this measure and hope you do your due diligence to research this matter before voting.
Please consider these thoughts as you prepare to vote for Denver Deserves Sidewalks, number 307 on your ballot. For more information please use this link. denversidewalks.com