Jandel Allen-Davis, MD is the President and CEO of Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, a world-renowned rehabilitation hospital that specializes in neurorehabilitation and research for people with spinal cord injury and brain injury. Craig Hospital endorses Denver Deserves Sidewalks, identified as Initiated Ordinance 307 on Denver’s November 8 ballot.
Mahatma Gandhi said: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” As the CEO of Craig Hospital, a world-renowned center for specialty neurorehabilitation and research for people with spinal and brain injuries, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand the courage and resilience of our patients who overcome major emotional and physical challenges. Because our patients show such strength, and most leave our care to live remarkable lives, the term “vulnerable” doesn’t always fit, at least in my mind.
However, for someone who has sustained a spinal or brain injury, performing routine daily activities, such as moving around a neighborhood, is often far from routine because, too often, we design and construct a world that doesn’t consider the needs of people with physical disabilities. It’s not that we’re callous; it’s that unless you have a physical disability yourself, you may not notice how some things make life unnecessarily hard or hazardous for a person, say, using a wheelchair or a walker.
Denver’s sidewalks are a perfect example of our community failing to meet the needs of people with physical disabilities. Forty percent of Denver’s sidewalks are either missing or too narrow, and many more are in serious disrepair, rendering them practically unusable, especially for people with physical disabilities. The sidewalk network that does exist is disconnected and disjointed. Missing and damaged sidewalks make it difficult for everyone to get around safely; for a person with a physical disability, the impact is magnified such that it’s extraordinarily challenging, dangerous, and sometimes not possible to travel in parts of the City. Poor sidewalk infrastructure limits the freedom of people with physical disabilities, preventing them from fully engaging with their community.
Ballot Initiative 307, Denver Deserves Sidewalks, will complete Denver’s sidewalk network in nine years (compared to the current timeline of 400 years), move responsibility for repairs from property owners to the City, and generate a long-term funding stream to build and maintain sidewalks. Initiative 307 will ensure that our sidewalks are accessible and safe for all people, including those with physical disabilities.
All Denverites deserve a fully connected and well-maintained sidewalk network. Sidewalks are an essential building block of a vibrant community: they connect us to our neighbors, parks, schools, and other places we want to go. Living in walkable neighborhoods is associated with higher life expectancies, lower blood pressure, lower heart disease risk, lower diabetes risk, and even increased civic engagement and creativity.
Voting yes on Ballot Initiative 307 is a vote in support of people with physical disabilities, and it’s a vote to make Denver a more connected, vibrant, and equitable community.