A sidewalk to nowhere
I often use Hurlburt Field Road on my way to and from the Daily News, so I'm very familiar with the ongoing Okaloosa County construction work on the road.
Of late, I've been very interested in the recently opened west stretch, where Hurlburt Field Road meets Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The roadwork looks nice, but of particular interest is the brand new sidewalk that runs along both portions of the new western stretch. It's like a sidewalk to nowhere. It runs along the south side of the new stretch, then crosses Hurlburt Field Road at the intersection with MLK and runs back down the north side of the new stretch.
On my daily drive to work, I've yet to see a single person using that stretch of new sidewalk. Which has led me to wonder: If this new stretch of generally unused sidewalk hadn't been built, would the county then have the $137,000 to build the badly needed sidewalks for the children who attend Ocean City Elementary School?
Go take a look and tell me what you think.
posted by Patrick Rice @ 3:48 PM
7 Comments
7 Comments:
Well, as someone who used to work somewhat with FDOT, I know that many roadways are now designed with sidewalks already planned as part of the project.
It's much easier to build them now, when the road is new and pedestrian traffic is light, than returning 20 years later and slapping your forehead and saying "Why didn't we think of that then?"
It's not an excuse for the poor conditions of Ocean City sidewalks, but if road planners had used similar foresight decades ago, it wouldn't be an issue now.
Pat, you have to realize that when you are discussing road/sidewalk building you are discussing work that comes under the Public Works Department. That department is "managed" by the totally incompetent Daniel Slaterpryce. Until Okaloosa County gets a knowledgeable engineer running that department we will continue to see problems throughout Okaloosa County.
Well, my husband and I use that sidewalk daily, actually, and we love it! The sidewalk's not finished yet, by the way (they poured some more concrete just yesterday), and the whole thing still needs to be swept of debris. Perhaps when it's truly complete it will be used more.
That said, we have walked that stretch many, many times when there was no sidewalk and sweated every minute of it. Pretty narrow path there. And I won't say always, but I will say usually, there were other pedestrians along that stretch.
That said, Ocean City Elementary deserves a sidewalk, too.
It goes right along with the new multimillion dollar sidewalk along across from OWC in Niceville... since it runs downhill atop a lake it required 'support' (much more concrete) and is topped with a guard rail... it's been under construction for at least six months maybe longer... I see just as many people on it as I see crossing hwy98 on the new condo overpass... zero...
Some of you just don't seem to get it.
Just because YOU don't see people using the sidewalks doesn't mean people aren't.
You guys usually pass these sidewalks during rush hour or on your way to work, right? That's not when most people take walks, jogs, or ride their bikes.
I haven't seen much, but I've seen a few pedestrians on Hurlburt road, and it's not even finished yet, I don't expect anyone to be using it when all the hazardous road work equipment is around. Wait 'till its finished. I also see much more on the newly built sidewalks near the OWC-Niceville campus, mainly moms walking with their strollers and bicyclists.
There should be sidewalks on every road in a two-mile radius of a school or densely populated area. This isn't rocket science! It's not our jobs to scream at them to do something when the problem has BEEN here for quite sometime. It's only going to take one little kid to get killed until something gets done, just like at Pryor Middle School and at other schools.
Pat, you need to do your research. The Hurlburt sidewalk was built with Federal dollars as was the never used pedestrian overpass on Hwy 98 at Hurlburt. Kids in Shalimar walk through lawns on 12th Ave on their way to Shalimar Elementary. This is a non-problem that all of your liberal fanning will not change.
YOU need to do your research!...
"This is a non-problem"?
Tell that to that little girl that died when walking on the edge of the road next Pryor Middle School, which is next door to Ocean Sh**ty (sorry, had to say it).
These kids shouldn't have to walk on private property to get to school. If this doesn't get done, I will personally start a petition and I WILL get sidewalks paved.
And just in case your wondering, I'm a republican conservative.
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