Inspired by looking at houses online and getting frustrated when I see a house I like in a neighborhood without sidewalks. H's coworkers are saying it's better NOT to have them, and I am flummoxed. I don't want to walk in the street!
Inspired by looking at houses online and getting frustrated when I see a house I like in a neighborhood without sidewalks. H's coworkers are saying it's better NOT to have them, and I am flummoxed. I don't want to walk in the street!
My street does not have sidewalks and I wish it did. We have to go to the next neighborhood for them (okay so it’s like 1/4 of a mile lol). For walking and bike riding with the boys it’s just easier with sidewalks.
No sidewalks is a marker for affluent for some folks. I personally want to live in a walk-able neighborhood which means sidewalks but also retail/restaurants/services like libraries in walking distance.
Post by CallingAllAngels on Mar 13, 2018 10:32:07 GMT -5
Our neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks on every street, and I would definitely feel better if it did, especially now that my kids are old enough to roam a little more. People drive way too fast or for a residential neighborhood with some blind corners (or they are distracted driving).
I strongly prefer sidewalks. But I'm a mom of 2 young kids and we like to walk. We didn't have sidewalks when we bought our first house, and made sure to have them when we bought our second house.
Post by seeyalater52 on Mar 13, 2018 10:34:17 GMT -5
Our street doesn’t have sidewalks but the main streets in the neighborhood and surrounding do. Coming from the city to the suburbs that was probably the biggest adjustment! I wouldn’t say no to a sidewalk in front of our house but we live on a quiet cul de sac so it’s not really necessary. Plus no required sidewalk shoveling in the winter, which is a bonus! Some walkability was an absolute requirement for us when we bought our house and moved from the city so I definitely understand that concern.
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Mar 13, 2018 10:36:57 GMT -5
My neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks and I like it. The neighborhood I grew up in (small town) doesn't have them. I have also lived in neighborhoods with sidewalks and that was generally fine too. But one big plus living in a snowy climate - not having a sidewalk means you're not responsible for keeping it shovelled and ice-free in the winter. That was actually kind of annoying.
In my city, the places with sidewalks are generally much busier with cars than the neighborhoods without them... So generally quieter. ETA: I've never had an issue with walking in our neighborhood without sidewalks. We go on walks a lot.
It's a safety concern, especially with kids. We're on a street that's become an arterial and there's a portion that does not have sidewalk because it used to be a country road in an area that's now rapidly developing (among the fastest in the nation). To get to their friends' houses the girls have to go down that section. I still worry when they go down there, and they're 12 and 14. I don't even let them walk home from school unless they take a longer route through subdivisions because the street between our house and the school has no sidewalk and very little walkway; there are prickly bushes on one side and a ravine on the other and to be "safe" in any section you have to cross over. The road is hilly with multiple blind spots and people generally drive at least 10-15 over the speed limit. I walked the route 12 years ago when there were far fewer houses and cars and it made me nervous as an adult. They're kids and don't get nervous as easily so I can see plenty of being kids and pushing and shoving even approaching blind spots where there might be cars. Thankfully they're finally widening it and adding sidewalks. A decade in personal injury has made me very cautious because I've seen what can happen.
Sidewalks were really high on our list of things we were looking for in a house. Many times, we didn't even look at it if it didn't have a sidewalk. We don't live in a walkable area as far as getting to businesses, but I wanted my kids to be able to play and go on walks. It also feels friendlier to me.
Post by penguingrrl on Mar 13, 2018 10:39:09 GMT -5
I strongly prefer sidewalks. My mom’s street (where we used to live) didn’t have sidewalks. It was a fairly short dead end, and cars crawl in that street because there are always kids walking, running, biking and scootering in the street. Not ideal but the drivers are generally respectful. Now we’re on a slightly busier street and there are sidewalks and it makes taking my kids biking and walking easier. Both houses are in a walking town, and have heavy foot traffic, which was the most important thing to me. The lack of sidewalks in certain places here is annoying since they would be used.
We live out in the burbs in a subdivision that oddly has sidewalks. I didn’t think about it when we bought but we love it. About 80% of our hood has younger kids and everyone is always out biking and playing. It’s a pain in the winter for snow removal
Post by miniroller on Mar 13, 2018 10:40:35 GMT -5
We don’t have sidewalks in our neighborhood, as we’re just outside the city in a wooded area. However, having just attended our neighborhood board meeting last night: the most complaints sent to board members were re: two new residents who drive faster than the posted speed of 15mph, often on the phone. We have pretty wide streets, but they’re also pretty curvy. I’ve been designated the best mediator on the board (🙄) & am to email new neighbors re: these concerns of new parents & other pedestrians in the neighborhood. SO even though it may be prettier, I’d almost definitely prefer sidewalks so as not to have to deal with reckless drivers.
Post by notsocreepylurker on Mar 13, 2018 10:40:40 GMT -5
Just my opinion but the folks I have run into who don't want sidewalks in their neighborhood are of the mindset of having sidewalks lets "others" into their neighborhood. Perfect example. My best friend lives in a neighborhood with houses from 300K to 2+MM. (Fleetwood for the Houston folks) The big builder even has a house in the neighborhood (on plenty of land). Their subdivision has a pretty major road separating the south from the north parts. The city put in sidewalks on this road for safety reason and so people could walk to the bus, park, BP, etc. People FLIPPED OUT! Worried about their property values. Worried about who could now walk into their neighborhood. The sidewalks weren't even in their neighborhood or streets but rather on the main road outside their subdivision.
I don't care either way. I just bought a house and it has sidewalks but I didn't look for that (or even notice it). With my dad living with me part of the year sidewalks will be nice so I don't have to worry about him walking in the street.
No sidewalks is a marker for affluent for some folks. I personally want to live in a walk-able neighborhood which means sidewalks but also retail/restaurants/services like libraries in walking distance.
In my experience, the people who live in a neighborhood with no sidewalks as a marker of status are also the people who post on NextDoor (or worse, call the cops) every time they see someone “out of place” in the neighborhood.
Per ADA compliance, any neighborhood without sidewalks will eventually have to be retrofit with sidewalks.
Part of my job deals with this, and we had a neighborhood fight having sidewalks put in (they saw it as gentrification). We had to do some creative planning to get that neighborhood ADA compliant, while still honoring their wish to not have sidewalks.
No sidewalks is a marker for affluent for some folks.
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This is interesting, any idea why? We just moved into a more affluent neighborhood that does not have sidewalks but I just assumed it was bc it was older not preferred? The lots are all really big and we have a circle drive, so not having a sidewalk does help with shoveling, but id still prefer one. We do live on a very quiet street across from a park so at least outdoor play isn’t hindered too much.
NM: I see answered above. We are a friendly Iowan neighborhood so I don’t *think* it’s due to snobs (fingers crossed)
We live out in the burbs in a subdivision that oddly has sidewalks. I didn’t think about it when we bought but we love it. About 80% of our hood has younger kids and everyone is always out biking and playing. It’s a pain in the winter for snow removal
Why do you say it's odd? I grew up in a suburb, and all the neighborhoods had sidewalks. It's only where I live now that I've realized some suburban neighborhoods don't have sidewalks.
I understand that shoveling is a pain, but honestly, isn't shoveling a driveway way more of a pain? If we have a driveway of any size, we will probably want to buy a snowblower anyway.
Post by meshaliuknits on Mar 13, 2018 10:52:43 GMT -5
Sidewalks. Lack of sidewalks indicates to me that no one really goes outside and there's nothing within walking distance so everyone drives everywhere. That means this neighborhood is either in the boonies or in a suburb too far from civilization for my non-driving self.
Post by mrs.jacinthe on Mar 13, 2018 10:53:38 GMT -5
For me, it depends. If the neighborhood is isolated from through traffic, I'm ok with no sidewalks, as they're a liability/hazard for homeowners. I grew up in a neighborhood without (and my mom still lives there) and people just walk in the street/step into someone's lawn when the rare car is coming. It is an extremely quiet neighborhood, though (three total blocks). If the neighborhood has through traffic or is larger, I'd prefer sidewalks (and, more specifically, sidewalks with curb grass/landscaping) for sake of safety.
We live out in the burbs in a subdivision that oddly has sidewalks. I didn’t think about it when we bought but we love it. About 80% of our hood has younger kids and everyone is always out biking and playing. It’s a pain in the winter for snow removal
Why do you say it's odd? I grew up in a suburb, and all the neighborhoods had sidewalks. It's only where I live now that I've realized some suburban neighborhoods don't have sidewalks.
I understand that shoveling is a pain, but honestly, isn't shoveling a driveway way more of a pain? If we have a driveway of any size, we will probably want to buy a snowblower anyway.
I just don't get neighborhoods without sidewalks.
For me it wasn't the actual shovelling (I like to shovel) it was more that I had to do it on the city's timeline instead of my own. If I'm not going anywhere for 2 days, I can dig out my driveway whenever I want. But I probably have to shovel my sidewalk reasonably quickly after snow stops.
It also may be the lawyer in me that didn't want someone to fall and hurt themselves outside of my house, but keeping it in a reasonably safe condition meant I felt I was putting out salt way more than I would've liked.
Sidewalks. Lack of sidewalks indicates to me that no one really goes outside and there's nothing within walking distance so everyone drives everywhere. That means this neighborhood is either in the boonies or in a suburb too far from civilization for my non-driving self.
Exactly. And I like sidewalks that are two people wide, not those skinny sidewalks where if you are out walking with someone they basically have to walk behind you in a single file line.
Per ADA compliance, any neighborhood without sidewalks will eventually have to be retrofit with sidewalks.
Part of my job deals with this, and we had a neighborhood fight having sidewalks put in (they saw it as gentrification). We had to do some creative planning to get that neighborhood ADA compliant, while still honoring their wish to not have sidewalks.
Interesting. I didn't think about the ADA compliance. I just assumed no sidewalks = people who just don't like the 'look' of cement going through their lawn. But now that I think about it, my parents house is on a street with no sidewalks though some of the other streets with more foot/car traffic do, and they live in a low-middle class area with older homes so look really probably had nothing to do with it at the time.