Atlanta Sidewalk Maintenance (city hall, quality of life, dangerous)

[lorilove]

PEDS, metro Atlanta's pedestrian advocacy organization, has been working for years to encourage the City of Atlanta to replace its dysfunctional sidewalk maintenance program with one that works.

Due to expensive claims paid to injured pedestrians, elected officials are starting to get the point. Let Atlanta City Council know you want accountability and action! Come to a public forum on the City of Atlanta's sidewalk maintenance program:

Tuesday, July 17, 2012
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Old Council Chambers, Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta

[JPD]

What sidewalk maintenance program? Sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner.

[noah]

Originally Posted by lorilove

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Due to expensive claims paid to injured pedestrians, elected officials are starting to get the point. 

Also because the mayor has stated his goals are now quality of life issues now that the city's financials and reserves are in much better shape.

[lorilove]

Originally Posted by JPD

What sidewalk maintenance program? Sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner.

I believe there are enforcement laws including fines that are not enforced

[Nast]

Originally Posted by lorilove

I believe there are enforcement laws including fines that are not enforced

I believe CL did a piece not too long ago (and possibly quoted here in another thread on sidewalk maintenance) that stated that the City tends not to aggressively pursue sidewalk code enforcement because to acknowledge that a dangerous condition exists puts the City at risk of being liable for any possible injury that may occur thereafter. If you injure yourself on my sidewalk and the City can pretend they didn't know a dangerous condition existed, your best recourse would be to come after me, the property owner. If you injure yourself on my sidewalk and there's a public record that shows the City knew about it but I still didn't fix it, you're more likely to go after the deeper pockets.

[K-SawDude]

Can those of you who are able to make this meeting plan to report back to us about what was discussed? This is an issue I'm very passionate about, and the city really should take it more seriously.