Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In our neighborhood, streets are used by a lot more than just cars. People walk on them, push strollers, walk their dogs. People jog, ride their bicycles. Parents and children walk or bike from their houses to neighbors homes. We have block parties for major holidays (Halloween, 4th of July, etc.).
I personally wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood where this was frowned upon or discouraged. For me, it would kill the sense of community that I find so important.
Side walks, side walks, side walks! Developers have pushed people into the streets for fun activities because they are too cheap to make a real investment in community. Side walks, Side walks, Side walks!
<<^Why wouldn't a kid have access to a park or ymca?>>
ALT-X, as a Raleigh Police Officer, surely you serve in areas where perhaps the park, if there is one, is a place where kids aren't necessarily safe. I happen to be a letter carrier in a small city in the northeast and let me tell you, just today I walked by a park on the route and witnessed at least three illegal activities...and the kids in that area play out in the street by their moms' houses. Sadly, they are surely safer there. And the Y is way downtown.
Thankfully, my own kids have access to a yard and a playground (at their nearby school, we do not live in the city I work in). But it's naive to think that all kids do. Even some nicer areas do not have good access to these types of places.
Side walks, side walks, side walks! Developers have pushed people into the streets for fun activities because they are too cheap to make a real investment in community. Side walks, Side walks, Side walks!
Interesting spin.
I thought people bought homes in neighborhoods without sidewalks without duress.
I think a contract signed under duress can be contested and difficult to enforce if duress is proved. Well, the topic is probably something for legal counsel.
Also, on a 60 foot lot, that 4 foot wide sidewalk will likely add $1500-$1800 to the price of a home.
One more effort on City-data today to price entry-level buyers further out of the market.
Children should not play in the streets for all the reasons stated. I grew up in a city neighborhood with small lots. We played on the lawns and were not allowed in the streets. Usually, my parents and other neighbors were sitting on front porches. When I had children and lived in the suburbs the rules didn't change. Most of the neighbors followed the same policy. Neigborhood residents usually drive slow and watch out for children, but I've noticed workmen, delivery people and others do not.
We were also taught not to jaywalk and to cross with lights. In Portland jaywalking seems to be legal and a high school kid was hit last year. There's a reason for the lights.
ALT-X: I agree with your posts. However, I've always been taught that a pedestrian or runner should travel against traffic, but a biker should travel with traffic.
Last edited by tigerlily; 03-30-2007 at 07:03 PM..
Side walks, side walks, side walks! Developers have pushed people into the streets for fun activities because they are too cheap to make a real investment in community. Side walks, Side walks, Side walks!
Not always...our subdivison has sidewalks....it was one thing I wanted because I think it encourages a neighborhood feeling.
But why have them I guess....shove the kids in traffic and be done with it. I just don't get it. (General vent, not directed at you personally.....this thread is very depressing.)
Side walks, side walks, side walks! Developers have pushed people into the streets for fun activities because they are too cheap to make a real investment in community. Side walks, Side walks, Side walks!
OK for walking, not so good for bikes. Of course, we live outside the city limits - no curbs or drains in our neighborhood. We would probably would need both of them before side walks could be added. We are lucky that this really hasn't been an issue in our neighborhood, as we don't have enough traffic to make the lack of side walks a problem. I could see side walks being more important in an urban environment with heavier traffic, though.
IMO, the lack of side walks aren't really a result of developers being too cheap - its that people who buy homes don't want to pay the additional cost for them. Developers will include those things that help homes sell. Home buyers don't seem to be willing to spend the extra money to buy a home in a neighborhood with side walks vs. one without, so developers don't include the feature.
I don't get the 'people don't want to pay for them' or 'developers are too cheap' - I live in a relatively inexpensive neighborhood, and we have sidewalks. I bought my house for $185K a year ago - 8 years ago they sold new for around $140K. As I was driving into town today (thinking of this discussion) I noticed that all the neighborhoods have sidewalks. Maybe once one subdivision does it, all the surrounding ones do?
Now I did notice in some parts of Cary there were no sidewalks. The streets were fairly narrow, with plenty of cars parked on them. Frankly I didn't want to buy in a neighborhood with no sidewalks because I don't want to have to walk my dogs in the street.
One thing for sure after reading this whole thing - I need to rethink my desire to buy on a culdesac. I didn't really consider the "children playing" part, and I should have. Not that I mind children playing in general - but I don't want to have to navigate an obstacle course to get to my driveway.
Guess I really do need to find that piece of land and have a house built!
OK for walking, not so good for bikes. Of course, we live outside the city limits - no curbs or drains in our neighborhood. We would probably would need both of them before side walks could be added. We are lucky that this really hasn't been an issue in our neighborhood, as we don't have enough traffic to make the lack of side walks a problem. I could see side walks being more important in an urban environment with heavier traffic, though.
IMO, the lack of side walks aren't really a result of developers being too cheap - its that people who buy homes don't want to pay the additional cost for them. Developers will include those things that help homes sell. Home buyers don't seem to be willing to spend the extra money to buy a home in a neighborhood with side walks vs. one without, so developers don't include the feature.
Good point about the buyer not spending the extra cash for sidewalks. I obviously am a true supporters of sidewalks on BOTH sides of the street. Of course sidewalks w/ curbs and drains. I thought ADA required curbs on sidewalks... but maybe that is specific to urban areas or maybe it's just a Portland thing.
And yes if you do have curbs sidewalks are excellent for biking for kids, roller skating, etc.
I've never lived in a subdivision in my life. I went from living in the country to living in urban areas so I don't have direct subdivision experience. For me sidewalks are like front porches... it's a way to build community. It's a place to bring people together... not just kids either. It also makes alternative transportation (walking, biking for kids) alot easier. But maybe you can have the same since of community in a sd w/out sidewalks.
Portland has been always rated as one of the countries "most walkable" and "bikeable" cities, in part to the sidewalks. Now I'm NOT saying Raleigh should be like Portland. But what I'm saying is that you can get a sense of community and a place for the kids to play that everyone is talking about with sidewalks. On top of that it gets people out of there cars and gets them exercising.
And if sidewalks all add another 2K to a homes price then thats like $2.00 more a month on a 30 year mortgage. Come on... count out one Starbucks Latte and you can make that payment. Cable cost how much more but we feel we have to have a box that cuts us off from our neighbors that cost us 50-100 bucks a month and we wont' shell out $2 for a sense of community??
Ok... enough with my rant. I really should just shut upand look for a house ITB shouldn't I.
Ok... enough with my rant. I really should just shut upand look for a house ITB shouldn't I.
LOL...I am with you on sidewalks...but ya, ITB or even a smaller downtown areas (Wake Forest for example has some great homes in the historic area...all with sidewalks.).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Children vs streets
