A Serious Look at Austin's Sidewalk System (2014, neighborhoods)

[Devout Urbanist]

A new article in The Chronicle explains the origins of Austin's sidewalk grid and how planners and residents are trying to improve it.

Where the Sidewalks End: Austin's patchwork sidewalk system has a history and just maybe a better future - News - The Austin Chronicle

Here's an interesting quote on the problem with recent "mixed-use" developments:

There's a different problem in large-scale developments like the Triangle or the Domain: Residents and visitors may walk around easily within their confines, but doing something as simple as crossing neighboring streets may still be impossible. Austin becomes a chain of islands of walkability, with oceans of dirt trails and dangerous multi-lane asphalt between them. Eastman described that as a "legacy" of the old system, and it explains why "there is a substantial part of our built environment where there are no sidewalks, or there are only sidewalks on one side of the street."

[gpurcell]

Pretty hard to take the article all that seriously when he suggests Hyde Park has a "good" sidewalk system!

[Devout Urbanist]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

Pretty hard to take the article all that seriously when he suggests Hyde Park has a "good" sidewalk system!

Are you referring to this:

That's why the 19th century core of Down*town has a good system, and why older planned communities like Hyde Park have a connected grid.

I don't think the author is saying Hyde Park has a "good system." I think the author is saying it has more connectivity (a more expansive network of sidewalks) than recent planned communities due to its origins as a streetcar suburb.

[gpurcell]

Right, but the actual fact is that Hyde Park's sidewalks are terrible. There are a few decent main ones but just walking up and down Avenues its often better to simply walk in the road.

[Devout Urbanist]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

Right, but the actual fact is that Hyde Park's sidewalks are terrible. There are a few decent main ones but just walking up and down Avenues its often better to simply walk in the road.

Yes, you are absolutely correct. Hyde Park's sidewalks have not been well maintained and are often too small or patchy. But I think your comment highlights the depth of Austin's sidewalk problem, not necessarily a problem with the article. If Hyde Park is the 9th most walkable neighborhood in the city, the city has a long way to go.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Devout Urbanist

A new article in The Chronicle explains the origins of Austin's sidewalk grid and how planners and residents are trying to improve it.

Where the Sidewalks End: Austin's patchwork sidewalk system has a history and just maybe a better future - News - The Austin Chronicle

Here's an interesting quote on the problem with recent "mixed-use" developments:

The article contradicts itself a bit:

" That's why the 19th century core of Down*town has a good system, and why older planned communities like Hyde Park have a connected grid."

But _many_ roads in Hyde Park don't have sidewalks.

Edit: Oops, beaten to the punchline.

[TexasHorseLady]

Lord, how did we all ever survive without sidewalks (impervious cover) everywhere! We actually had to touch the GROUND with our FEET! How unnatural! And yet still we walked places. And raised families. And survived. And even managed not to walk in the street while doing so.

[Devout Urbanist]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Lord, how did we all ever survive without sidewalks (impervious cover) everywhere! We actually had to touch the GROUND with our FEET! How unnatural! And yet still we walked places. And raised families. And survived. And even managed not to walk in the street while doing so.

The article doesn't suggest that people can't "survive without sidewalks." Obviously, people survived in the past without all sorts of things (cars, for instance). The point is that sidewalks represent a technological improvement. They increase public safety, especially, as the article points out, for the disabled. It is not safe to walk in the street in many Austin neighborhoods.

[Atxroads]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Lord, how did we all ever survive without sidewalks (impervious cover) everywhere! We actually had to touch the GROUND with our FEET! How unnatural! And yet still we walked places. And raised families. And survived. And even managed not to walk in the street while doing so.

Should we get off your lawn too?

Jeebus.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Lord, how did we all ever survive without sidewalks (impervious cover) everywhere! We actually had to touch the GROUND with our FEET! How unnatural! And yet still we walked places. And raised families. And survived. And even managed not to walk in the street while doing so.

That's a possibility if the RoW (even if unpaved) is accessible. And doesn't have a bunch of cactuses planted in it. And doesn't have a bunch of parked cars in the driveway blocking it (admittedly also a problem sometimes with sidewalks).