Mayor supports sidewalk repair plan

Complaints about the sorry state of Lawrence’s sidewalks aren’t going unnoticed.

Mayor Boog Highberger said Tuesday he hopes to organize a study session this spring so he and fellow commissioners can discuss how other cities maintain sidewalks and how much a city maintenance program would cost.

“I think some sort of action is long overdue,” he said. “I hope we can work this into our budget discussions this year and see what we can do in the meantime also.”

Since the Journal-World began writing about poor sidewalks earlier this month, a steady stream of residents have called, written or posted comments online to draw attention to problem sidewalks throughout town.

City commissioners may study repair ideas for Lawrence's worst stretches of sidewalk. Jeanie Verner, Lawrence, stepped carefully Tuesday on an uneven sidewalk in the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Street.

James and Lynda Canaday, for example, wrote to describe the huge bumps and cracks they encounter when walking near their home in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Street. The situation poses an extra difficulty, given that the Canadays are blind and get around with help from guide dogs or canes.

“I remember where some of the bad places are, and I know to slow down and point them out with my cane,” said James Canaday, describing how he’s able to get around without falling. “The sidewalks shouldn’t be that bad.”

He said his wife has fallen three or four times in recent years, contributing to her need for knee-replacement surgery in 2002.

Even though Lawrence’s sidewalks are within the city’s right of way, the owners of the adjacent land are responsible for keeping them in good repair. Unlike some nearby cities, such as Overland Park, Lawrence does not have a program in place to fix the worst problems as they arise.

City staffers have been working to build an inventory mapping Lawrence’s sidewalks. The inventory could help prioritize places needing repair, city leaders say.