I received an email today proposing sidewalks along North Chadwick to help keep children and walkers out of the busy street.

I do a lot of walking all over Bellemeade and have dodged fast moving cars on every street. I would like to see sidewalks everywhere starting with the busiest streets as a safety issue. I have discovered that not everyone agrees with me on this issue. It is indeed an expensive thing to do and would involve property owners agreeing.

There was a proposal from councilman Jon Akerman to put sidewalks along Shelbyville road in Bellemeade. He asked for baking from the city commission but most of them did not agree and he put them in a different part of his district. The university is now in the process of installing sidewalks along their Shelbyville Road section. It would be nice to connect to their sidewalk.

This is a community issue. So what do you think? 

Sidewalks

Like street lights and trees enhance our community, sidewalks on busy streets would do the same, and because N Chadwick is a through street and a county road that attracts more traffic. I have walked my dog for 11 yrs along N Chadwick and have dodged many a car, some driving too fast and others just driving through. I would not of had this problem if I was walking on a sidewalk. Sidewalks also promote more walking and exercise which this country sorely needs. I understand if our city doesn‚t have the money and can live with that but if we did it would be positive addition to our community. 

First, let's separate the two issues.

1:  Sidewalks on Shelbyville Road would be nice, but they come with some issues, mainly the cost. Next, can we be assured that the sidewalks would run all the way from Shelbyhurst to Whipps Mill Road?  Would that not involve three cities, Bellemeade, Louisvile/Metro, and Lyndon?  Are not four houses on Shelbyville Road in Louisville/Metro and the west side of Wood Road to Whipps Mill in Lyndon?   Would they have sidewalks or would we still be walking in the ditch?

2:  As far as sidewalks on North Chadwick, NO!!!!!! 

A sidewalk taking up several feet of my front yard is a terrible idea for a number of reasons.  Number 1 is that I don't want a sidewalk there.  I know there is a right of way there, but I am required to maintain it.  And, I simply don't want to to have to mow and trim around a sidewalk.  Plus, if we start digging around the roots of these trees and changing the drainage, we will create a big problem not to mention the loss of green covered up with that infernal sign of progress (CONCRETE).

The proposal to put in sidewalks apparently came from a resident in response to the growing number of  complaints about the speeding, reckless drivers who endanger the residents, especially the children and seniors and the subsequent request for more speed humps.  I know North Chadwick is a county road and a busy street; that is even more reason to do something about dangerous drivers, not to excuse for their disregard for you and me.

The point here is that if drivers obeyed the speed limit, we might not even be having this discussion.  Why should the residents of Bellemeade have to pay for speed humps or sidewalks because a few arrogant, selfish, dangerous drivers have no respect for the law?  The speed limit is there for a reason - obey the law - obey all of the laws or none of them.  SLOW DOWN THE SPEEDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We don't need sidewalks if we stop the speeders and the people that run the stop signs, which are some of the people that live in this neighbor hood.