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Where the sidewalks end
By VAL CLIFTON
This story is the final of a three-part series addressing transportation options in Northwest Harris County.
While a team of women are working to have sidewalks installed to connect their Northwest subdivisions, not everybody would agree that their plan is a wise idea.
Cypress residents Kim Mori and Jennifer Armentrout, President and founder of Sustainable Living, are contacting local homeowners associations to gain their approval to move seek an arrangement with the county to have sidewalks installed along major thoroughfares so that residents can travel safely between neighborhoods.
But Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said while the county partners with groups interested in pursuing joint participation agreements, many people are often opposed to the added access routes.
“A lot of people don’t want them because they don’t want people who aren’t from their subdivision walking along the sidewalks,” Radack said.
The commissioner listed crime as a number one factor for the adversarial consensus toward sidewalks.
In the 77429, Coles Crossing’s zip code, there are 850 people who are on probation or are out on bond. He said, as county commissioner, he doesn’t want to invite children and teenagers to walk along the sidewalks where there is such a high concentration of offenders.
“These are the people who have been charged or convicted and this doesn’t include the parolees,” Radack said.
Radack said in patrolled areas, such as Memorial Park and along Bray’s Bayou, there is greater usage and more commuters take advantage of them.
“Most of the time, you’re not going to see people walking along major thoroughfares to commute,” Radack said. “They are going to be used by very few people.”
The county has participated in several situations for small sections that allow children better access to their school, he said.
“We don’t want to build a sidewalk and have a bunch of kids walking along a major thoroughfare,” said Radack. “Normally people accept what we say on sidewalks. I assure you the last time I want to do is every time I build a road, have 3 miles of sidewalks that no one uses.”
While a team of women are working to have sidewalks installed to connect their Northwest subdivisions, not everybody would agree that their plan is a wise idea.
Cypress residents Kim Mori and Jennifer Armentrout, President and founder of Sustainable Living, are contacting local homeowners associations to gain their approval to move seek an arrangement with the county to have sidewalks installed along major thoroughfares so that residents can travel safely between neighborhoods.
But Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said while the county partners with groups interested in pursuing joint participation agreements, many people are often opposed to the added access routes.
“A lot of people don’t want them because they don’t want people who aren’t from their subdivision walking along the sidewalks,” Radack said.
The commissioner listed crime as a number one factor for the adversarial consensus toward sidewalks.
In the 77429, Coles Crossing’s zip code, there are 850 people who are on probation or are out on bond. He said, as county commissioner, he doesn’t want to invite children and teenagers to walk along the sidewalks where there is such a high concentration of offenders.
“These are the people who have been charged or convicted and this doesn’t include the parolees,” Radack said.
Radack said in patrolled areas, such as Memorial Park and along Bray’s Bayou, there is greater usage and more commuters take advantage of them.
“Most of the time, you’re not going to see people walking along major thoroughfares to commute,” Radack said. “They are going to be used by very few people.”
The county has participated in several situations for small sections that allow children better access to their school, he said.
“We don’t want to build a sidewalk and have a bunch of kids walking along a major thoroughfare,” said Radack. “Normally people accept what we say on sidewalks. I assure you the last time I want to do is every time I build a road, have 3 miles of sidewalks that no one uses.”
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