Reactionary

I e-mailed my local paper a letter on the quality of a major city walkway. It’s always snowy throughout the winter and no one ever does a damn thing about it, even if the many peds who use it are forced to walk on a foot of ice. I don’t see the point in peds having to consider buying snowshoes, so I decided to say something about it. I was almost late for work today because it took me 15 minutes longer to walk in because of the stupid snow some lazy idiot isn’t cleaning up. Even if nothing’s done, I’ve done my part.

Who is in charge of Walnut Street bridge, the stretch of road that links Center City with University City? Apparenty no one, because as hundreds of people walk across that bridge every day, they pass shoveled walks with a few exceptions in Center City, but between the Rosenbluth building and the University of Pennsylvania… tundra. It has a greater resemblance to 18th century Finland than a modern metropolis (no offense to the 18th century, Finland, or 18th century Fins). It’s ridiculous.

People on their way to school or work must struggle through feet of snow because no one has taken the responsibility to shovel it off. Yet the road itself manages to get plowed, as if drivers (already warm in their cars) are suddenly that much more important than pedestrians.

So who’s in charge? Someone has to be. Someone always is, even in the sections where there are no storefronts. If no one cares about the health and livelihood of their fellow Philadelphians, I understand. But at least someone has to do it in the name of the potential lawsuits, since suing everyone for everything’s so common in this country.

I’m not looking to sue anyone. I just want pedestrians (who in this case tend to be Penn students and health care workers) given the same respect shown drivers and get that ice and snow out before it becomes a glacier. No one should should risk damage to life and limb because someone has refused to put hand to shovel.

Posted on January 24th, 2005 under General •  Print •  Email • RSS 2.0 feed • Both comments and pings are currently closed