Icy City Sidewalks Put Pedestrians In Peril
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There are serious safety concerns about a busy block in the Loop. It's covered in ice.
It looks more like Maggie Daley Skate Park than a sidewalk. It's from snow and ice that wasn't cleared away after the weekend storm.
Folks are dropping by the corner of Washington and Franklin.
"I don't think my new pants or shoes appreciated that," said pedestrian Dan Daley.
They are slipping and sliding too. Time and time again on a thick coat of ice that's formed on the sidewalk from snow that's never been cleared.
"I think it's pretty crappy. I think they could use some salt. It's not very expensive," Daley said.
A man was seen that getting back on his feet after a fall. And others are trying to walk on a solid patch of ground just beside the walkway to keep from tumbling.
When asked if that was the reason she was walking along the side, Jessica Kelley from Logan Square said yes.
"Definitely have seen multiple people slip and I am worried about slipping," said Kelley.
The lot is an undeveloped, fenced off corner of the Loop. Someone made it available to film crews shooting one of the Transformer movies a few years back. But on Tuesday no one has bothered to shovel it clean.
The owner is an LLC known as 300 West Washington, though its identified attorney didn't return calls from CBS 2.
The city of Chicago confirmed the LLC was cited last February for "failure to remove snow and ice from their sidewalk."
City ordinances are pretty clear. You have until 10:00 a.m. to clear an overnight storm and 10:00 p.m. to clear a dayside storm. And the path clear has to be about five feet wide.
But for the moment, the best pedestrians can do is walk gingerly and watch their steps.
"I think it's ridiculous. Something needs to be done about it, people can get seriously hurt," added Kelley.
The city said it will issue a warning to the owners of the property where the sidewalk is located. Any property owner in the city of Chicago can be fined $50 to $500 a day.
The city added that on some occasions it will step in and clear away the ice and snow from a location but they have to have enough complaints first.
Anyone with city sidewalk issue can call 311 to register their complaint.
