Leader of effort that got Denver Deserves Sidewalks on the ballot says she's seen 'overwhelming response'
It's now up to Denver voters to decide if sidewalk repairs should be the city's responsibility or that of the property owner adjacent to the sidewalk. The group behind "Denver Deserves Sidewalks" turned in thousands of signatures to get the initiative on the ballot this November.
If passed, it would add a small new property tax and it would mean sidewalks would be repaired more like roads.
Right now, it's not known by everyone that property owners are responsible for any needed sidewalk repairs. And the enforcement is largely based on complaints. That has led to numerous instances of sidewalks that are damaged to the point that they are dangerous to walk on.
"This is basic public infrastructure. We should be publicly funding it and it's ridiculous we haven't up until now," said Jill Locantore, director of the Denver Streets Partnership.
Locantore's group spent months knocking on doors and talking to people all over the Mile High City.
"And the response was really overwhelmingly positive," she said.
Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure says after their previous sidewalk repair program was put on hold, they are "taking a new approach to repairing hazardous sidewalks in the city, tying them to other concrete repairs planned on an annual basis to maximize efficiency and use of general fund dollars."
Now Denver residents will decide whether to stay that course or try something new.
City officials say if the Denver Deserves Sidewalks initiative does not pass, their goal will be to continue with DOTI's new approach and to ramp up to an annual appropriation for sidewalk repair in the $6 to $10 million range.
