Why do some paved sidewalks abruptly end in south Sacramento?
SACRAMENTO — Parents in one south Sacramento neighborhood say students face a dangerous walk to school, but there could soon be a multi-million dollar fix.
Pedestrian deaths were at an all-time high in California's capital city last year, and now there's a new push to make streets safer by building more sidewalks.
Walking to campus can be a challenge for students at Florin High School.
"It can be a little jarring to have to stop and walk around," said Matt Robinson with the Sacramento County Department of Transportation.
Several paved sidewalks near the school end abruptly with these white barricades. That forces anyone on foot to walk in the dirt or along a narrow shoulder of the roadway with cars driving by.
Karla Rosales' son is among those who walk this dangerous path.
"The kids are having to go around and sometimes, the traffic is fast," Rosales said.
So why are there missing segments in south Sacramento sidewalks? We reached out to the county transportation department for answers.
"Construction in this area didn't happen all at once," Robinson said. "Some areas were built out, so now we're just playing catch-up with what should have been done originally to these areas."
Pedestrian advocates say it's important for kids to have safe routes to school, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
"There's always going to be students who walk because they have to and not necessarily because they want to, and they have no choice but to navigate those areas that are missing sidewalks," said Jordan Grimaldi, director of the Civic Threads Safe Routes to School.
Sacramento County has approved spending more than $2 million to fix the sidewalk gaps along this stretch of Cottonwood Lane and four other streets in the neighborhood.
"It's going to be a lot safer for the students that walk this area and just for the general public," Robinson said.
Parents and neighbors support the plan.
"I'm glad that it's getting taken care of," Rosales said.
The county will have to purchase segments of some private property to complete the project. Groundbreaking is scheduled to take place next year.
