Sidewalks Are Focus After Tragic Accident

Tragedy struck this week when a child was hit by a car and killed on Indianapolis' southwest side.  The 10-year-old girl was walking in the street in an area with no sidewalks.

Connectivity is a word you often hear Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard emphasize.  His plan to invest $350 million in Indy’s transportation network includes building and repairing sidewalks, but deciding where they go with limiting funding is challenging.

Kim Irwin, executive director of Health By Design, reminds residents and businesses that it is their responsibility to shovel existing sidewalks and to be aware that people do travel by foot, sometimes in the street. 

One important step the city has taken is adopting the Complete Streets ordinance. 

"The policy ensures that everytime the city of Indianapolis is touching a road to improve it, reconstruct it, repave it, that they are taking every opportunity to make it more accessible," says Irwin.

The enactment outlines best construction practices for making Indy more liveable with the safety and health of residents in mind.