Sidewalks not necessary in entire borough

We hear what rationale other than expense can we claim for requesting an exemption to installing a sidewalk on our property on Williamson Avenue. In addition to the expense, the character of our area is different from being located in town. We are not located near any stores, nor are we located near the schools. We are three houses from the township line. The house directly across from us does not have to have a sidewalk because they are located in the township. The Post Office considers us a rural route by having our address as Williamson Road and not Williamson Avenue. Seldomly does anyone walk out our way. Considering the rural character of our neighborhood, we feel that sidewalks are not necessary.

Safety is not even an issue out our way because if curbs aren't going to slow down drivers, neither will sidewalks. We can say this from experience, as our curbs did not slow down a speeder who ended up in our front yard, wiping out our mailboxes and hitting the telephone pole.

We told Borough Council we were saddened that they considered spending $5,000 to $15,000 to do a sidewalk study. It is a waste of taxpayer's money, but it appears as though Borough Council may be going ahead with the study.

In our own study in August and September in the developments off of Williamson Avenue, we observed 37 out of 44 people walking on the road where sidewalks were available. My husband also estimated about 80 percent in these same developments were walking on the road and not on the sidewalks on Trick-or-Treat night. Sidewalks our way is wasted money. Sidewalks are bare most of the time, just taking up space, and nothing but a fashion statement.

Safety does not appear to be that great of an issue in town when it comes to skateboarders. Since Old Home Week, we know of two separate incidents involving skateboarders. A man was almost knocked down by four skateboarders when he was coming out from a business on the square, and one man actually got knocked down by a skateboarder near the square and suffered a black eye because of it. If this type of thing can't be controlled in town, how can it be controlled out our way?

Sidewalks are very necessary in town, but they are not necessary in the entire borough.

Nancy and Dale Layton

Greencastle