Sidewalks

The neighborhood I grew up in did not have any sidewalks in it.  There were houses and roads.  There was not much connection to your neighbors unless you saw them working in the yard or when they were leaving in their cars.   I never really had a problem with not having sidewalks.  It was all I knew and I survived.  Several years ago the area where I grew up received some sort of federal grant and started putting in sidewalks all over the place.  At first it seemed like a huge waste of money to me.  Even some of the residents of the area grumbled when parts of their yard were torn up to put these sidewalks in.   Now, most of the sidewalks have been put in.  There are two locations in this area that are now in my running rotation.  Both of these areas now have sidewalks.  I would have never thought of running in these areas if there were not sidewalks.  These roads are heavily traveled even though it is a residential area.

 As I have been running through these areas I see people walking their dogs and some walking with strollers.  I see people walking to the grocery store.  I see people talking to their neighbors.  I was truly amazed at how such a simple concept that was common in our neighborhoods for so long, and then shunned, I guess due to cars, and then brought back.  People are rediscovering the value of just going for a walk.  The current neighborhood I live in does not have sidewalks.  It is not a heavily traveled street.  Occasionally you see people walking along the side of the street but nowhere near what you see in these areas that now have sidewalks.   Here’s hoping that more of these sidewalks are put in.