Danville is proactive on sidewalk repairs

Published 12:13 pm Thursday, May 4, 2017

Dear Editor,

Does anyone like it when taxes are raised? No. But in today’s trying economic times, tax increases are inevitable.

The proposed $544,000 budget for sidewalk improvements, both downtown and throughout the city, are needed to maintain safe modes of transportation for those members of our community who walk.

$484,000 of the proposed sidewalk improvement funding, in conjunction with a nearly $1 million grant the city applied for, will be used to renovate sidewalks downtown.

According to the grant application: “from 2013 to 2016, there were 30 ‘sidewalk fall’ incidents in downtown Danville…” resulting in over $51,000 in settlement claims. Both the number of sidewalk falls and resulting settlement claims will continue to rise if improvements aren’t made.

However, thanks to the City’s proactive actions of seeking grant monies to improve the sidewalks, we, the citizens of Danville, will be able to walk downtown without worrying about our safety on the sidewalks.

Nick Wade

Executive Director, Heart of Danville