MOUNT VERNON — Driving down Coshocton Avenue and along residential streets, you can tell by the footprints that many people use sidewalks as their way to get around.
The footprints belong to students, mail carriers, and delivery drivers. Some belong to people headed to and from work or the grocery store.
However, walking is treacherous when snow and ice accumulate on the sidewalk. Many of these folks resort to walking in the street because of the lack of snow removal on the sidewalks.
Following Winter Storm Fern, many Good Samaritans turned out to plow or shovel their neighbors’ driveways and sidewalks. Social media abounded with heartwarming offers to help.
Unfortunately, one has only to drive down a street to see that many remain uncleared two weeks after the storm. Additionally, access to and from crosswalks is blocked by snow piles created by road crews and companies plowing private lots.
As Mount Vernon Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers noted, responsibility for clearing sidewalks rests with property owners and private entities.
“But how does Mount Vernon enforce the sidewalk ordinance on 12,000 people?” Mobility Manager Joe Porter asked.
Additionally, many elderly residents and those with medical conditions are physically unable to clear their sidewalks. Often, they don’t know where to turn or who to call for help.
Creating an adopt-a-sidewalk program modeled after the adopt-a-highway program might be a solution.
What if a Scout troop cleared the sidewalks on Coshocton Avenue between Vernedale and Vernonview Drive? Another group could sign up to clear from Vernonview to Lowe’s.
Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that shortly after a significant snowfall, Coshocton Avenue sidewalks would be pedestrian-friendly?
Significant could be defined as 3 inches, similar to the levels posted on snow emergency streets when owners must remove their vehicles to allow street crews to work.
‘A really good thing’
Porter said adopt-a-sidewalk was “an awesome idea” and plans to contact his mobility management counterparts throughout the state to learn about similar programs.
“Even if nobody has anything like that out there, let’s talk more about it. I could see that being a really good thing,” he said.
Porter said the program could be tailored similarly to Centerburg’s Serve the Burg program, where it’s a fun, enjoyable outing for kids and adults instead of a chore.
“I think that’s the approach that we need to take: Turning what is definitely a negative and not trying to solve it in a hardcore manner, but find a way of turning it around as a positive.”
Salyers said the city would absolutely be open to an adopt-a-sidewalk volunteer program.
“While the recent storm was extraordinary, we aim to avoid implementing sweeping procedural or policy changes in response to infrequent events,” he said.
“That said, community support and neighbor helping neighbor are core values in Mount Vernon. We strongly encourage residents and organizations to assist those in need, particularly the elderly, disabled, sick, or others who may struggle with snow removal.”
Salyers said that if community groups or volunteers want to coordinate formalized efforts, such as an “adopt-a-street” or similar snow-removal volunteer programs, the city would welcome and support such initiatives however it can, including through promotion, coordination assistance, or other reasonable means.
“Community-driven efforts like these enhance our response and reflect why people love to live in Mount Vernon,” he said.
Mount Vernon does not have a monopoly on snow-covered sidewalks. All communities grapple with uncleared snow.
“It’s something that everybody sees, but nobody knows the best way to convince people to be conscientious of it,” Porter said.
It’s time to start.