Jef Nickerson
Representative John Lombardi walked to school with Rossi on Monday and described the treacherous walk.
“Several obstructions in the sidewalk, including but not limited to garbage, ice, snow, uprooted trees. In some places, there was no sidewalk and we had to walk in the streets,” said Lombardi.
Lombardi is now introducing a bill that would reduce the number of miles students have to walk to be eligible for a pass from three miles to two.
This is all well and good, I agree that more than two miles is too far to walk, but what about everyone else that has to suffer this “treacherous walk?” Are we just going to leave the garbage, ice, uprooted trees, and sidewalk-less streets as they are?
Agreed.
Good point about correcting sidewalk problems for other pedestrians, those that will still walk, or even take the bus. The Ripta Riders Alliance has a short video of how bus stops on Route 44 Smith St were blocked in by snow piled up in front of them, and sidewalks were often unavilable to walk to the bus stop.
Agreed 3 miles too far to walk, but RIPTA already has a problem of capacity limitations during school hours. It would help to stagger start/end hours to keep Ripta’s costs down (teacher contracts may be an issue for that) as if they have to buy and staff additional buses for many more students it can get very expensive.