The Great Sidewalk Standoff
Tacoma residents vent frustration at contractors who leave streets in ruins during the long-awaited public improvement projects.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
People living on Yakima Avenue and adjacent streets are complaining about the state of public improvements. Contractors have torn up sidewalks on both sides of the streets, leaving piles of old planks and rubbish that make it impossible for residents to reach their homes without wading through ankle-deep dust. Residents suggest that if park strips cannot be kept clear, the walk should be torn up on only one side of the street at a time. Commissioner Welsh noted that the Barber Asphalt company holds the contract and sublet the work to the Savage, Schofield company. The issue persists throughout the city, with some sidewalks left in disrepair for as long as two months.
“They object to such a blockade and suggest if the park strips cannot be kept clear, that the walk be torn up on only one side of the street at a time.”
The perpetual tension between municipal development and neighborhood livability is a timeless Tacoma struggle. This report could easily be lifted from a present-day neighborhood council meeting transcript.
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