Fayetteville Takes Big "Step" In Adding Sidewalks To Streets

Sidewalks are a big "step" for runners like Susan Tupper. Along with making her daily exercise routine safer, she believes they encourage residents to take a stroll along busy Morganton Road.

"You want to get people out walking in neighborhoods," Tupper says. "It keeps people safe and keeps it accessible to children. It's also so much safer like this."

Putting sidewalks on at least one side of all crowded streets is the goal of Fayetteville leaders. Bond issue money is helping spread 15 miles of new sidewalks around town.

"In Fayetteville for years, especially along thoroughfares, there haven't been places for people to walk," says city manager Roger Stancil. "They walked in the street, and that's dangerous."

Riding a bike along city sidewalks was against city ordinances. To encourage sidewalk use, the city council just changed an ordinance to allow bikers to share the sidewalk.

James Thomas, who rides his bike four miles to work every day, says sidewalks make for a much smoother ride.

"With sidewalks, there are less stops," Thomas says. "It's good for me."

Money is a big obstacle in helping the city meet its sidewalk goal. Within the next few months, the transportation committee is expected to start a strategic plan to prioritize the areas that need sidewalks most.