I suppose it happens even in Philly, where construction impedes the daily lives of pedestrian life. I never really thought about how easily contractors take over the side of a street by blocking the sidewalk off for construction and staging of vehicles without really making any sort of concession or arrangements for how people will traverse the site.
One of Philly's councilmen had a revelation whilst visiting New York, a city that undergoes roughly five times the amount of high-rise construction as his hometown. James F. Kenney realized that in New York City construction crews must make arrangements to protect pedestrians on the sidewalk by building shed shelters and by also creating protected paths that may intrude on the street to protect pedestrians. These techniques allow not only for pedestrians to move efficiently around the city but it also keeps storefronts and businesses open.
What an amazing idea! After traversing the Breuer Ameritrust Tower site debacle for the past year and so (still has up the lovely construction fence and closed sidewalk) I had found it so rude that they had to completely block passage on that side of the street. I wonder what going to Tribe's game would have been like if the sidewalks had been open.
Probably more pleasant.
It would be a wonderful thing if the city made concessions for its inhabitants and street level businesses by making construction teams stage equipment and protect the sidewalks and streets for those needing to use them.
resource:
Changing Skyline: The city has lost control of its sidewalks
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