Buffalo lawmakers are calling on the city to step up efforts to fix damaged sidewalks, following the tragic death of a baby last month in a neighborhood where sidewalk conditions are blamed in part for enabling the deadly incident. Mayor Byron Brown spoke Wednesday about the city's efforts to fix those walkways.
The investigation into the death of seven-month-old Nyree Anderson remains under investigation. The baby was inside a stroller when she was struck by a passing car on Moselle Street. While the probe continues, what is observed is the condition of the sidewalk at the accident site. It's in poor condition, with numerous cracks and grass growing through them. It's poor enough to compel someone pushing a stroller to use the street as an alternative.
Buffalo Common Council member David Franczyk complained of those conditions and, during this week's Common Council meeting, spoke of his own need to walk in the street while going on a door-to-door political campaign last year.
"If I had a hard time walking across with my clipboard, I had to go in the street, imagine a mother and a stroller," Franczyk said. "It'd have been absolutely impossible."
Councilmembers say many of the problems are caused by contractors hired to conduct demolitions. During their respective jobs, sidewalks are often damaged. Contractors are obligated to fix the damage but lawmakers say some do not.
Mayor Byron Brown, when asked about the city's sidewalks on Wednesday, said most contractors do comply. He also told reporters that the city's enforcement of sidewalk repairs has improved in recent years.
"Years ago, this was a greater problem," said the mayor. "Systems have been put in place to make sure that there are intense inspections. After the work is performed to do a demolition, the contractor is required to immediately go out and do the sidewalk repair."
Brown added, though, that the city cannot address all sidewalk damage because, year to year, the city doesn't have enough resources to do so. What officials do, he explained, is evaluate the problem spots and fix the ones in the worst shape. Calls from the public, Brown suggested, help city officials with their evaluations.
"When we get those calls, we try to move those issues after an assessment and an inspection up on the repair list," Brown said.
Sidewalk conditions were just one of two safety issues brought up by Council members on Tuesday. The other is rampant speeding throughout city streets.
