From a crumbling or missing sidewalk to missing curb ramps to difficult-to-access bus stops, pedestrian obstacles can be viewed as either unnoticeable or as a major issue. Numair Latif found that the UNM area is no different.
Latif, an architecture and planning graduate student, tripped on a square plot of several inches of uplifted concrete and fractured his right elbow walking from Nob Hill to the Rapid Ride bus stop on Carlisle and Central going west.
Latif, who is also chair of the Graduate and Professional Student Association Sustainability Committee, feels that although the city and the University have done a nice job of repairing pedestrian obstructions, there is still room for improvement. His suggestions include wider sidewalks, more signs, sidewalk repairs, new city ordinance regarding private property and better lighting during the evening.
According to the New York Times, in the past in places like New York City, mapping companies hired by concerned lawyers have even gone as far as to sketch every deformation across city sidewalks to prove that pedestrian obstacles are a major issue.
Gregory Rowangould, assistant professor at the department of civil engineering at UNM, said he created a Tumblr page, abqstumblr, as a modern way of addressing problems with local infrastructure.
“Anyone can go to the page and submit photos using #UNM to indicate any pedestrian obstacles on campus,” he said.
Rowangould said he sees two distinct issues regarding pedestrian obstructions: walkways need to be accessible for those with physical disabilities, and walkways should encourage pedestrians to walk.
“I am not out to blame anyone for the current condition and design of Albuquerque’s and UNM’s pedestrian infrastructure,” he said. “Many of the problems stem from decisions made a long time ago.”
Rowangould said he hopes that the Tumblr page will help start a community conversation about what the pedestrian environment should look like. He said that the page has already sparked improvements, obstructions were corrected after certain posts on the page were brought to the attention of a city councilor.
Rowangould emphasizes thinking about improvement in terms of a long-term plan for the entire network, rather than individual projects, he said.
Some UNM students feel that although they may not have huge consequences, pedestrian obstructions are still an issue. Daisy Reyes, a senior mathematics major, said she usually just walks around any she comes across.
“(They) do not directly affect me, but I can see how these things impact others, whether they are riding their bikes or are handicapped,” Reyes said. “I do think some of these obstructions should be fixed as soon as possible. Perhaps this could be done by identifying the locations where the majority of people walk through and fix those first. There are some areas where people really do not walk through, and maybe those could be fixed after.”
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Other students argue that other issues should be of a greater priority. Cassidy Holland, a senior linguistics and anthropology major, said she does not even notice the obstructions.
“They do not affect me as a pedestrian at all ... (But) I am clearly only looking at this from my own perspective,” Holland said. “If I took the bus more, walked around the city more or rode my bicycle around the city more, I am sure I would have a problem with these affected areas, but I do not.”
She also sees them as becoming more of an issue for those who are handicapped in any way, she said.
Willie West, manager of grounds and landscaping at the UNM Physical Plant Department, said University administration has been able to significantly improve condition of the sidewalks on campus recently.
“While financial considerations will always be a limiting factor, we have spent over $800,000 in the last three years to address safety and Americans with Disabilities Act issues, such as lifted or settled concrete on the over three miles of sidewalk we are responsible for,” he said.
West said this year there will be an additional $250,000 worth of sidewalk repairs completed.
“Scheduling of many of these projects is done when school is not in session to avoid disrupting University operations,” he said.
The Physical Plants Department has installed or replaced nearly 100 sidewalk ramps and completes about 75 concrete grinding projects annually, he said.
Elizabeth Sanchez is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Beth_A_Sanchez.
