Sidewalk project was long overdue

Kudos to state and city workers who spent long overnight hours clearing the streets and highways to make sure emergency traffic could get through and the rest of us could make it to work and school this morning, provided our schools and places of business were open this morning.

We don't know whether the brine from the water treatment plant applied to the streets before the first snowfall made any difference, but officials are to be commended for being as proactive as possible.

Residents are reminded that sidewalks are to be cleared of snow within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall. And, as an added plus, providing snow-clearing services is an important source of income for enterprising individuals.

On the topic of sidewalks, we're glad the City Council saw fit to provide $60,000 for a sidewalk to Walmart.

Yes, some have expressed opposition to the idea, saying it was unfair for taxpayers to foot the bill for a sidewalk to an individual business, but they overlook several facts.

For instance, the land Walmart occupies was annexed as part of the city when the new store was built. The business uses, and pays for, city utilities and is responsible for a large chunk of the city's sales tax receipts.

But City Manager Kurt Fritsch made the best point when he noted that the sidewalk is being installed for public safety, not the benefit of one business.

We shudder at the sight of moms pushing baby strollers along the edge of the busy highway on their way to and from the store. With the current state of the economy, pedestrian safety is becoming more and more of an issue.

And, it would be nice if older folks who already use the store for exercise, could include an outdoor walk during nice weather as part of their routine.

Unfortunately, because of budget restraints, the sidewalk will be only the standard five feet wide instead of the eight-foot width used in McCook's new walking trail system. We hope walkers, joggers, cyclists and skaters will be courteous to others they encounter on the route.

And, considering that much of the route will adjoin the old city landfill, we assume clearing it of snow will be the city's responsibility.

Construction might start as early as this spring. The project is long overdue.

Now that the Walmart sidewalk issue is settled, perhaps it's time to address the issue of pedestrian access to the nearby Westview Plaza area.

There's no clear, safe, pedestrian crossing from adjoining motels and residential areas, and creating one would encourage more of us to walk to the store, restaurant or movie theater.