In theory, pedestrians in West Dallas should have no problem making the walk from Trinity Groves to Commerce Street, perhaps returning from lunch to one of the area’s new apartment buildings. That walk, using Beckley Avenue as the connector, is only about a mile long. But Dallas doesn’t seem to want anyone making it.
Bouncing around on Twitter, we get yet another glimpse at our city’s disdain for foot traffic. This one is sewn into the street design. As seen above on North Beckley, between Singleton and Commerce, a sidewalk suddenly disappears into the narrowest of dirt pathways just as traffic flies around a blind corner. Hat tip to Thomas Bamonte for pointing this out, and for the (quite telling) video:
@CityOfDallas @311Dallas Pedestrian view of underpass b/w Commerce Ave. and @RonaldKirk16 Park (Singleton). Restricted sightline exposes pedestrians to fast moving cars unexpectedly. A sidewalk + lane width diet needed. What engineer signed off on this design as safe? @NSPE pic.twitter.com/MnyEJfXnie
— Thomas Bamonte (@TomBamonte) November 24, 2019
Now, if you’re a walker who happens upon this scenario: What do you do? Do you turn around, hoof it back up Beckley to Singleton, walk the half mile west to Sylvan, and then cut over to Commerce? Of course you don’t. Do you cross the street to the other (sidewalk-less) side? Squeeze around the corner and pray for the best? Call an Uber?
None are good options.
For more in this series, go here.
