The Way I See It!

Comments you might have missed from Cudahy Sidewalks - Walking Down Memory Lane

Posted by Randy Hollenbeck on Oct. 13, 2009

Blogging, Missed Comments

For those of you that don’t go back and look at the older posts and comments that come after a new post has been posted.  I will try to do a weekly repost of comments.

Comments you might have missed The Week of 10/4-10/10

Comments for:  Cudahy Sidewalks - Walking Down Memory Lane

JTozz

Friday Oct 09, 2009 8:59 AM

I don’t see sidewalks on Whitnall as a pressing economic or enhancement need of the City right now.  The road itself south of Nicholson is better described as an alley of the Ladish plant.  It is a cut through for people not to have to go through what is termed "downtown Cudahy" on Packard and Layton in my opinion.  It is about as bumpy as it gets and I’m not sure the last time it was paved, but it couldn’t have been recently. However, I have to assume there is a great deal of industrial traffic on this road as well, making the road even worse for wear.

Peddle traffic, if you had to have it, would best be served by making a Barland connector all the way from Cudahy Park to Layton.  Although I don’t see the purpose of helping give St Francis Pick-n-Save more Cudahy consumers.  The differences between the St Francis Pick-n-Save and the Cudahy location are vast and may tell people how the Roundy's corporate views the cities.  I assume there a lot of Cudahy people that shop at the St Francis Pick-n-Save because of location and the beauty of the store itself.

Having a designated peddle-way from Layton down Bartland then east on College connecting to the lake bike trail and then west on Layton to complete a circle, might offer opportunities for surrounding area bikers to visit Cudahy as well as road races. I am just not convinced on the necessity, unless it is a State Grant or corporate donation.

Randy Hollenbeck

Friday Oct 09, 2009 12:40 PM

JTozz

While I agree with you on that don’t see sidewalks on Whitnall as a pressing economic I do disagree with you on the enhancement need of the City right now.

It is about safety!  If you ever have time, just sit in the K-Ranch or anywhere along Whitnall Ave and watch the people walk in the road.

I do shop the St. Francis Pick N’ Save for many reasons, but I don’t want the sidewalk because I want to help them out.  I want it for the Cudahy citizens that shop that complex or work there and walk.

I want it for the children who walk or ride bikes in the road instead on the safety of a sidewalk.  The safety of pedestrians and children is paramount.

triemer

Friday Oct 09, 2009 12:40 PM

Cudahy needs to take care of the roads they currently have before creating new ones.  If Cudahy was serious about improving business on Packard then they need to figure out what to do with Whitnall as it's a short cut around downtown Cudahy and takes consumers to St. Francis.

Randy Hollenbeck

Friday Oct 09, 2009 12:41 PM

Here is an exert from the start of my crusade.

What steps do I need to take to make Whitnall Ave from Layton Ave to Nicholson Ave a pedestrian-friendly environment with a sidewalk?  Many people walk that area, some of those work and shop the Pick N’ Save just across the street off Layton. Many kids walk and ride their bikes in the road, which is dangerous.  Those that walk the road especially in the winter are at risk of personal injury.  If you drive by it you will see that a tail has been made in the grass.  The South side of the road would most likely would be the better side.  The sidewalk would link up to the sidewalks on Layton by Venus Ford and sidewalks on Nicholson.  With Cudahy, a dynamic city that's moving forward now is the time to make change.  It’s the right thing to do, to improve safety and become pedestrian-friendly.

I understand that when they repaved Whitnall Ave, the powers that be, made the decision not to put sidewalks in because the businesses along the new road would argue that it doesn’t benefit them, but winds of change need to blow through.  Everything over time changes, it was a mistake then not to force the issue.  Safety of pedestrians must not be over shadowed because the few companies don’t like it.  I don’t think Venus Ford gets many walk ups from the sidewalk on Layton Ave, but they are there.  Safety trumps having to like something, I am sure places don’t like to do the things that OSHA tells them to do.  They may have to clear the snow; the same can be said for every homeowner.

The city needs to put a pedestrian-friendly environment with a sidewalk on Whitnall Ave from Layton Ave to Nicholson Ave. Part of Whitnall just next to Nicholson already has a sidewalk, just the section by the resident housing (Carpenter Ave).  Funny how homeowners have them, but it just stops there.  This is a prime example of commercial interest in front of public safety.

JTozz

Friday Oct 09, 2009 1:53 PM

I have to defer to you on the amount of people that walk down Whitnall.  I am very surprised if you say there a many people that do that.  Honestly, Walgreens and the bank should have been required to create that small portion of a walk-way since that appears to be new construction.

Is it safe to assume you are not talking about Whitnall south of Nicholson for a walkway?  Since that really is what I was describing as industrial.  It would be a much safer road if it wasn’t a cut through from Pennsylvania to Packard.  I am sure if a police car sat on that street every afternoon down towards Grange, Cudahy would be awash in speed tickets.

Randy Hollenbeck

Friday Oct 09, 2009 5:44 PM

JTozz correct I was talking north.  It just makes me so nervous when I drive and see the people walking in the road.  More so on rainy or snowy days as most people will walk on the grass.  With that part of Whitnall being 4 lanes, traffic can move quickly and I see many people weaving between the two directional lanes as it moves to two lane traffic.

Randy Hollenbeck

Friday Oct 09, 2009 11:27 PM

Sidewalks are talked about here as well in New Berlin/ Brookfield

http://www.newberlinnow.com/blogs/communityblogs/63725927.html