Blocked, broken sidewalks on Mount Washington repaired
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After failing to persuade Pittsburgh officials to do something about "a life-threatening problem" near their Mount Washington home, Frank and Patty Colwell invited me to take a look.
And a look was all that was needed.
Pedestrians coming up Boggs Avenue from Warrington Avenue had to walk in the busy street because the sidewalk was blocked by overgrown vegetation in one section, broken sidewalk slabs in another section, and dirt and broken concrete in a third.
"Someone is going to get killed if pedestrians have to continue to use the street instead of the sidewalk," said Frank Colwell, 66, a retired Mt. Lebanon police officer.
"We're especially concerned about the young woman who pushes her daughter up the street in a stroller every afternoon on her way home from work," said Patty Colwell, 66.
"We've already had one mother killed while pushing a stroller this summer," added Frank Colwell, referring to Lisa Styles of Mt. Lebanon. Ms. Styles, 36, died June 29 of a head injury sustained after she was struck by an SUV. Her son and daughter in a double stroller weren't injured.
"Patty and I have been trying for two months to get the city to reopen that sidewalk," Frank Colwell said. "I've called the city's 311 number seven times and explained how dangerous that street is. Each time, I've been told the forestry division is busy, but will get to it as soon as it can.
"Patty wrote a letter to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, gave him all the details and marked it personal. She didn't even get an acknowledgement that his office had received the letter."
I walked a few doors up the street and spoke to Michelle Gabig, the woman who has been running this urban gauntlet for far too long. She works at Small World II, a day care center on Penn Avenue, Downtown. Her daughter, Madison, who will be 3 on Aug. 24, spends the day at the nearby Small World I.
First Published August 19, 2010 12:00 am
