Example #926 of how Jeff Gahan routinely sanctions dangerous conditions for pedestrians.

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You’re walking westbound on Spring Street, on the north side of the street, and then you see that the latest round of construction at the site of Break Wind Lofts at Duggins Flats has completely blocked the sidewalk.

It would have been nice to know this a block earlier, to the east, at the traffic light, where a “walk” signal at least exists — assuming, of course, that reckless and speeding drivers honor it the light.

Just try to do what city officials consistently cannot, and imagine yourself in a wheelchair or motorized mobility scooter. Your choice is to double back half a block to the light (because it occurs to no one at city hall to post signage about the sidewalk closing), or try to time a “dash” across 48 feet of asphalt — with luck, synchronized with the previous traffic signal.

The part that continues to infuriate is that on numerous occasions, we’ve made this point to city officials, especially the Bored of Works. There are the usual nods and winks, and perhaps sign is erected. The next time it occurs, same process. It’s as though each occurrence exists in a vacuum, like groundhog day, never becoming part of the institutional response apparatus.

As an addendum, consider Vectren’s ongoing sidewalk demolition along Spring Street. Each time this happens, walkers are shunted into the street, to make their way as best they can.

Does Vectren have a policy? Does the Bored of Works have a policy? Do either of them bother enforcing whatever non-policies they don’t have?

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