The Holston Hills neighborhood only has one interior sidewalk. It runs north along Chilhowee Drive to Asheville Hwy, covering the one-mile, parental “school responsibility zone,” where one is expected to walk, rather than ride a bus to school.

It’s a narrow walkway, only 4 feet wide. Built many years ago, along the way it has been encumbered with “convenience obstructions” embedded in it, things like telephone poles and mailboxes conveniently drilled into place. As you can imagine, those obstacles hinder clear passage.

This spring, our utility had occasion to replace a fire hydrant, struck by a errant car. The above photo shows it was placed right into the middle of the narrow walkway, and poured in concrete, just a few feet beyond the handicap access curb cut. If you are in a wheel chair or a baby carriage your passage is effectively blocked. Totally unacceptable!

The community complained to the city and asked that it be moved inboard a few feet, onto the adjoining grass boarder. They agreed and urged KUB to move it. They did, clearing the path for the pedestrians. It took a small battle, but it was worth it.

Sidewalks are precious, and rare. They are expensive to build (with curb and gutter and often drainage piping). Thus far, the city rarely builds more than 1 or 2 miles of sidewalk each year, at a cost of over $1 million per mile.

HENCEFORTH, common sense should govern. Such “obstructions” need to be relocated out of the way anytime construction or maintenance is done. That will leave sidewalks free to fulfill their intended purpose – safe passage for pedestrians.

Nick Della Volpe is a lawyer, a gardener and a former member of Knoxville City Council.

Editor’s note: There is similar situation with hydrant in the middle of the sidewalk on Hollywood Drive near Pond Gap Elementary.

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