As I headed out to work this morning (on foot) after yet another snow event, I was heartened that once again most (though not all) of my neighbors did their civic duty of clearing the snow from their sidewalks in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, once again the notable exception was our local governments who routinely fail to clear snow from sidewalks along publicly owned parcels: the sidewalks alongside a village-owned parking lot, the bus stops along Columbus Park, curb ramps piled up with snow from passing plows, and so on. It’s a noticeable pattern throughout Oak Park and surrounding towns.
For me it’s merely a hassle; I can step over and through the piles without too much difficulty. But for our neighbors with limited mobility, removing snow — properly, full sidewalk width and down to the bare pavement — is a matter of basic accessibility and safety.
It is unacceptable that the same entities entrusted to enforce the rules that the rest of us follow can’t be bothered to lead by example and follow the same rules themselves. It is also a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Steven Brown
Oak Park
