(01-06-2015, 04:53 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: I did the math a while back and a sidewalk can be cleaned with a bobcat at a cost of about $1-2 per house front assuming the entire block is being done, or they can be hand shoveled by home owners, in about 30 min to an hour, at a cost of $5 to $50 dollars per housefront, depending on household income.
Now, which one will city council choose? the one that is more economically efficient overall, or the one that is 2.5 to 50x more expensive so long as it is not them paying the bill?
Thank you for doing the analysis. I've always felt that if politicians posed the issue as "If we could clear your sidewalk for a tax increase of $25 (or $50 or whatever) per year would you approve of the change to universal clearing?" that most taxpayers would be happy to pay such a small fee to relieve themselves of the responsibility.
Realize too that if only one property owner fails to clear their sidewalk on a particular route, a mobility-challenged person is essentially home bound. Here's one example: I haven't checked this year but in past years the ~100m section of Father David Bauer between Luther Village and WMRC that goes past a small marshy area is never plowed. Presumably this is city property. Presumably the city-operated plow that WMRC uses to clear its sidewalks could cover this section in about 2 minutes per snowfall. But it doesn't happen, despite calls to city hall. So anyone who lives in Luther Village and wants to walk the relatively short distance to Uptown can't. Or they have to cross FDB to get around the obstruction then have to negotiate two crossings at infamous Erb and Caroline.
I have some sympathy for homeowners. Even those who clear their sidewalk conscientiously need to be able to go away for a few days or more. It's almost impossible to hire someone to clear a sidewalk for such short periods. Contractors insist on yearly contracts. Neighbours can't always help nor does one want to impose on them.