Letter to the Editor: Where are sidewalks?

Dear Editor,

I’m a 30 year Bethlehem resident, cyclist, runner and walker. I live in Old Delmar where we fortunately have sidewalks and we can safely take a walk, a bike ride or a run.

The other day I was driving to Walmart along Bender Lane going towards Rte. 9W when I passed a new development on Madeleine Lane and noticed one of the homeowners walking her dog along the roadway. She was dodging cars because there are no sidewalks and no shoulder either.

Then I glanced into Madeleine Lane, where the new homes are located, and noticed that there are no sidewalks in front of the houses either.

A few days later I passed another development off Feura Bush Road called Farmington Court and it was the same thing – no sidewalks.

And they say that Bethlehem is a “walkable community.”

I wrote to the Planning Board and they told me to take it up with the Town Board. What use is the Planning Board if they don’t require amenities from developers to make the town more walkable?

How much would it cost if developers put sidewalks in front of every new home? It would add a minimal amount to the price of each house and be of great benefit to the new homeowners.

The way the situation is now, if the residents want sidewalks at a later date they have to get on a town wide list and wait a couple of years for the town to install them, at a huge cost to rip up lawns, shrubs, driveways etc.

Why doesn’t the Planning Board just require sidewalks in new developments?

Terrence Rooney,
Delmar

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