I had to go to the county courthouse last week.

No place to park anywhere near, not that it bothered these drivers, who think that they don't have to follow the law. Several city and county cop cars drove past, ignoring the fact that these cars were parked in the middle of the street, which would be illegal even if it wasn't a no-parking zone. Maybe the drivers are right.

These bricks are almost new, but they are broken and spalling. That's because they aren't pavers. Bricks intended for walls don't have to deal with water standing atop them. Wall bricks soak up water, and then break or even explode when the water freezes. Pavers repel most water, and are extra strong. Either the city was cheated by the company that sold them the brick (perhaps owned by someone's brother-in-law?) or the buyer for the city was an idiot. Possibly both.

It's difficult to walk with a quad-cane walker on a sidewalk like this because the surface is not level and even.

When brick streets were common, they stood up to automotive traffic for decades because they had a proper foundation underneath them. You put down a layer of coarse stone, then a layer of smaller stone, and then a layer of sand, so that water drains down far enough that the ground does not heave, and there's a smooth, flat surface that doesn't budge when there is weight on the paver. Who built these sidewalks? Either they were installed by someone's brother-in-law, or the buyer awarded the contract to someone who swelled his wallet with shoddy worksmanship.

28 CFR 35.150 a) General. A public entity shall operate each service, program, or activity so that the service, program, or activity, when viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

28 CFR 35.151 (a) Design and construction. Each facility or part of a facility constructed by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public entity shall be designed and constructed in such manner that the facility or part of the facility is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, if the construction was commenced after January 26, 1992.

28 CFR 35.151 (b) Alteration. Each facility or part of a facility altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public entity in a manner that affects or could affect the usability of the facility or part of the facility shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be altered in such manner that the altered portion of the facility is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, if the alteration was commenced after January 26, 1992.

In addition to being inaccessible, the cracks between the bricks provide a place for cigarette butts and other litter to accumulate, so it's almost impossible to sweep the sidewalks clean. You know, there's a reason why concrete sidewalks are so popular. They are a lot more useful.

Your tax dollars at work waste.

Other Bloggers On Related Topics:
28 CFR 35 - Americans With Disabilities Act - bad sidewalks