TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO / WAWV) — Terre Haute mayor Brandon Sakbun has launched his administration’s Sidwalk Inititive, which he hopes, will improve foot transportation in the city.
“We really got to find ways to get folks outside, engaged and walking, and, make our grocery stores more accessible,” Sakbun said.
Part of his plan is to connect low-income neighborhoods to grocery stores in the city.
“A lot of these neighborhoods, flat out, don’t have sidewalks and, if you live within the city, the fact that there’s been no plan for you, or there’s no reason why they’re not, is unacceptable,” the mayor explains.
Sakbun hopes to begin by assessing which neighborhoods need sidewalks the most.
“We’re going to create a five year management plan, and a ten year budget plan, to really work on pedestrian safety and sidewalks across the city.”
Sakbun wants to purchase softwear that will allow the city to create a data-driven budget for the initiative. The softwear costs just over $100,000.
The mayor hopes to start with neighborhoods along Poplar Street that aren’t connected to Deming Park or Beasler’s Market.
“We’ll use that same approach around Brittlebank and Thompson Park in 2025,”
Those two projects have a combined price tag of around $211,000.
Jarom Hawker is the social worker with the Terre Haute Police Department. He says accessibility to food is essential for the low income residents he works with every day.
“It will benefit so many people,” Hawker explains. “Not only those who are experiencing homelessness, but also those who are just living paycheck to paycheck. He’s making those sidewalks with ramps. If you have a disability, and you’re struggling with transportation, it’s easier to use the sidewalk system.”
The mayor says this plan is just one small part of his overall economic agenda.
“Part of it’s housing, part of it’s economic development, part of it is education. It all adds up to one pie, the American Dream, and, when it starts falling out for individuals, government’s got a find a way to hopefully stop the bleeding a little bit and get back on track.”
Mayor Sakbun plans to bring this proposal to the City Council by July. Construction could begin on these sidewalks by next year.
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