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No, sidewalks are not required in your neighborhood if you live near a school

A neighbor near the intersection of Jammes and Towsend Roads worries with no sidewalk on his street a child could get hurt.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Pedestrian safety is the top priority for neighbors in the Duclay area, which is why they believe sidewalks should be installed near the intersection of Jammes and Townsend Roads. 

A neighbor thought with a school less than a mile away from the intersection that there may be a city policy that would require sidewalks in the neighborhood.

“My understanding was that if there is a school on a block that there should be a sidewalk around that whole entire block granted this is a very large block," said Keith Poskey, Duclay neighbor. 

THE QUESTION

Are sidewalks required in your neighborhood if you live near a school?

THE SOURCES

  • The City of Jacksonville 
This is false.

There is no requirement for sidewalks to be in place because a school is present.

WHAT WE FOUND

This doesn’t mean that a sidewalk couldn’t be installed on this road.  

This week, city councilwoman Tyrona Clark-Murray heard this neighbor's concern and is notifying the public works department.

“I’m concerned about those aspects that affect people’s everyday life and this sidewalk is obviously affecting someone’s everyday life," said Clark-Murray. 

The verify team viewed the public works policy for new sidewalks, and it says when they go out to evaluate the proposed location it will have to meet the criteria of the Pedestrian Safety Improvement program.

The PSI criteria are:

  • The proposed sidewalk must connect to an existing walk
  • Must provide a point of destination from residential areas (to shopping centers, playgrounds, parks, etc.) 
  • The proposed sidewalk must be cost-effective; that is, it must not require any costly and extensive reconstruction of the existing site
  •  The current pedestrian and vehicular traffic volumes must warrant the proposed sidewalk

If the proposed location meets all four criteria of the (PSI) program, the requestor will be notified that a petition approving the project will be required, with signatures from at least 75% of the households and/or businesses in the proposed sidewalk area.

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