INDIANAPOLIS — Walking down the sidewalk in a south side neighborhood along Randolph Street is nearly impossible.
The concrete is covered in debris, and it's also crumbling. RTV6 talked to one man who has lived in the south side neighborhood for more than a decade. He said the sidewalks had been an issue the entire time.
"Nothing has been done to maintain them or replace them," Clifford Butcher, who lives on the south side, said.
For 18 years Butcher has called the neighborhood home.
"I had a lot of good neighbors, a lot of them have moved because the neighborhood has gone down," He said.
Butcher has complained several times to the city about the issue, but nothing has been done.
"My concerns are it's unsafe, especially for the elderly still in the neighborhood. A lot of the trip hazards," Butcher said.
RTV6 took Butcher's concerns to the Department of Public Works, and they confirmed an inspector looked into his complaint - back in 2006, 13 years ago.
Although, it doesn't appear any recent inspections have been done. The city said when money is available, the engineering department will plan and construct a project. But, it doesn't appear that will happen anytime soon.
According to a 2016 assessment by the city, there is a $1.6 billion need for sidewalks all across the city. No recent assessment has been done to show the current demand.
It's an unfortunate reality for people like Butcher who want to see their neighborhood improved.
"Since I've lived here in 2001, we haven't really used the sidewalks much," he said.
Until money becomes available, it doesn't appear he will be able to any time soon.
DPW said there is not a separate fund for sidewalks. Transportation dollars include funding for roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks.
