Sidewalks save lives, but nearly half of them in this city are damaged.

Houston Chronicle provided Redditors of r/Houston a data map to help them find out how bad their sidewalks are.

The map is extensive, with over 6,000 miles of Houston sidewalks analyzed and rated as good, fair, or poor. You can search for your neighborhood or hover over an interactive map to see the breakdown. There’s even an editable map to draw where you think Houston needs improved sidewalks the most.

The data reveals a startling statistic – nearly 40 percent of Houston’s sidewalks are only in fair or poor condition. That means thousands of miles of sidewalks that are “damaged or blocked by overgrown vegetation — or sometimes both,” according to the chronicle. research.

Take this Houston sidewalkfor example, ending suddenly for no reason.

Sidewalks are extremely important for pedestrian safety. right US Department of Transportation“Roads without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian accidents as places with sidewalks on both sides of the street.”

They’re also essential for accessibility, and a crumbling sidewalk doesn’t make it easier for anyone to get around. National Transportation Center on Aging and Disability finder that “65% of curb ramps and 48% of sidewalks were not accessible.”

Despite the massive problem, not much is being done about it, or at least not enough. Sidewalks are often considered the homeowner’s responsibility, but they can be expensive to repair. Sidewalks are left to crumble, and their benefits drop with them.

Many commenters argued that the city should contribute more to sidewalk repair or dedicate a portion of taxpayer dollars specifically to increasing walkability.

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“So the city spends around $3 million a year on sidewalks,” said one user RECORDED. “Somebody remind me how much we’re spending on roads again?”

Another Redditor lamented they couldn’t afford to fix their sidewalk, saying “My sidewalk in front of my house sucks and it’s going to stay that way. I can’t afford $1,000+ to upgrade it”.

A third in jest he asked“Do you have sidewalks?”

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