Montrose Sidewalks Coalition

Dear Mayor's Office and Houston City Council,

We the undersigned respectfully demand that the City of Houston address the deteriorating sidewalk infrastructure in Montrose.

Our request is based on the following grievances:

Montrose is one of the most densely populated areas of Houston and a major destination within the Houston metroplex. Density continues to increase with ongoing development, including townhouses, mid rises, and high rises. Montrose's sidewalks should be prioritized to reflect their high impact on residents, businesses, and visitors.

Montrose offers great proximity to services, amenities, and public transportation, yet the sidewalk grid predominately consists of missing or broken sections that endanger the public. The situation for the visually impaired, mobility impaired, elderly, and families with strollers is egregious. A truly walkable environment ensures the infrastructure is functional and safe for all.

Our community's children do not have safe routes to school and are forced into the street with oncoming traffic due to missing and broken sidewalks. We have many schools within easy walking distance, however the state of our school routes is appalling.

Many visually and mobility impaired citizens live in or visit Montrose for specialized services available in Montrose. The infrastructure is not ADA compliant and a significant barrier to access. Accessible design for the visually impaired is almost non existent. As older residents age in place, this will increasingly become a safety issue of large proportions.

Decades of infrastructural neglect have left broken sidewalks littered with obstacles, missing access ramps, and foregone design for pedestrian safety. No plan in sight exists to holistically address this. Ultimately, our demands are about access to basic services for all who live in, work in, and visit our neighborhood. Access is more than a quality of life issue- it is a civil rights issue. Please remedy the shameful state of our sidewalks.