Infrastructure, Safety, Community
Feb 8, 2023
It is starting to look a lot like spring, and the potholes are springing up like crocuses showing their leaves above the soil. Having lived on the east side for twenty years, I see the streets that the city neglects, and it is always telling which neighborhoods get repaved and which ones get cold asphalt patches that will disintegrate the first time a garbage truck hits it...or not at all. I've personally reported a few that DPW deletes out of their system within a day, only to re-report over and over and over...with the same results. These holes in our neighborhoods remain to this day.
At this point, we must admit what we are doing is wrong. We waste money on faulty patchwork and do not prioritize long-term repairs that will not reopen within months of repair. And this is two-fold...we focus on the immediate without understanding that this will destroy the roads faster. We spend more with the patchwork than doing it right the first time in a proactive way as opposed to after the fact. Beyond this, we allow unlicensed contractors -- anyone with access to a backhoe, and I've seen it personally -- to dig into our streets without repercussion who will backfill the hole they created with materials that any amateur wouldn't do to their own homes.
Do not get me wrong, our state's contribution to our city - the one where we ask for a SMALL portion of what we've paid to the government and ask for it back - is wrong. However, other administrations have had this same allocation and have found ways to go about it. We have had funding from the federal government waiting three years earmarked for this purpose, which should have been used. The city tells me that the cost of materials was too much then, but the costs of repairs in these last three years had ballooned far more than if we had prioritized doing this WHEN WE NEEDED THIS. Our current administration seems to have money for these projects only during election season. Every four years. Our streets should not be held political hostage.
I have spoken to public works managers in other larger cities, and they make it clear you do with the budget given. And most tell me that they feel constrained by the same political nonsense in their own cities. Sadly, in our town, the manager that should be working for us and our streets is doing double duty as a campaign advisor.
Equity Statement: Cities must prioritize their spending on street maintenance based on need, explicitly focusing on marginalized and low-income communities. These communities should receive priority over other areas regarding road and sidewalk upgrades and repairs. By prioritizing spending in marginalized and low-income communities, cities can ensure that their limited resources are used effectively to address the most pressing needs.
Pedestrian and Bike Safety
Last year we had over 400 accidents, sometimes leading to death. Often in marginalized communities where 'just drive to the store' is not the answer others think it is. We need to make public transportation a system that the average person thinks about as an alternative. We need to guarantee that sidewalks are passable in ALL communities. We need a way for cyclists that live in the community to be able to commute -- yes, even over the complaints of those that live in the suburbs and work in the city and pay no taxes for our infrastructure, all the while gaining the benefit from it.
I have spoken to the folks behind the incredible Pedestrian Safety Crisis website and twitter, and I am attaching this graphic for the last year. We've had too many deaths of people who just want to get to the store, work, or even walk to their elementary school.
This crisis could have been avoided, but our administration hasn't made it a priority.
Thank you @IndyPedCrisis for your tireless work. And thank you to others in the community that illuminate these issues.
Community
If you want to be a positive part of the change, come out for Indianapolis' own Bike Party on Friday, Feb 10, at 6:30 PM. An all-volunteer organization proving that alternative transportation can work and there are no 'bad neighborhoods'...we ride throughout the city at all hours of the day and night and are always welcomed by the residents.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/506926808223666?ref=newsfeed
Events:
NESCO, the Near East Side Community Organization, will hold a fundraiser at La Parada (1642 E NEW YORK ST) tonight.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46201). I am on the board of directors and co-chair the Crime Reduction committee. Also, this is the best 15-minute clipart graphic I could put together for our organization. This invitation is last minute, but being in the community and meeting with all of you slipped my mind until reminded last night by our NESCO President. I hope to see you out there.
If you want our campaign to speak to your organization, don't hesitate to contact us at info@clifmars.com, and we will put it on our calendar. We will have a calendar on our site soon detailing our newest events!
Clif Notes
Thank you for reading my third newsletter. The primary is in approximately 80 days, and we need your help and support. We have raised a few hundred dollars and are still short of our goal of getting the official support we need, but I want to thank you all for donating as it gets us closer and closer! Please consider donating here: