Residents outraged after baffling wall suddenly appears in wealthy neighborhood: ‘How is this legal?’


City rules and ordinances can sometimes create loopholes that leave the public holding the short end of the stick.

One town in Australia is dealing with controversy as a new fence has left folks with virtually no sidewalk. An article on News.com.au detailed the events in which a section of the path has been reduced to just 80 centimeters wide.

A local council member explained originally to the Gold Coast Bulletin, “The boundary line for the property is just 80cm off the road and, at some point, the road was widened and the path crossed into the boundaries.”

One person even commented, “‘How is this legal?’

While it appears that building ordinances were not violated, the new sidewalk is much less accessible. Anyone who uses a mobility device, a wheelchair, or a stroller will have trouble getting through this stretch of street.

The photos included in the article clearly show the street expanding and the sidewalk being truncated between 2020 and 2025.

The article quoted the town’s acting mayor, Mark Hammel, who said, “It is the most popular cycling and walking route in the city, it is a narrow piece of roadway only 10 metres wide. And it’s simply not an option to keep jamming more and more pedestrian, cyclists and cars down that narrow stretch.”

Sidewalks and accessible walkways provide safety for the public and can help people feel more comfortable. The Federal Highway Administration wrote, “Providing walkways for pedestrians dramatically increases how well pedestrians perceive their needs are being met along roadways.”

There is even a well-known phenomenon called the curb cut effect about the inclusion of this design element in sidewalks.

The Stanford Social Innovation Review has reported that wheelchair users, people pushing strollers and heavy carts, and even runners and skateboarders can benefit. Its article also mentioned a study of pedestrian behavior at a mall in Sarasota, Florida. It found that nine out of 10 “unencumbered pedestrians” will walk toward and use a curb cut if they see one.

Improved infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists can help to reduce reliance on cars and potentially even reduce pollution.

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