Elmhurst Northsiders Disagree On Sidewalks

ELMHURST, IL – Residents from Elmhurst's north side took different views Tuesday on whether they need sidewalks.

Unlike the rest of town, much of north Elmhurst is without sidewalks.

Recently, pro-sidewalk residents distributed a flyer encouraging neighbors to attend Tuesday's meeting of the City Council's public works committee. Nearly a couple of dozen did.

The city is considering putting in sidewalks on certain streets on the north side, but it's early in the process.

A number of parents of school-aged children told the committee they feared for the safety of their children walking to school. Others resisted the idea.

Ashley Samata, who lives on Parker Street, said if sidewalks came in, residents would be unable to fit all their cars in their driveways.

"People move into the neighborhood knowing there are no sidewalks, and now they complain," said Samata, whose family has lived in the neighborhood for decades.

She said the majority of residents in northside Ward 3 are opposed to sidewalks. But a pro-sidewalk resident countered that a nonscientific Facebook survey showed an overwhelming majority supported sidewalks.

Former Alderman Michael Bram, who represented Ward 3 for two decades until last year, said the sidewalk issue was a divisive topic. He said the city was looking at sidewalks on Van Auken and Indiana streets and Crestview and Belden avenues.

Former Elmhurst Alderman Michael Bram told the City Council's public works committee that the sidewalk issue in northside Elmhurst is a divisive issue. (David Giuliani/Patch)

The city, he said, could potentially pay for 100 percent of sidewalks on the east-west streets, which are Crestview and Belden.

"The whole neighborhood isn't being discussed, even if the community and the council wanted to do it. There are no dollars in the future to do that," Bram said.

Alderman Mike Brennan, who was presiding over the meeting, said the city has not developed a plan.

"We have discussed this topic numerous times and at numerous meetings. To be honest, this feedback is super-important," he said. "This is a big project. This will be a big decision to make. We'll make it thoughtfully."

Brennan said the city plans to send a survey on sidewalks to the neighborhood.