Summit Ridge Drive in Rockwall is a street lined with some of the city’s older homes. It’s also lined with yard signs that read "No Sidewalks."
“We have expressed our concerns that it’s not a good idea,” said homeowner James Jack. “We have 32 homeowners on this street and 30 of the 32 have said they don’t want sidewalks.”
The city of Rockwall is drafting plans to narrow Summit Ridge Drive by four feet to slow traffic in what has become a bypass. The plan would also include sidewalks in an effort to make the street safer.
“When I-30 becomes a problem our road becomes a parking lot,” explained Jack. “It’s something we openly accepted to live here, in the same way we openly accepted no sidewalks when we purchased our homes.”
City Councilman Mike Townsend said when the city repairs old streets, the goal is to bring them up to city standards. “That includes sidewalks,” Townsend explained. He said the proposal to redo Summit Ridge Drive isn’t just for the people who live on that street, but also for those who live around it.
“Some of them are trying to ride their bikes and there’s no place to do it until you do it on the streets,” Townsend said. “As busy as those roads have become, that’s where it becomes a safety issue.”
It’s become a street fight, where actions may speak louder than the words on their lawn signs.
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“I understand the city will do whatever the city wants to do,” said Jack. “Only thing we’re saying is we will remember when the elections come around again.”
The Rockwall City Council is explained to make a final decision about the proposed street renovation in the next 2 to 4 weeks.
