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Resident urges better sidewalk clearing after falls; cites hazards in State Street and Woodlawn areas
Summary
Laurel Barnes used public comment at the March 10 Schenectady City Council meeting to describe repeated falls and unsafe sidewalks across multiple neighborhoods, urging the city to address snow and ice clearing to protect older residents and pedestrians.
Laurel Barnes told the Schenectady City Council on March 10 that inadequate snow and ice removal on sidewalks is creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians, especially older residents.
Barnes said she has fallen twice this winter and described multiple locations with uncleared sidewalks, including stretches of State Street from CBS to Jackson Avenue, portions of Union Street, Woodlawn and a corner of Watt and Jackson that she said has not been cleared in 11 years. She said only one business on that route — Stewart’s — had shoveled properly. Barnes also raised concerns about the sidewalk in front of Bishop Gibbons, which she said is at street level and effectively unusable.
“I was praying he wasn't gonna get hit because, as you know, there are a lot of speeders,” Barnes said, describing seeing an elderly man forced to walk in the roadway because the sidewalk was not passable. She said some residents cannot navigate ankle-deep snow and that the condition increases the risk of pedestrians being struck by vehicles.
Barnes asked the council to take action; the transcript records the comment but does not show a council response or specific staff commitment during the March 10 meeting. Separately, during general business the mayor encouraged residents to report potholes and street problems using the city’s SeeClickFix portal.
Why it matters: Unsafe sidewalks and uncleared paths can create acute hazards for older adults, people using mobility aids and anyone forced into the roadway. The transcript records resident testimony describing repeated incidents and specific problem locations; the council or public works department would need to follow up to confirm jurisdiction and any enforcement or city-clearing responsibilities.
Next steps: The council transcript does not record an immediate directive or timeline. Residents who reported damage or hazards were advised to use the city’s SeeClickFix reporting tool for street and pothole complaints.
