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Youth advisory council urges West Linn to fund sidewalk connectivity for safety and equity
Summary
Students from the Youth Advisory Council urged the West Linn City Council to prioritize sidewalk connectivity and maintenance in older neighborhoods, highlighting safety gaps near schools and bus stops and asking the council to use upcoming transportation planning meetings to secure funding.
Members of the West Linn Youth Advisory Council told the City Council on Feb. 18 that gaps and deterioration in sidewalks jeopardize pedestrians of all ages and abilities and that the council should prioritize funding and maintenance. "For many of us, especially kids and teens, walking and biking is the only mode of transportation around the city," Brooklyn Carr Hoyer said during a short presentation that included photos of missing or cracked sidewalks in Bolton, Cedar Oak, Pimlico and near Rosemont Road.
The students framed sidewalk improvements as linked to the city's four transportation goals—safety; mobility, access and the environment; equity; and maintenance—and urged the council to pursue funding for connectivity projects and ADA upgrades. Councilors thanked the students, acknowledged a backlog of more than 100 proposed projects that staff has tracked, and scheduled a joint meeting with the Transportation Advisory Board on April 21 to fold the youth recommendations into broader funding conversations. "We're gonna be having a joint meeting with the Transportation Advisory Board to talk about this exact topic," Mayor Rob Dalestoski said, and invited the youth to provide testimony to that body.
The youth called for equitable attention to older neighborhoods, noting that new developments often include wide, well‑maintained sidewalks while older areas feature broken or missing walkways. Council members noted budget constraints and the high cost of constructing new sidewalks but said staff will review prioritization and funding options and report back in upcoming work sessions.
