LEHIGH ACRES, Fla — It's easy trip on the sidewalk on 6th St in Lehigh Acres, and neighbors want to change that. There are not a lot of sidewalks in the area, so neighbors said they'd like to at least keep this one in good shape.
"There's like half the sidewalk missing. Maybe even more than that," 6th St resident George Benjamin said.
Benjamin's neighbor Jim Kreger said, "It's a hazard and dangerous."
Benjamin loves to spend time outside, but on his sidewalk, one crack, after another, after another is the straw that broke the camels back.
"With the county expanding as rapidly as it is, builders are driving on the sidewalks, cracking the sidewalks. Nobody is holding them accountable," Benjamin said.
He emailed photos to the Lee County Commissioners and asked for help. The photos showed blocks of concrete, tire tracks even trucks parked on the sidewalk.
Kreger's concerned about safety on the street. The cracks may not bother his dog Wally, but it's a worry for Kreger and his balance.
"The cracks are not naturally caused. You can tell vehicles with big tires have been driving over it," Kreger said.
He thinks those trucks left tread marks on the sidewalk.
It took five months, but Benjamin finally heard back from the county.
The solution, a contract to fix the three mile stretch of sidewalk from Joel Boulevard to Williams Avenue.
Kreger celebrated the good news. He said, "They're coming to fix it. Hooray! Thank you!"
"If the sidewalk is in good shape then everybody stays off the road, you don't run the risk of them getting run over or somebody getting hurt," Benjamin added.
Neighbors don't have to wait too long. The county said they'll start the project in a month or so, and it'll take 8 to 10 weeks to finish.
