Better Ask Barry: Why does the sidewalk end?

El Estero Lake and its adjoining park sit a few blocks from downtown Monterey.

It has a playground, baseball, boating, a skate park and recreation.

It’s easy to get to, but perhaps LESS easy to get around.

As a KION viewer noted, there are sidewalks on the north and west sides, but to the south, the sidewalk ends along busy Fremont Street, where it becomes a narrow and uneven path by the entrance to the Catholic and city cemeteries.

“Where it stops,” he said,” there’s no way for handicapped or wheelchairs. I saw a handicapped people (sic) with a wheelchair go into the street because the dirt on the hill all came down on the sidewalk.”

That’s where we met Chester Huddleston, who uses a mobility scooter to run errands and go to appointments.

“Every now and then, I’ll look behind me and have to get in the street for a minute or two, and then zigzag back over, y’know?” Huddleston said. “Where they got the bus stop, they stopped the sidewalk and didn’t do anything in front of the cemetery. I don’t understand that.”

Huddleston said finding a paved route adds 10-15 minutes to his trip.

We contacted Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar, who said there is “no apparent reason” the sidewalk ends there, and called it a good candidate for future improvements.

“We need to look into some of the issues with respect to who owns what (the Catholic diocese is next to the current dirt trail). However, I think it is a great project as part of our walkable community planning,” he wrote.

This is a good example of a city resident (and KION viewer) making a difference. The broken pavement is now on the city’s radar, and a fix may be on the way.

Remember, when you have a question and are looking for answers, Better Ask Barry.