Are side walks common in the US

1. Summary of the results

The commonality of sidewalks in the US is a complex issue, with varying perspectives from different sources. According to ^[1], sidewalks are not common in many US cities, with 77% of cities assigning sidewalk maintenance to abutting property owners, leading to inequitable sidewalk networks and pedestrian infrastructure ^[1]. This is further supported by ^[2], which suggests that many streets lack sidewalks and many existing sidewalks are inadequate, increasing various costs and suppressing non-auto travel ^[2]. On the other hand, ^[3] highlights the importance of pedestrian infrastructure, including sidewalks, but does not provide a direct answer to the question of how common sidewalks are in the US ^[3]. Additionally, ^[4] evaluates sidewalk availability and width in four major US cities, finding that overall sidewalk availability is deficient, but municipal policy does not significantly impact sidewalk width ^[4].

Some key points to consider are:

• The lack of research on sidewalk networks and pedestrian infrastructure, as highlighted by ^[5] and ^{[3] [5] [3]}
• The need for more data on sidewalk infrastructure, as mentioned by ^{[3] [3]}
• The importance of sidewalks in urban planning, as noted by ^{[6] [6]}
• The significant investment gap in completing sidewalk networks, with typical North American communities spending $30 to $60 annually per capita on sidewalks, as indicated by ^{[2] [2]}

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some missing context in the original statement includes:

• The varying definitions of "common" and how it applies to sidewalks in different US cities and communities ^{[1] [2]}
• The impact of sidewalk maintenance policies on the availability and quality of sidewalks, as discussed by ^[1] and ^{[4] [1] [4]}
• The role of municipal policy in shaping sidewalk infrastructure, as evaluated by ^{[4] [4]}
• The potential benefits and costs of completing sidewalk networks, as highlighted by ^[6] and ^{[7] [6] [7]}

Alternative viewpoints include:

• The perspective that sidewalks are a crucial component of walkability and community development, as emphasized by ^{[6] [6]}
• The idea that studying sidewalk networks is crucial for understanding multimodal mobility and promoting sustainable cities, as suggested by ^{[3] [3]}
• The need for more research on pedestrian infrastructure, including sidewalk networks, as highlighted by ^[5] and ^{[3] [5] [3]}

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement "Are sidewalks common in the US" may be too broad and simplistic, as it does not account for the varying contexts and definitions of "common" in different US cities and communities ^{[1] [2]}. Additionally, the statement may be misleading, as it implies a binary answer (yes or no) to a complex issue that requires a more nuanced understanding of sidewalk infrastructure and pedestrian networks ^{[3] [4]}. The sources suggest that municipalities and urban planners may benefit from a more comprehensive understanding of sidewalk infrastructure and its impact on community development and walkability ^{[6] [3]}. On the other hand, property owners and developers may benefit from the current lack of research and data on sidewalk infrastructure, as it may allow them to avoid investing in sidewalk maintenance and construction ^{[1] [2]}.