CHARLOTTE — One man is on a mission to get sidewalks installed along a dangerous stretch of road in northeast Charlotte, but he says the city won’t budge. Now, he’s taking matters into his own hands.
Ed Mulheren has been advocating for the area of Harris Houston Road to get sidewalks since the 1990s when Interstate 485 was built.
He told Channel 9’s Eli Brand the lack of sidewalks has caused multiple crashes and tragedies, including the death of Dale Lee Bird, who was hit and killed by a car there. Mulheren says the community formed a nonprofit to build a food pantry in his honor.
The area has seen multiple other crashes and tragedies over the years.
“Last month, we had a teenager coming down the road on a skateboard,” Mulheren said. “He was hit on the road, and they left him there. It was a hit-and-run.”
Mulheren says you don’t have to travel too far down the road to find a real-time example of the dangers. Nearby, the guard rail is completely mangled, and remnants of crashes and pieces of cars litter the ground.
City leaders have repeatedly denied requests for sidewalks in the area. A representative with the city says Harris Houston Road is not the type of street the city prioritizes for sidewalk construction because it isn’t a thoroughfare. Their hope is to use other solutions, like pedestrian crossings and sidewalk connections.
Mulheren says the area’s nonprofit is willing to do it themselves.
“Now we’re willing to build our own path, so we can traverse Harris Houston Road safely,” he said. “It’s not going to cost the city a dime to do it. We will do it ourselves.”
Mulheren said he’s had some traction with city council on the idea but it waiting for them to approve it in a vote.
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