INDIANAPOLIS — Residents of Indianapolis' east side are urging city officials to address the deteriorating conditions of their sidewalks as Mayor Joe Hogsett prepares to present his 2026 budget on Monday night.
The sidewalks along Nowland Avenue are in particularly poor shape, according to locals, who describe the scene as “really bad,” with many curbs missing and weeds growing uncontrollably.
Mark Cronkhite, a long-time resident, expressed concern over the dangers posed by the sidewalks.
"You'll see young people with their baby carriages rolling them out in the street because it's safer, it’s smoother," he said. “It's not necessarily safer, but that’s the reality,” Cronkhite said.
Residents have reported instances of people tripping and falling while trying to navigate the damaged walkways, often resulting in unpleasant experiences.
In light of these issues, neighbors are hopeful that a portion of the city’s nearly $2 billion budget, of which the Department of Public Works is preliminarily set to receive more than $257 million, will be allocated to improve their community.
“We need to have some money spent in this neighborhood again because it’s up and coming,” Cronkhite said. “People take good care of their property here, and we’d like to have the city take care of us too.”
City-County Councilor Jesse Brown, who represents the district, noted that constituents are calling for “simple, bread-and-butter budget priorities” like sidewalks, alley repairs, and cleanup of illegal dumping. He emphasized that while his constituents selected a $1 million council project, it appears the city budget may not align with the community's urgent needs.
Residents remain hopeful as the city prepares to address these pressing needs.
Indianapolis Department of Public Works released a statement to WRTV:
Sidewalk repair requests can be submitted easily by calling the Mayor's Action Center (MAC) at 317-327-4622, visiting RequestIndy online or by using the RequestIndy app. Once a repair request is received, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Indy DPW) Engineering team evaluates the location and assigns it a priority rating based on factors such as condition and usage.
Repairs are addressed as funding becomes available, with priority given to the highest-rated locations. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure our sidewalks are safe and accessible for everyone.
