Sidewalks as Measures of Infrastructure Inequities

It is well recognized that sidewalk networks provide multiple societal benefits and improve quality of life. Little research focuses on the infrastructure and inequities in sidewalk access, however: The relationship between sidewalk accessibility and quality within a college-town in the southeastern US and modern demographic patterns was examined by the authors to examine racial disparity in a novel, valuable, way. There was no racial disparity in sidewalk access between Whites and non-Whites and Blacks and non-Blacks. However; there was a quality disparity between Whites and non-Whites, with 75 percent of Starkville's "excellent" sidewalk segments within or adjacent to majority White blocks compared to 20.7 percent for majority Black blocks. There was also a significant correlation between the Black population and access to "poor" sidewalks. This study demonstrated that sidewalks might serve as indicators of racial inequities in southern micropolitan cities.