SCHMITT Road pedestrians could have to spend up to six years sharing the throughfare with cars and other vehicles before a footpath will be constructed.
A petition demanding a new footpath beside the road that circulated among residents of the Kalamunda street, which include the elderly, wheelchair-bound seniors and children, has been presented to the Shire of Kalamunda but so far has generated little action.
The Shire’s construction program indicates that $98,000 in funding for a footpath along Schmitt Road is scheduled for the 2018-19 financial year.
Resident Sandra Schroder, who gathered signatures for the petition, said residents continually had to dodge vehicles on their daily walks.
“People are forced to walk on the road without the footpath,” she said.
“The terrain is slippery when wet, there is gravel and honky nuts. It’s not safe, especially for the wheelchair-bound residents. And it is not just residents that walk along here; people use this road as a short cut.”
Ms Schroder said she was most unhappy at the prospect of having to wait up to six years for something to be done.
She said she acknowledged the Shire had cleared foliage and laid compacted gravel to help offset some of the dangers but it wasn’t enough.
Elizabeth Brown (75) and her husband Walter (82) have lived on the street since 1975.
“This issue has been around for 15 years,” Mrs Brown said.
“We walk two or three times a week and young children walk along here too.
“Something has to be done, if not for us – we won’t be here forever – but future residents will need it.”
Shire President Don McKechnie said the pedestrian access to the steep section of Schmitt Road near Mundaring Weir Road may be looked at sooner by the Shire but no final decision had been made.