Roswell residents have been navigating a patchwork of sidewalks and bare ground for more than a century, and they say it is a safety problem that can no longer be ignored.The Roswell neighborhood was once a town for railroad wor kers before it was annexed into Colorado Springs in 1880. Because the area predates modern infrastructure requirements, many streets were never built with sidewalks."It was the 1800s, so they're like, we don't need sidewalks," Roswell neighbor Sue Sindler said.Some sidewalks do exist in the neighborhood, but residents say those came from developers following the annexation leaving the street scape uneven and incomplete.The gaps create real dangers for people trying to get around on foot."If we could have sidewalks put in our neighborhood so everybody feels a lot more safe with how much traffic is in the neighborhood itself," Roswell neighbor Randi Kiele said.And the issue isn't seasonal. It's year round.I used to walk to work and in the winter it was even scarier because sometimes, if the streets are icy, I would have to be really careful if there was a car coming," said Sindler.Residents say the missing sidewalks affect everyone from runners to people rollerblading."We have a neighborhood run club. Unfortunately we're not running in the neighborhood because of accessibility," Roswell neighbor Karen George said.George said the club has to go downtown instead where sidewalks are everywhere."It's putting more of civilians at risk and danger because they have nowhere to step, and I have seen a few incidents where people had to jump out the way," Roswell neighbor Ileana Garcia said.Many neighbors said they've experienced close encounters when walking, running, or doing recreational activities in their neighborhood.The problem extends to anyone trying to share the road with vehicles. When a car is parked on the side of a street without a sidewalk, pedestrians are forced into the path of oncoming traffic. Or they said they try to squeeze by in the tiny space available."I have a friend in a scooter and there's not a lot of drive throughs off the edges of the sidewalk if there is a sidewalk so she's in the street. And she loves to go with me and my cat," Roswell neighbor Diana Forest said.The danger is especially acute in low-light conditions."Runners don't have any other options, and a lot of people are out when it's still dark, and the cars may or may not see them, and we've seen quite a few close calls with that," Roswell neighbor Carl Anderson said.The City of Colorado Springs says a solution is on the way. In partnership with the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, the plan is to begin a sidewalk installation project in Roswell in 2027. The project is being funded through the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority's Sidewalk Infill Program, which is designed to address gaps like those found in Roswell.The city said Roswell neigbors will be able to share what problem areas they have concerns about next spring. The city said it can be challenging with landscaping, but they said they hear neighbors' concerns and plan to address them.For residents, the news is welcome."This neighborhood has grown so much over the years and I've seen it grown so much and I think we do need that safety ensured in our neighborhood,"Garcia said. ...read more read less