I often hear people lament that Simpsonville is losing its “small town appeal.” I think one of the keys to maintaining that feel is connectivity. And one way we achieve that is through creating and maintaining walkable neighborhoods. That means sidewalks, something Councilwoman Sherry Roche and I agreed yesterday are important. It’s also why I’m really excited the sidewalk project in the Woodside Mills neighborhood is set to finally start this Spring (if you live there, look for a neighborhood meeting near the end of March). Of course, sidewalks cost big money. We got help from GCRA on the Woodside Mills sidewalks. But that’s not always an option. So it may be time to start thinking outside the box (something many of our Councilmembers are ready to do). I’m not sure what’s in this article (http://bit.ly/2EFDadr) is something that would work here, but thinking about options is important. In this example, a $300,000 sidewalk project became a $26,000 “protected walking lane” project, something much more doable. Our new Councilmembers agree that it’s time to stop saying “we can’t” and start asking “how can we?” Because that’s what’s best for Simpsonville.