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First step is fine start to better sidewalks

Neil Armstrong knew enough to recognize that small steps were required on the way to giant ones.

It hasn't been that way through the years with the City Council and Tiffin sidewalk problems.

The process has been for the council to contemplate the magnitude and cost of bringing the city's sidewalks up to snuff, to become frightened by the prospect of confronting residents angered by having to pay to have their treacherous sidewalks fixed, and then to retreat, leaving the problem for some future council.

This year, there's hope.

The council Monday night agreed that it needs to assess what needs to be done near schools and on main thoroughfares to make sidewalks safe for children.

What an excellent approach. It would be prioritizing the problem and approaching the solution in manageable and affordable steps.

Ella Street was mentioned.

There are portions with no walks along which school children must walk in the street during the morning rush hour.

Coe Street also was brought up. Youngsters on the way to and from Hedges-Boyer Park find themselves competing with cars for the pavement.

Residents from the various corners of the city could add to such problem areas.

The city really does need to work out an overall solution to its sidewalk disrepair.

But it doesn't have to be accomplished in one action.

Taking a first step toward dealing with the worst of the problems is a fine way to get started.

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