Strolling Cooperstown sidewalks is a bumpy experience these days. There is scarcely a block on any of the village's 25 miles of sidewalks that is not marred with broken or missing pavement, invading tree roots, gaps or other impediments to safe transport by foot, stroller or wheelchair. Some areas seem to be inviting accidents.

The good news is that everyone agrees our sidewalks need to be fixed. The not so good news is how do we pay for it?

The sidewalks are in their current shape because of two main reasons. One, we live in a beautiful village of mature trees with mature root systems. While we will continue to treasure our trees for the shade, oxygen, sound insulation, wind breaks and magnificence they provide, we have to plan around their roots.

Two, as if anyone is not aware of it, it gets astonishingly cold in the Susquehanna Valley. The winters are more brutal here than they are even in Albany or New York City. Those extremes in temperature result in frost heave and some wicked gaps in our sidewalks.

The Village's 25 miles of sidewalks equals 132,000 feet of continual maintenance needs. Given that the current local budget allows for repairs to 2000 feet per year, we can all look forward to all sidewalks smooth and navigable in 66 years.

Noting that the average sidewalk needs repairs approximately every 15 years, the work crews will stay forever employed at $540 per cubic yard.

One of Cooperstown's glowing assets is its contained size (about 1.1 miles square) and its fundamental walkability due to its numerous sidewalks. A primary test of the livability of any community is the ease, safety and accessibility of walkways. Almost all of us of make use of our miles of pavement for recreation, exercise or simply getting from point A to point B. It is critically important that they exist and remain usable, whether by foot or on wheels.

Sidewalks, like all infrastructure components, require maintenance, and, as the Bard once said, "Ay, there's the rub." Safe sidewalks carry a particularly big ticket. How will the Village pay for it?

The sidewalk issue will be continued in the July 7, 2005 Footwork column.

Brenda Berstler is the founder of the Walking Example Group (WE-GO) a non-profit organization encouraging walking and walkable communities. Visit their website at www.we-go.org.