Rubber Sidewalks Most Adored Item In Nation

Be it helping old ladies across the street or regulating food carts, City Council’s fine public servants always seem to have our best interests in mind. But Jim Kenney’s ideas top them all: Rubber sidewalks.

Somehow, this is in the news again — he’s talked about it before — but no matter. As the website for Rubbersidewalks says, “Everyone likes Rubbersidewalks.

Want to know how big Jim Kenney’s plan for rubber sidewalks in the City of Philadelphia? It made it to a South African newspaper column called “Wacky in the USA.” (I’m not quite sure why this idea is so wacky or odd; doesn’t this make perfect sense?)

The company says rubber sidewalks are more durable, are made completely of recycled tires, work better with trees and are still rather hard. (”Not like the Bud Light commercial,” Kenney said.) And over the long run, they’re cheaper. But the main advantage Kenney brought up is rubber sidewalks eliminate slip-and-falls, leading to thousands of dollars in savings from lawsuits. It’s always the lawyers who have to get things done, one way or another.

Rubber Sidewalks for Philadelphia? Stop Laughing and Read This [KYW 1060]
Feb. 5: Jim Kenney To Allow Us To Bounce To Work

Jim Kenney To Allow Us To Bounce To Work

Less than a week after Jim Kenney proposed to change the rules to make it easier for Bob Brady to win the mayor’s race, he’s already found his way back into our hearts and minds.

KYW 1060 reports Kenney is seriously interested in rubber sidewalks for our fair city.

(On a side note, the Wikipedia entry for sidewalk is fantastic due to this: “A sidewalk (chiefly North American English), pavement (British English and Philadelphia dialect)…” That there’s a whole entry on the Philly accent — thanks, Bill Labov! — is totally awesome too.)

But back to rubber sidewalks. Oh, man, how awesome would that be. I can only assume rubber sidewalks are sort of the pavement (pronounced ‘pay-ment’) equivalent of flubber, allowing us to hop 50 feet in the air and traverse large distances in a single bound. Forget you, Segway!

Okay, so maybe it doesn’t work like that. Let’s have Councilman Kenney explain:

“It’s a very solid material. Probably harder than a running track. Certainly not a trampoline. Not like the Bud Light commercial, where they’re banging the bottles off the ground.”

Yes, our City Councilman referenced an ad he probably saw during an Eagles game to explain rubber sidewalks to us. Nonetheless, rubber sidewalks last longer than cement, isn’t as slippery and is made from old tires. (Recycling!)

It’s a great idea. Which means as soon as Kenney’s bill ending campaign contribution limits passes, Local 592 would be able to spend as much money as it wants to tell Bob Brady about the so-called “benefits” of rubber sidewalks.

We’ll see ‘em in around 2047.

Councilman Suggests Rubber Sidewalks For Philadelphia [KYW 1060]
Archives: Jim Kenney