Dallas, TX
Dallas sidewalks are by the people, for the people
A couple of summers ago, Dallas resident Melody Townsel swerved around a sign left in the middle of a sidewalk in her neighborhood of the Cedars.
“My wheels went off the wheelchair. I fell into the fence, and ended up badly injured — broke a pair of glasses, I separated my shoulder, and I’m still feeling the aftereffects of that,” Townsel said. “And there’s no one to blame, nothing to do.”
In Dallas, it can take people stumbling upon unsafe and hazardous conditions to alert the city to its sidewalk problems. Since October 2020, residents have reported more than 5,000 hazardous sidewalk conditions citywide to Dallas’ 311 system.
“I think unless you walk with me on a sidewalk, you don’t realize how completely impassable they are,” Townsel said. “It’s everywhere, all the time.”
Sidewalk obstructions like overgrown bushes and utility poles often block Townsel’s path as she makes her way through the city, sometimes forcing her to use her wheelchair in the street. Dallas relies on residents to report obstructions like these through its 311 program.
“Dallas is not a proactive city,” said Uptown resident Alex Stine. “It is a reactive city, and a poorly reactive city at that.”
As a business-to-business salesperson and Uber driver, Richardson resident Adam Sharkey spends hours on Dallas roads each week. He’s filed more than 1,000 311 requests in the last six months, ranging from pothole repairs to reports of unsafe sidewalk conditions.
Once he sends in a request, Sharkey said, he receives email updates from various city agencies as they work to solve the problem. The updates have given him insight into the way the city operates.
Replacement is residents’ responsibility
“What a lot of people don’t realize,” Sharkey said, “is that in Dallas, the responsibility of the sidewalk falls to the property owner, not the city.”
City ordinance states that property owners are responsible for repairing hazardous conditions or replacing damaged sidewalks on their property. Recently, Sharkey reported a section of the sidewalk by Greenville Avenue and SMU Boulevard that had completely caved in, in the hope that the Code Compliance department would reach out to the adjacent apartment complex and have them fix it.
Instead, what followed was a chain of emails from the Code Compliance and Transportation and Public Works departments debating who was responsible for the sidewalk. Code Compliance had determined that the sidewalk was beyond the apartment’s property line, Sharkey said, which placed the sidewalk under the care of Transportation and Public Works.
“But then public works kicked it back to code enforcement and said, ‘Well, even if it’s not on their property, they’re still the benefiting party because they’re the closest property, and therefore it’s still their legal responsibility.’” Sharkey explained. “They’ve actually been kicking that back and forth for weeks.”
One reason damaged sidewalks might go unrepaired, Sharkey said, is because people don’t want to pay to fix something they are not sure they are required to. And even if code enforcement wanted to proactively make all property owners fix their sidewalks, he added, they don’t have the resources for the required enforcement and follow-up. This can get expensive, depending on the scale of the project.
“If somebody’s got a home that’s worth, you know, $220,000 and you ask them to spend eight grand to fix the sidewalk in front of their house, that’s 4% of the value of their home,” Sharkey said. “Now, that same size lot in Lower Greenville, the house is probably worth $1.7 million. To ask somebody with a home worth $1.7 million to go find eight grand to fix the sidewalk — they might be able to get that cash by refinancing their mortgage if they don’t have it.”
Owners of single-family homes, including condos, townhomes and single-family rentals, can split the cost of replacing their sidewalks with the city through Dallas’ Sidewalk Replacement Program.
City programs relieve some financial pressure
For program participants, the city secures all necessary permits for replacement, with all workmanship guaranteed for one year, according to the Transportation and Public Works department. Assessment and cost estimation can take up to three months. After payment is received, it can take another three to nine months for the replacement to be completed, according to the city.
Not all residents who apply to the Sidewalk Replacement Program end up moving forward, which contributes to the program’s low completion rates. Residents may end up declining participation in the program, the city said, or choose to use a private contractor to complete their work. One reason for this may be that, even with the cost sharing program, sidewalk replacements can still be prohibitively expensive.
In 2021, the city completed the Sidewalk Master Plan, a comprehensive proposal to improve Dallas’ sidewalks. After attending the council briefing on the plan, City Council member Jesse Moreno posted on Facebook that “the biggest takeaway from everyone is we can’t keep the 50%-50% responsibility on sidewalks,” referencing the city’s Sidewalk Replacement Program. “That has to change if we want our city to be more equitable.”
“Realistically,” said mobility advocate Heather McNair, president of BikeDFW, “the people that can afford to do the 50-50 split, generally speaking, are not the people that are the most impacted when the sidewalks are not traversable.”
These kinds of projects, McNair said, are most needed in areas with higher concentrations of seniors or people with disabilities. These are often people on fixed incomes that might not be able to shoulder the cost of a replacement. Dallas has worked toward a solution: about a third of all sidewalk replacements completed last year were funded by the city through a program specifically for low-income senior citizens.
Still, what has puzzled McNair about the city’s approach to sidewalk maintenance is asking individual residents to cover half the price of something that is “really public property.”
“I would argue — I can’t go out and block a sidewalk with my car or with a piece of furniture,” she said. “I can’t fence in a sidewalk. So if I can’t do these things, then is it really a part of my private property?”
Ideally, McNair said, sidewalks would be treated like streets, with the financial responsibility for taking care of them borne by the city and distributed among all residents who benefit from them.
“When we have areas that are public access,” she said, “that’s generally something that we anticipate is going to be maintained by those that are putting it in.”
But this approach would require billions of dollars in funding that the city doesn’t have. Finding the budget for this, McNair said, is likely where the city will hit a wall.
In the meantime, she said, increasing transparency can help show residents that the city is making progress despite bumps in the road.
A sidewalk ‘pizza tracker’?
Daisy Fast, the director of 311, said the main complaint she gets from residents is that the city doesn’t seem to be taking any action on their requests. One of her main goals has been to build what she calls a “pizza tracker” for 311 users.
Whether they submit requests over the phone, the app or online, 311 users can opt in to receive updates at every step of the way — like Domino’s does with its pizza tracking system. Right now, the system requires that users register to receive these updates, which can pose a problem to residents who may prefer to remain anonymous.
“Fear of retaliation is a reality, you know. Especially here in the Hispanic population,” Fast said, “there’s fear that, you know, if I submit a service request that, like, somehow the city’s going to, you know, find out my identity, or whoever I’m complaining on is going to, you know, find out.”
Another issue Fast noted is that 311 fields complaints that are immediately solvable by city employees, such as requests for temporary repairs, right alongside requests that take more time, like sidewalk replacements.
Fast considered only allowing residents to submit requests that city officials were confident would be completed within, for example, a two-week span. This would mean residents would no longer be able to submit long-term requests, but would gain confidence in the city’s ability to complete requests quickly.
“The negative side of that,” Fast said, “is, well, then we’re not going to have the data that [the Transportation and Public Works department] needs to build out their bond program.”
Data is what allows the city to understand where to funnel its resources, showing it what’s succeeding and what’s not.
In June 2025, the city exhausted available funds for the Sidewalk Replacement Program due to higher demand than anticipated. The city said it anticipates council action early next year to resume the program. In the meantime, property owners can still submit 311 requests to have temporary repairs made to their sidewalks.
Since the program went on pause, about 270 residents have asked to be added to the waitlist.
The Dallas Mayor’s Summer of Safety initiative is back for a fifth year.
The program aims at keeping Dallas residents ages 13-17 safe and out of trouble during the summer months by offering free or low-cost access to programs and attractions that might otherwise be out of reach for them and their families.
Several city departments partner for Summer of Safety, including Dallas ISD, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas Public Library and Dallas Park and Recreation.
John Jenkins, who leads the city’s park and recreation department, named off some of the more popular destinations featured in the popular ‘All Access Pass: “Arboretum, Trinity River Audubon Center, Holocaust Museum, Southern Skates Roller Rink, Perot Museum. New venues this year are Dave and Buster’s, Dallas Love Field and the State Fair of Texas.”
The website detailing each program is now up and running, but keep in mind the estimated all access passes distributed across the city’s rec centers will not be available for pick up until June 30, according to the website.
Dallas ISD is also taking on the responsibility of providing students a place to go during the day, according to Dr. Pamela Lear, Dallas ISD Deputy Superintendent.
“In June and July, Dallas ISD is offering fun and engaging summer opportunities, learning opportunities, offering everything from camps focused on cheer, mariachi and robotics,” she said during Monday’s photo opportunity.
Curbing summer crime is also top of mind as Dallas prepares for the FIFA World Cup.
The host city is set to welcome thousands of visitors from across the world to downtown Dallas and Fair Park.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux was asked how DPD plans to increase visibility to keep youth and fans safe during the busy summer months.
“We’re really looking at some of the extras, like the mounting unit, we have more horses that’s going to be available this year,” said Comeaux. “We just purchased eight new horses. They’re in training right now, and hopefully you’ll see them walking the streets a little bit more. We added some additional motor units. So we’re going to have more officers on motorcycles out there”.
For more information about the Mayor’s Summer of Safety program, click here.
Aiming for a modern-yet-retro look, Whataburger is reviving its iconic A-frame. Sort of.
The Texas burger chain is introducing two new prototype store designs, each of which is “grounded in the brand’s heritage but built for how [customers] experience Whataburger today,” the company says. The designs will be incorporated into newly built locations.
One of the prototypes, called The Legacy, reintroduces the classic A-frame shape, but with a modern twist, on the exterior of a 3,000-square-foot store and enlarges the dining room, the company says. The new A-frame treatment maintains “the unmistakable Whataburger look with bold architectural updates,” says the burger chain, but it takes up far less space than the original version.
The other prototype, called The Essential, leans into the iconic orange-and-white striped scheme on the exterior of a 2,000-square-foot restaurant.
The Essential design features the iconic orange-and-white striped scheme.Rendering courtesy of Whataburger
In 2020, Whataburger debuted its first refreshed store in South San Antonio, de-emphasizing the familiar A-frame, adding more glass around the front of the building, updating the décor, and retooling the kitchen. In the six years since, most of Whataburger’s original A-frame-adorned “flying W” stores have switched to new formats, and all newly built locations have incorporated modern designs.
Among other changes coming to new Whataburger restaurants are:
- Warmer spaces featuring natural wood tones, more glass, and modern materials to “create a more open, welcoming environment.”
- Updated layouts with flexible seating and dedicated areas for mobile orders and third-party order pickups.
“The result is a space that feels like Whataburger from the moment you pull in, with a few thoughtful updates to make every visit even better. It’s all about honoring the brand’s roots while making room for what’s next,” the company says.
The new prototypes will debut in Texas and then be rolled out in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Construction is set to start later this year, and store openings are expected in early 2027.
Whataburger, founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi, operates more than 1,100 restaurants in 17 states, with the bulk of them in Texas.
Compassion does not wait for perfect conditions. It does not pause for bureaucratic gridlock, nor does it ask for permission to act. It simply looks at the human condition and decides to intervene. In Dallas, this relentless brand of empathy has a name, a pulse and a vibrant color palette, largely thanks to the Rio Valley Relief Project and the two dynamic women steering its course: Jackie Claudet Mitterer and Cassie Stewart.
Together, they operate at the delicate intersection of human suffering and creative resilience. Their work is a testament to the idea that helping others is not just a logistical challenge, but an art form. By bridging the gap between those who need shelter, food or a welcoming hand, and a city eager to give, Mitterer and Stewart are proving that unity is built one quiet act of kindness at a time.
A mission rooted in nimble compassion
The Rio Valley Relief Project began as a response to acute human crises, providing support to refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced families arriving in the area. Over time, it has evolved into a sustainable force for community care. The organization thrives on its ability to adapt. Whether they are stocking food pantries or setting up apartments for new arrivals, the goal remains fiercely simple.
“It’s helping people feel connected enough to care and then giving them a way to help,” Mitterer tells the Observer. “We’re good about looking at the human needs in front of us and shifting and pivoting where we need to.”
Stewart, whose background in the school system deeply informs her approach to the project, echoes this sentiment. The focus is always on the families and the tangible realities they face daily.
“A lot of it comes from staying close to the families that we serve,” Stewart says. “I can lean into that community and the partnerships and the creative thinkers around me, and that’s usually where the most resourceful solutions come from for me, for us.”
Weathering the political storm
Providing relief in Texas is rarely just about logistics. It’s inherently tied to the shifting sands of border policies and political climates. Both women acknowledge the hurdles that come with their chosen path, yet they refuse to let changing laws paralyze their mission.
“Some of the policies over the past several years have made the work harder,” Stewart admits. She notes that the shifting landscape “has increased suffering for families that we care about, but the need doesn’t go away.”
Even as migration patterns fluctuate, the requirement for human dignity remains constant.
“Policies change,” Stewart says. “And now we’re finding ourselves in a different situation where people are coming. It’s slowed dramatically.”
To combat this, the duo focuses on building long-term infrastructure rather than just applying temporary bandages.
“We’re beginning to be more intentional about creating consistent support systems, especially in schools and with families, so that what we’re doing isn’t just reactive but lasting,” Stewart shares. “We’ve both worked in the school system, so we feel a draw to that as well and have connections there.”
The canvas of service
For Mitterer, the drive to serve is woven into her DNA, inextricably linked to her own family history and her life as a creator. She views her artistic endeavors and her humanitarian work as two sides of the same coin.
“My way to connect is through service,” she says. “I am a daughter of immigrants. I am the granddaughter of immigrants to so many places. There is migration in my story forever.”
Service, she admits with a refreshing dose of honesty, is mutually beneficial.
Courtesy of the Rio Valley Relief Project
“In my case, it keeps me centered,” Mitterer says.”My head is a trip. My soul is happy. Art and service center me. My mother, she and I will say it is self-serving. Give the good, the good part of myself.”
This profound connection to the human experience spills over into their view of everyday interactions: You do not need a grand platform to make a difference. Mitterer believes deeply in the micro-moments of empathy.
“You don’t need to have an organization and do a 501(c)(3),” she says. “It doesn’t need to be a perfect setting to be a helper. You just do something, invite a cup of tea, make a phone call, ask about how their day is going.”
Dallas: A unifying backdrop
The Rio Valley Relief Project does not exist in a vacuum. It draws its lifeblood from the generous, creative spirit of Dallas. Both women see the city not just as a location, but as an active participant in their work.
“Dallas is aware and values the creativity in people,” Mitterer says. “Dallas is perfect for that. There is so much to do and there is interest and it is a unifier.”
The duo has found that when they call on the community, it always answers.
“When we were setting up apartments, it’s amazing what people will gather for us. We get to be in the space where we see people show up, and it’s really great,” Mitterer says. “You see the loop full of artists, mural artists… it is becoming a scene. We can just be whoever we want and the way we want and be genuine… Dallas is fantastic in that way.”
It’s a city where, as she puts it, they can be “the quiet person who keeps showing up and doing the work. We hug and we hold space… We hold space for everybody.”
Through the Rio Valley Relief Project, Stewart and Mitterer remind us that service is not a rigid obligation. It’s a fluid, evolving practice of human connection. Whether they are coordinating resources for a disadvantaged school, setting up a living room for a displaced family or pressing vibrant mosaic tiles onto a canvas, they are building a masterpiece of community care.
“Come learn what we do. Laugh with us,” Mitterer invites. “And if you want to be part of it, come learn and do your thing. But do something if you can, when you can, how you can, however big or small.”
To learn more about the impactful work of the Rio Valley Relief Project and discover ways to contribute, visit their website.
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