Mayor Kenney Addresses Construction Site Issues In Q&A Session
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mayor Kenney held a wide-ranging question-and-answer session with small business people and entrepreneurs about the beverage tax, the budget, immigration, and President Donald Trump.
He even addressed a more "pedestrian" issue.
The snow and ice buildup only adds insult to injury, according to one of the participants at the Center City Proprietors Association gathering.
He was griping about blocked sidewalks at construction sites in Center City, where no one is able to walk in a straight line from block to block.
Mayor Kenney acknowledges construction companies are often guilty of "unilaterally taking the sidewalk."
"And the first sign of that is the crime scene tape. That's the first sign of 'there's no permit, here,'" Kenney said.
The mayor says his administration is trying to put into place regulations to prevent construction companies from taking away sidewalks longer than necessary.
"Our schedule of being pedestrians cannot be held hostage to your schedule of completing your projects," Kenney said.
Kenney admits to calling his Licenses & Inspections Commissioner, David Perri, "40-times a week" to complain and have L&I lean on construction companies for taking advantage of the situation.
"It's really kind of rude, like they're saying "what we're doing is more important than your safety.' And, that's got to stop," said Kenney.
The Mayor says there's no excuse for not having covered walkways, or at the least, Jersey barriers.
