Amidst the constant “hustle and bustle” of Larchmont-Mamaroneck traffic on Rockland and Weaver, these congested streets feature worn pathways for pedestrian walking, and both streets’ bridges over the bustling I-95 highway and Metro-North Railroad tracks are in poor condition.

A landscape of crumbling concrete, hazardous blind turns and narrow walkways constructs the perilous journey for students walking to and from their schools. These hazards pose great health risks to Mamaroneck High School (MHS) students, and thus urgent action must be taken to implement safe pedestrian walkways.

As a resident of Larchmont “Gardens,” myself, my friends and I have begrudgingly trekked over I-95 and the Metro-North Railroad tracks, using the Rockland Street sidewalks. On one such occasion, a car came very close to hitting my friend Eva Ilieva, before we had rounded a blind bend in the road. Where we had been standing, the sidewalk was illustrated using a simple white painted line rather than elevated, concrete slabs. This walkway solution makes it almost impossible for drivers to differentiate between the street and where the pedestrians are supposed to walk.

Eva Ilieva (’26) recounts that“the car came out of nowhere, almost clipping the backs of our backpacks… The car was too fast for the narrow road [Rockland Avenue], and I felt frightened considering there were no sidewalks to walk on.”

The poor quality of Rockland Avenue sidewalks put Ilieva in danger; it is essential that students have access to safe sidewalks as they commute to and from school each day.

According to the Town of Mamaroneck, the sidewalks are replaced annually “in conjunction with the road resurfacing program.” This means that the Town of Mamaroneck is responsible for the conditions of sidewalks and ensuring that they are safe. In order to make necessary repairs, the Town should analyze sidewalk infrastructure for fractured concrete, and then implement new sidewalk sections as needed.

Furthermore, the Town should consider implementing sidewalk expansion in order to provide wider walkways for pedestrians on these streets. Since Rockland Street gets quite narrow, new road signs should be implemented in order to warn pedestrians and guide them safely to their destination.

These essential modifications would reduce the risk of student-car collisions, as well as improve student safety on Rockland and Weaver street. Repairing pedestrian pathways can increase the number of students who feel comfortable walking to school. This excellent form of exercise benefits student’s cardiovascular health, improves their sleep quality and can boost mental well-being by producing endorphins, natural mood lifters. Walking can also have beneficial effects on the environment, as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions produced by cars. Walking additionally encourages students to engage in social interactions, which can strengthen their relationships.

In order to keep students safe and benefit students’ physical, mental and emotional health, the Town should prioritize repairing pedestrian pathways.