GALVESTON, Texas – For years, some elderly residents near the 2800 block of 61st Street in Galveston have been forced into a dangerous choice: navigate a badly damaged sidewalk or walk in a 40-mph street.
The culprit? Several inches of raised, broken concrete that has made the sidewalk essentially impassable — for anyone using a wheelchair, pushing a cart, or simply trying to get from point A to point B safely.
“It’s been like this for years,” said Shari Latif, a Galveston resident who first flagged the problem to 2 Helps You. “There are a lot of seniors that pass by — going to the store or other places. But how do you pass by on this side? You’re pushing a cart — you can’t get past.”
The stretch sits near the seawall, on a street heavily used by residents trying to get on and off the island. For those with limited mobility, the damage isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a safety threat.
Donna Reading, an elderly resident, put it plainly: “If I’m in a wheelchair, I don’t go down this way — because if I did, I’d have to go out in the street, and that is not very safe.”
Rochelle Snowden, another elderly neighbor, described the daily tradeoff: “I have to go in the street anytime I want to go to the seawall this way. But that’s not safe. I know — but what is the option?”
For Sheila King, avoidance became the only answer. “I haven’t been down that way in about six months,” she said. “Because of that sidewalk. Because of that, yeah — because I get scared. I’ve had people honk at me and stuff like that. But that’s no way to live.”
Latif reached out to 2 Helps You weeks ago. Before coming out, we asked her to make calls directly to the city and to stay persistent. She did. We came anyway — because for too many residents here, the feeling was something deeper than frustration.
When asked if she felt forgotten, Reading didn’t hesitate: “Yeah.”
Here’s the good news: The fix is now in the works.
The apartment complex behind the damaged stretch confirmed to 2 Helps You that they are responsible for the repairs — and that work is set to begin as soon as possible. Management was also made aware of Latif’s complaints, which were part of what prompted action.
2 Helps You is committed to staying on this story until the repairs are complete.
Have a problem you need help solving? Reach out to Investigator Mario Diaz at the 2 Helps You Team.