What's Driving You Crazy: Car businesses vehicles blocking sidewalks

Car businesses block sidewalks by displaying vehicles! That's what's driving one viewer crazy this week.

Jaime O. said in an email sent to KFOX14,

Car dealers that park cars on sidewalks for display don't think about or care about pedestrians in the area, because they do this daily. I've even seen a person in a wheelchair riding on the street at Alameda and Delta next to the store at the corner. The cars parked on sidewalks are inches away from the street, sometimes over the curb.

KFOX14 took his concern to the El Paso Police Department, The City of El Paso and car businesses.

Driving down Alameda Avenue you could see numerous car businesses, and although our crews didn't see any vehicles physically blocking sidewalks one car dealer employee we spoke with tells us they receive guidance of where vehicles can be parked to display.

"We go to a yearly meeting and that question has been brought up as to where you can park your vehicles outside your property and we were instructed its behind any of the streetlights, telephone poles that run on Alameda," said Art Gallegos car business employee.

The Board President of Cars Plus, Ricardo Gardea said he also attends meetings held by the El Paso Independent Dealers Association but expressed concern about the condition on Alameda.

"I think that what they've got to do is put sidewalks all across Alameda all the way to the end of Alameda because there's some places where there's no sidewalk and the pedestrians have to walk almost on the highway and that's very dangerous," said Gardea.

The City of El Paso Assistant Director for the Capital Improvement Department, Alex Huffman said the Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for the sidewalks on Alameda but says the city does have future plans to improve the area.

"One of the things that we are looking at doing currently is to develop new zoning standards for this particular stretch of the city as well as some of our other older neighborhoods in order to improve the visual appearance of the properties," said Huffman.

If a sidewalk or pathway is being blocked a spokesperson for the El Paso Police Department said it's a Class C misdemeanor, which means a person or business can be charged a fine of up to $500.

"Once we get there, the officers get there, what we're going to do is we're going to ask the person that is blocking that sidewalk to either remove the items or item, and if they fail to do so, then what we normally do is issue a citation at that point," said Cisneros.

If you know of a sidewalk or pathway being blocked or see someone having trouble accessing the walkway you can report it calling the non-emergency number 915-832-4400.

If you have a topic you would like Diana to feature in her "What's Driving You Crazy?" segment send her an email at .