Durham needs better sidewalks. All the projects would take more than 100 years.

Some Durham residents believe having more safe spaces to walk would make the city better.

At recent public meetings, a group of residents has voiced their desire to make city streets safer and add more sidewalks.

“Help make Durham greener, safer, healthier, cheaper, denser, more equitable, more attractive to tourists, more loveable and more fun,” Durham resident Scott Carter told city leaders.

People who spoke at Monday’s budget public hearing are also asking city leaders to help make it better, safer and easier to cross streets.

“We can maintain streets like Mangum, Duke, Gregson, and Vickers where speeding is rampant, and crashes are frequent,” Durham resident John Hodges-Copple said.

The city needs $113 million to fulfill its sidewalk needs, according to public documents.

The documents show Durham has 21 different projects for new sidewalks. It includes 41 unique corridors and gaps, 31 miles of new sidewalk, 10 projects currently in the right of way and 10 others in design.

In last year’s audit, the city is adding about 2.5 miles of sidewalks each year. It will take the city about 170 years to build all the sidewalks needed, the audit found.

“As a longtime transportation advocate in the city, the No. 1 question I hear from people is, why does it take so long to get things done in Durham?” resident Erik Landfried said.

Landfried had a specific request for city leaders, urging them to allocate enough money to make streets safer.

“This year, my request is that the focus be on delivering the projects that will help lead to zero fatalities and serious injuries on Durham’s road ways,” Landfried said.

Allison Simpson shared her personal story on Monday night with Durham city councilmembers. Her husband, Matt, was hit and killed on his bike by a car in a crossing almost two years ago.

“Soon, our 3-year-old daughter will have been alive longer without her dad than with him, a thought I can almost not bear,” Simpson said. “I’m not sure where things stand, but the intersection remains the same since Matt was hit.”

Simpson and others called for investments in safer streets and free public transit.

“It has been my mission that I keep Matt's memory alive and do what I can to ensure our streets are safe for everyone,” Simpson said.

Other budget requests from Durham residents Monday night include higher pay for city workers, including police officers. They also asked for earmarked money to fix the issue of lead in parks.