Dumb Design

A good example of "dumb design" and dumb design practices here in the U.S. is our sidewalks. They seem to be undersupplied to those in neighborhoods where car ownership rates are low (poorer neighborhoods), and ubiquitous in neighborhoods where you rarely see a person on foot. Leaving those who cannot afford car ownership walking through the mud and dirt while the affluent all drive by their lovely sidewalks, who serve no one. And not only are our sidewalks here socially unjust, they tend to be irrational at times. Only being poured or not poured because zoning codes mandate it, not because there is an expected volume of foot traffic or connectivity trying to be provided, resulting in things like this:
 
 
Another thing to be taken into account when looking at the social justice implications of american sidewalks is the ability of the disabled to use these paths. Imagine walking down one of these sidewalks as a blind person or trying to navigate your wheelchair through these...
 
The solution I propose to this problem is using pavers and/or bricks in the construction of our sidewalks. They solve many of the problems I have discussed as they are cheap and easy to install compared to pouring concrete. Also they can be installed in smaller segments which is desirable as communities grow, so the residents do not need to wait until there is a large enough section for the construction companies to be interested in the work. They could be recycled and reused if they are deemed unnecessary in a location. They are easier to repair than traditional sidewalks. And finally, a brick sidewalk would be water-permeable, allowing water to follow its natural path to the earth instead of evaporating, collecting pollutants, and washing down into our storm and sewage water.