Investigation highlights major issue many cities aren't addressing: 'How much do we spend on roads again?'

Sidewalks save lives, but nearly half of them in this city are damaged.

The Houston Chronicle provided Redditors of r/Houston a data map to help them find out just how bad their sidewalks are.

The map is extensive, with over 6,000 miles of Houston sidewalks analyzed and categorized into good, fair, or poor condition. You can search for your neighborhood, or hover over an interactive map to see the breakdown. There's even an editable map for you to draw where you think Houston needs improved sidewalks the most.

The data reveals a startling statistic — almost 40% of Houston's sidewalks are only in fair or poor condition. That's thousands of miles of sidewalks that are "damaged or blocked by overgrown vegetation — or sometimes both," per the Chronicle's research.

Take this Houston sidewalk, for example, which abruptly ends for no reason.

Sidewalks are extremely important for pedestrian safety. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, "Roadways without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian crashes as sites with sidewalks on both sides of the street."

Watch now: What's the point of leaf blowing anyway?

They're also essential for accessibility, and a crumbling sidewalk doesn't make it easier for anyone to get around. The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center found that "65% of curb ramps and 48% of sidewalks were not accessible."

Despite the massive problem, not much is done about it, or at least not enough. Sidewalks are often considered the homeowner's responsibility, but they can be costly to repair. The sidewalks are left to crumble, and their benefits go down with them.

Many commenters argued the city should contribute more to sidewalk repair, or dedicate a section of taxpayer money specifically to increasing walkability.

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"So the city spends around $3 million a year on sidewalks," one user noted. "Someone remind me, how much do we spend on roads again?"

Another Redditor lamented they couldn't afford to fix their sidewalk, saying "My sidewalk in front of my home sucks, and it will stay that way. I can't afford $1,000+ to have it made better."

A third jokingly asked, "You guys have sidewalks?"