For years, city officials have lamented the deteriorating condition of the sidewalks along Wheeling Hill, where crumbling concrete have made the stretch along National Road unsafe for pedestrians. The problem is not new — it’s been studied, debated, and deferred for more than 20 years. But while proposals have come and gone, the reality remains: The city’s failure to prioritize infrastructure spending there has left one of its main thoroughfares — a link between downtown and Fulton — in embarrassing disrepair.

City leaders now find themselves exploring, once again, whether the West Virginia Division of Highways might join in a project to relocate the sidewalk to the uphill side of the road — an option that could have been implemented years ago had the city been willing to commit resources. Instead, Wheeling’s elected leaders have OK’d millions to solving the homeless crisis — money that has led to no measurable improvement. All the while sidewalks, streets and retaining walls have continued to crumble.

It is worth asking: What message does a closed, decaying sidewalk on Wheeling Hill send to visitors entering the city? This stretch of National Road should showcase progress, not neglect.

City leaders are right to press for a renewed partnership with the DOH, but they also must take a hard look inward. Had the city’s financial priorities been aligned with the needs of its residents and businesses instead of misdirected social programs with little to no accountability, this problem might already be solved.

It’s time for the city to refocus its spending where it counts — on the basics that keep Wheeling safe and functional. There’s a lot of positives happening right now — it’s time to put the focus on how we grow in the future.