KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Unplowed walkways and sidewalks has made everyday life nearly impossible for the disabled.

"I couldn't get out of the street until I figured out that I had to climb on my hands and knees across a bank of snow," blind Kansas City resident Shelia Styron said.

Unshoveled sidewalks force Styron, a California native, and her guide dog, Gretchen, to take an alternative mode of transportation because she can't use her regular resources.

"This year I'm unable to walk to bus stops, I'm unable to walk to local businesses, which I frequent," Stryron said. "I can't even walk to my bank, which is three blocks away."

Letiah Fraser said snow-blocked cutouts made a shoveled sidewalk useless.

"I know these are going to slide," Fraser said. "You'd have to actually climb up it, which is scary for me ... you just do it because you have to."

A Kansas City Public Works spokesperson said businesses and residents are responsible for clearing sidewalks near their properties, but added there are no workers designated to enforcing the city mandate. The disabled community, in turn, loses right of way on much of their "roads."

"I do believe the cities and municipalities should bear some of the burden of responsibility for pedestrians being able to go where they need to go," Styron said.