City leaders are taking new steps to fix crumbling sidewalks, adopting a policy Tuesday that shifts more of the cost and responsibility onto the City — a move officials say will make repairs faster, simpler, and less expensive for residents.
The update modifies the City’s Sidewalk Policy and Construction and Maintenance Plan, first created in 2016, and follows recommendations from the Sidewalk Committee aimed at improving how repairs are prioritized and completed across the city.
City Manager Nate Pagan said the City has traditionally repaired sidewalks one neighborhood at a time, prioritizing work within a single Neighborhood Alliance before moving on to the next. When repair requests came in from outside those designated areas, residents could enter a cost-share partnership in which they paid for labor while the City provided the concrete and materials.
“That typically results in an approximate 20% City and 80% resident cost share,” Pagan said. “However, very few residents take a step on this program.”
The revised policy changes that arrangement. Instead of requiring residents to find and hire a contractor, the City will use its own contractor and allow residents to pay an agreed-upon percentage of the cost. Pagan said the Sidewalk Committee will set that percentage each year, depending on available funding.
“It’s anticipated to be more advantageous, potentially a 50-50 split or even better, with the City paying the lion’s share of the cost,” Pagan said. “By using the City contractor, the burden of hiring and managing the contractor is removed from the resident and placed on the City.”
Pagan said he hopes the change encourages more residents to participate, leading to faster improvements across the City.
Under the updated plan, the City will continue to prioritize repairs in the most deteriorated areas while also allowing exceptions for urgent needs, such as high pedestrian traffic or proximity to schools. The Sidewalk Committee will also oversee cost-share percentages, condition assessments, and appeals.
