Sidewalk Safety

Sidewalk Safety

The goal of the Sidewalk Safety Program is to repair and replace hazardous sidewalks over time. The City has a responsibility to ensure that sidewalks are maintained for the community as a whole, including upgrading corners to provide curb ramps for accessibility, maintaining new public alley approaches, and repairing sidewalks in the public right-of-way.

The effort to ensure sidewalks are maintained in safe condition is shared by property owners. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks and driveway approaches next to their property's frontage. Chapter 2.15 of the City's Municipal Code establishes property owners' responsibility for repair and their liability in case of an accident.

In order to assist in making consistent and timely repairs to sidewalks in the community, the City created and conducts an annual Sidewalk Safety Program. The City has been divided into several geographic “sidewalk districts” for the purposes of the program. Each year, a sidewalk district is surveyed for sidewalks in need of repairs. The repair criteria are specific, to ensure consistent application in every situation. Once the problem sidewalks are identified, those requiring removal and replacement are typically packaged together and put out to bid, with the bid going to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder, in accordance with State of Oregon purchasing and contracting guidelines. Minor repairs, such as grinding down tripping hazards, are typically undertaken by City staff separately over the course of the year.  The City charges a monthly Sidewalk Maintenance Fee on utility bills which provides an annual source of funding to do this work, and the City will repair defects each year within the scheduled district up to the amount of funding available.

SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE FEE -- EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 2024

$2.00 per utility account (all property types)

Related Links

To report a sidewalk hazard please utilize Report A Problem

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