Decatur residents invest millions of tax dollars in the installation and maintenance of sidewalks, but often pedestrians find themselves in situations where residential landscaping has grown over the sidewalk or slippery leaves and landscape debris make the passage unsafe. Overgrown landscaping can also limit the visibility at intersections for drivers which can lead to accidents.
Homeowner Responsibility
Per City code, residents are responsible for:
- Upkeep and de-littering of their property all the way to the curb.
- Prune all plants to behind the edge of the sidewalk.
- Ensure there is at least 7 feet of clearance above so pedestrians can easily navigate the sidewalk.
- Clear debris and vegetation from sidewalks in front of your home.
Sidewalk Maintenance
Each year, the City contracts with a local vendor to remove vertical separations between sidewalk panels. The City also programs sidewalk panel replacements and curb ramp upgrades along the existing sidewalk network. Sidewalk maintenance projects are prioritized based on Safe Route to School corridors and pedestrian volumes. Due to the amount of maintenance requests and the annual sidewalk budget, only a fraction of the locations can be addressed each year.
New Construction
The City is responsible for sidewalk design and capital improvement construction projects. A longstanding goal for the City is to have at least one sidewalk on every street. Sidewalk design and construction projects are prioritized and programmed based on Safe Route to School Routes, corridor speed limit, presence of existing sidewalk, nearby traffic generators such as State Routes, and nearby pedestrian activity generators such as parks, schools, transit, and commercial nodes. If a sidewalk is programed for your street:
- Sidewalk design will include public involvement
- Stormwater, trees, driveway aprons, and parking concerns will be included in the design process
- The City is not responsible for replacing decorative landscaping in the right-of-way
- Residents are responsible for the relocation of sprinkler systems located in the right-of-way
Sidewalk Requirements for New & Re-Development
The City requires all new structures and substantial improvements, both commercial and residential, to provide a sidewalk and landscape buffer. For more information regarding sidewalk requirements, visit the DEC webpage.
Current Projects
- S Columbia Multi-Use Trail design and construction
- Derrydown Way (east), Garden Lane, and Shadowmoor Drive sidewalk design
- S McDonough Street, Sycamore Drive, & W Howard Avenue vertical separation maintenance