Illustration by Jessica Turner.
Sidewalks are the eyebrows of the street: They go unnoticed until they’re not there.
Sidewalks improve safety for pedestrians and promote eco-friendly modes of transportation, like walking or biking.
So when there’s a lack of sidewalks, or they’re not connected or leveled, people might be nudged to use a car.
According to a 2021 survey, part of the Connect Dallas plan, 34% of residents said they often travel by walking, and 72% said they wanted to rely more on walking as a way to get around. One of the top reasons people gave for not walking more is that sidewalks aren’t connected.
It would cost $2 billion to repair half of the defective sidewalks in the city, according to a study commissioned by the City of Dallas last year.
Dallas counted over 4,500 miles of sidewalks at that time, including 319 miles in City Council District 1 and 395 miles in District 4, the most in the city; both districts are in Oak Cliff.
Also included in the City’s inventory was a count of the missing sidewalks, amounting to about 2,000 miles across Dallas, including 94 miles in District 1 and 162 miles in District 4.
The City leaves it up to homeowners to replace sidewalks and driveways when they become problematic. It’s in the City Code.
“When a sidewalk, driveway or any appurtenance to a sidewalk or driveway becomes defective, unsafe or hazardous, the abutting property owner shall reconstruct or repair the sidewalk, driveway or appurtenance,” according to section 43-63. “And the expense of such work must be borne by the abutting property owner.”
In 1985, the City Council approved a resolution to establish the replacement of curbs, gutters, sidewalks and drive approaches on a cost-participation basis. That is called the Sidewalk Replacement Program, and it is available to all single-family residences, including townhomes and condominiums. About 11,860 residents have taken advantage of the program, a City spokesperson says.
Property owners pay for the drive approach removal and replacement. But for existing sidewalk removal and replacement, the City splits the cost 50-50.
The City procures necessary permits, and there’s a one-year warranty on workmanship. It takes two or three months for the City to inspect a property and provide a quote. After homeowners pay, the project could be completed in three to nine months, depending on demand.
To take advantage of the program, call 214.948.4127 or 214.948.4287.
