Find Posts By Topic

Safer Sidewalks for Seattle Neighborhoods

 
cracked sidewalk
A cracked, uneven sidewalk is unsafe. This is a sidewalk that has since been repaired, on E Louisa Street.

 

Tripping on a cracked, uneven sidewalk can result in serious injury. In Seattle, property owners are responsible for repairing the sidewalks next to their property, and the City is responsible for the sidewalks next to city facilities as well as curbs and pedestrian ramps. As funds are available, the Seattle Department of Transportation has been repairing walkways where they are most needed—near schools, bus stops, and other public services.

before repairs

E Louisa Street sidewalk before repairs

One of the sites where SDOT crews repaired sidewalks this winter is on East Luisa Street in the Eastlake Neighborhood, next to the TOPS K-8 School. Now there is a new, smooth sidewalk on East Louisa Street. This work was part of the SDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program, funded by Bridging the Gap, making the walk to school a little safer.

E Louisa Street sidewalk after repairs

SDOT has repaired the equivalent of eight miles of 6-foot wide sidewalks (250,000 square feet) since 2007 when funding first became available from the Bridging the Gap transportation initiative. That might sound like a lot of sidewalks, but it’s just scratching the surface, considering all the sidewalks there are in the city.

To learn more about fixing sidewalks, or to report a sidewalk needing repair:

• Sidewalk responsibilities of property owners (Scroll down to find Customer Assistance Memo 2208)
Report damaged sidewalks