Sidewalk Program
The City is committed to providing safe, convenient facilities for pedestrians. Sidewalk is typically the safest way for pedestrians to travel up and down a street. Sidewalk is installed on all new streets in the City and evaluated for installation on existing streets with no current sidewalk.
New installation is prioritized near activity centers like parks, schools & businesses where pedestrian volume is higher. Sidewalks are typically 5 feet wide for low-volume pedestrian areas and up to 10-15 feet wide for high volume pedestrian areas.
New sidewalks are paid for by the adjacent owner and repaired sidewalks are cost shared on a 50 percent city, 50 percent adjacent owner.
Sidewalk Repair
The City inspects and repairs the entire City of Madison sidewalk system over a ten-year basis. The City may order repairs to sidewalk if the sidewalk is broken, heaved to create a tripping hazard or does not drain properly.
New Sidewalk Construction
Each year the City receives requests to install new sidewalk sections in areas of high pedestrian demand. The City will design, contract, and inspect construction of new sidewalk construction throughout the City.
Sidewalks as part of Street Reconstruction or Resurfacing Projects
When a street reconstruction or resurfacing project is designed, it will be evaluated for sidewalk design. Areas with existing sidewalk will be surveyed to make sure curb ramps follow ADA guidelines. Areas with no existing sidewalk will be evaluated for construction of new sidewalk.