Public Works Completed Reconstruction of 11,000 Damaged Sidewalk Locations Inventoried in City’s Sidewalk Repair Program

The Department of Public Works has finished the reconstruction of 11,000 of the 18,000 known damaged sidewalk locations in the city.

“We are probably about 60 percent complete. We probably need $8 million additional to complete everything on our list,” Kris Markarian from the department said at the recent Municipal Services Committee meeting. 

In 2015, over 18,000 sidewalk locations were inventoried as part of the city’s American Disability Act (ADA) Sidewalk Improvement Program.

The program received $12.9 million from the general fund and $3.9 million from the Community Development Block Grant fund. 

Areas prioritized for construction include high traffic volume streets, high pedestrian routes, highest vertical deviation of sidewalk and areas subject to ADA related citizen complaints.

Historically, the city’s sidewalk repair methods have focused on temporary asphalt patching and subsequently complete replacement. 

Due to the increases in construction costs, it has become challenging for the department to keep up with the repairs citywide.

As a result, staff has started using sidewalk grinding and saw cutting methods in addition to full replacement of sidewalk panels to address more deficient sidewalk locations.

Markarian advised the city to prioritize the reconstruction of the damaged sidewalks sooner rather than later due to escalating construction costs. 

“About 5 years ago we were looking at $7 to 8 per square foot for repair, reconstruction of the sidewalk. Today it’s $10 to 11 so it’s a 25% increase and still trending upwards,” Markarian said. 

“Any dollars we spent more today will help us save down the line.”

Aside from the Annual ADA Sidewalk Improvement, the city’s sidewalk repair programs also include the Citizen Service Center Requests.

As per the public works report, the city receives an average of 500 sidewalk repair requests from residents every year. 

Also part of the city’s sidewalk repair programs is the Sidewalk Repairs via Private Capital.

To submit a repair request, download the App: Pasadena Citizen Service Center or call: 626-744-7311