Sidewalk Design and Construction
About Sidewalk Design and Construction
City Council established a process for requesting new sidewalks. The policy was established in 2012 and revised in 2015. The Council resolution can be found at this link: Resolution-2015-32
City Council requires that new sidewalk requests be approved by a majority of residents in a neighborhood in order for the City to begin design; neighbors must also approve designs prior to construction. Council sets the funding level for sidewalk construction annually and projects are placed in a queue for design and construction.
There are two ways to initiate a planning process for sidewalks.
- The request can be initiated by the City Council as a whole, an individual Councilmember, or the City Manager.
- The second method involves the public and can include a request by an active and recognized neighborhood association; or one or more residents of the affected area. (The affected area is defined as both sides on the block(s) where the sidewalk is desired as well as the adjacent block of the same street or cross streets)
City staff will review the request and determine the appropriate length of the proposed sidewalk, to ensure that it will function effectively and be in compliance with Federal and state regulations.
Once a request is received by any of the methods listed above, the City will schedule a community meeting.
- All households in the affected area will be mailed a notice notifying them of the meeting.
- The purpose of the meeting will be to provide factual information about the requirements for the size, location, and construction impacts of a sidewalk, and inform residents of the City’s planning process for new sidewalk requests.
- After the meeting, the City will mail a survey to the households in the affected area.
- If at least 50% of the responses received are positive, the project will be assigned to an engineering firm for development.
- The design development process will be dependent on funding and requests will be placed in a queue based on the date the request was received or the survey was completed.
Current Project Status
New Sidewalk Requests – Status
| Location | Status | Design Documents | Additional Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Lane (from Allegheny to Cockerille) | Received petition to make it a one way street. Public hearing to be scheduled. | – | – |
| Gude Avenue | Community Meeting, March 28, 2019 | Option 1 | Option 2 |
| Maple Avenue (7900 block) | Design development | – | – |
| Hopewell Avenue | Design development | – | – |
Table: Status of new sidewalk requests. Table maintained by the Public Works Department. (publicworks@takomaparkmd.gov)
Project Lead & Contact Info
Ian Chamberlain
Construction Manager
Phone: 301-891-7611
Email: IanC@takomaparkmd.gov
Sidewalk Design and Construction
Project Info & Timeline
- Target completion date: Ongoing
- Takoma Park’s role in project: Lead
- Departments involved: Public Works
Budget & Funding Source
Budget: FY19 $800,000 (To include new sidewalk and traffic calming)
Funding Source: General Fund
Links & Notes
None.
