The city of Atlanta is stepping up to take care of our sidewalk system for the first time in over four decades. This is good for both residents and visitors.
With legislation initiated by Councilwoman Mary Norwood and passed July 20, the Atlanta City Council agreed to fund sidewalk repairs each year. The money will come from the Infrastructure Bond and the Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvement account. In addition, council members may use funds allocated for infrastructure improvements, and the Complete Streets program will continue to include sidewalks.
Abutting property owners remain responsible for sidewalk maintenance and repair. But the city is also now authorized to use public funds for sidewalk repairs. It would be ideal if the city took on complete responsibility for maintaining our sidewalk system. This legislation is a first step in that direction.
The new ordinance requires the Department of Public Works to set priorities to determine which sidewalks will be repaired first. The priority system still has to be defined. For instance, it can prioritize on connectivity as well as access to facilities such as day care and senior centers, hospitals, schools, parks and other destinations. A public prioritization policy is about clean government. Once the priorities are defined, sidewalk repair projects can be selected under a consistent and fair system.
The new ordinance requires the city to report on all sidewalk repairs by location, responsible party and the dollar amount of each repair. For the first time, the city can be held accountable for following its prioritization policy, providing value with our sidewalk maintenance dollars and delivering a safe, connected sidewalk system.
Atlanta’s costs per sidewalk repair have been high. The city could not plan repairs efficiently because it would not accept responsibility. It had no dedicated sidewalk crews or equipment. It could not prioritize or coordinate repairs. Its contracting process was so complex that it added layers of cost. At the same time, because of liability and other concerns, the city kept property owner repairs bogged down in red tape, making it expensive and difficult for property owners to repair sidewalks.
Even so, the city has been vulnerable to liability claims. Although the city claims abutting property owners are liable when pedestrians are hurt by broken sidewalks, under the Federal ADA law the City is required to have accessible sidewalks. As a result, Atlanta spends more on legal claims for sidewalk hazards than it does on sidewalk maintenance.
Under the new ordinance, the Department of Public Works has the tools to deliver sidewalk repairs efficiently and cost-effectively. An annual budget and managed repair process mean the department can lower repair costs. Legal costs should also go down as the condition of our sidewalks improves.
The revised ordinance enables the city to improve sidewalk infrastructure without putting the city at financial risk. It enables people who want pedestrian access to lobby every year for more sidewalk budget dollars. This is as it should be.
This city council and this administration are the first in over 40 years to figure out a path forward for a popular and much-needed sidewalk system. This is a significant achievement for Atlanta.
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