Sidewalks

The city has approximately 100 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths throughout the city. 56% of the primary roads have sidewalks on both sides of the road. While the total number of sidewalks has not increased, sidewalks that are not in good condition are being replaced across the City.

Source: Ann Arbor Transportation Planning

Click here for a map (PDF) of pedestrian facilities (including sidewalk coverage along primary roads, key neighborhood connectors, and off-road pathways) from the 2006 Non-motorized Transportation Plan.

How does walking affect the Ann Arbor environment?

Walking reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, dependency on gasoline, and traffic congestion. Walking has also been linked to physical and mental health.

What is the City doing to maintain sidewalks?

Regular and consistent maintenance of sidewalks, particularly along arterials and collectors, is important for non-motorized modes of travel. Conditions such as cracks, heaving from tree roots and surface spalling create trip hazards for pedestrians. Inadequate maintenance of sidewalks is not only dangerous, but can complicate any travel by pedestrians who are elderly or have mobility impairments.

Ann Arbor City Code requires that property owners maintain the sidewalk adjacent to their property. Prior to 2005, the City relied on a complaint-based process to identify sidewalks in need of repair. This process corrected some problems, but left others untouched. In the summer of 2005, the Public Services Area initiated a citywide inspection program to identify and cite hazardous sidewalks. If a property owner does not make the required repairs, the City will make the repairs and assess the property for the cost. The program is scheduled to bring all sidewalks within the City into compliance in six years. More information about sidewalk inspections and repair can be founds on the City's Field Operations web site.

In addition to the sidewalk condition inspections program, a proactive approach to sidewalk maintenance is necessary to support non-motorized travel. This approach should include an annual asphalt path maintenance program for shared use paths and trails in City parks; easily accessible web-based complaint forms; and systematic tree and brush trimming along sidewalks and shared use paths adjacent to major streets and in City parks. In addition, research should be done to determine how to minimize the impacts of street tree root damage to sidewalks.