Sidewalk Repair/ Replacement

Sidewalk repairs and replacement are the responsibility of the property owner here in Bethlehem. Currently, the city does not enforce this ordinance (Article 909 linked below). Our current mayor and previous mayor did not want to put the cost burden of sidewalk repairs and replacement on the homeowner. Understandably so, the cost of concrete sidewalk repairs can cost anywhere between $3 and $20 per sq foot of new sidewalk (cost estimates come from Forbes article linked below).

Many homes in Bethlehem are on 20 ft wide lots (think twin row homes in the Northside). Assuming the sidewalk is ADA compliant at a minimum of 5 ft wide, a property owner is responsible for 100 sq ft of sidewalk. If the property owner needs to replace all 100 sq ft of sidewalk then the cost estimates are between $300 and $2000.

A large way to reduce costs and get your sidewalk repairs closer to the $300 range is to do it yourself. If the resources are made available, I think property owners can DIY!

I propose we create a non-profit organization to provide free or low-cost sidewalk repairs/ replacement resources for property owners to make the repairs/ replacements themselves.

This non-profit would cover city fees, project materials, tools, and public liability insurance to allow property owners to DIY sidewalk repairs/ replacement. A team could include a contractor to ensure city specifications are met, a lawyer to ensure the non-profit's public liability insurance covers property owners, and an administrator to complete permits and coordinate with DPW for timely inspections.

Note: An important part of this idea hinges on the legality of a non-profit providing public liability insurance coverage for individuals or volunteers. I do not know how the organization would need to be setup for this to work. If you work in insurance or law, please chime in!

Update (12/12/23): After learning more about this issue, public liability insurance cannot be issued to a property owner via a non-profit. The administrative hurdles are not the barrier it is the cost foremost. I’m not sure what the answer is here to fix our sidewalks, but something needs to change. Suggestions always appreciated.

Thanks!

References:

ADA Compliance Sidewalks and PennDOT:

https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/LTAP/TechSheets/TS_208_Sidewalks_and_ADA.pdf

Bethlehem Engineering Permit Application:

www.bethlehem-pa.gov/CityOfBethlehem/media/PWMedia/Engineering/EngineeringPermitApplication2018.pdf

Bethlehem Ordinance Article 909 - Sidewalks, Curbs, Gutters and Driveways:

https://www.bethlehem-pa.gov/CityOfBethlehem/media/Ordinance-PDFs/ARTICLE0909.pdf?ext=.pdf

Forbes Concrete Sidewalk Repair Costs

https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/driveway/concrete-sidewalk-repair-cost/