New year, same problems — with Pittsburgh’s sidewalks, that is. As snow, ice, and salt worsen conditions, these indispensable pieces of infrastructure can quickly become the cause of injuries or worse.
There are two main issues with local sidewalks. The first is state law. For nearly 100 years, installation and maintenance of sidewalks in Pennsylvania has fallen to property owners. Local authorities can “establish” sidewalks and construct them, per 1933 Act 69 art. XXIV § 2401, which reads, “the expense of the construction of the sidewalk or curb shall be paid by the abutting property owners in proportion to their frontage.” There are exceptions, but the commonwealth’s default position since the 1930s has been sticking landowners with the bill without stipulating how said sidewalks should be built.
The second issue? In many places, there simply are no sidewalks. Per Pa. Borough Code, a borough “may” lay out and/or construct sidewalks (or compel property owners to do so, as is often the case with new developments). But they don’t have to. This leaves numerous areas, including many in Pittsburgh, with sidewalks that just kind of end.
The consequences of all of this are real. In Pittsburgh, it’s more than an aesthetic nightmare, especially in winter — neighborhoods of rowhouses may see a sidewalk go from new concrete to old brick to patchy asphalt (or even dirt) and back again within a block.
In icy conditions, unshoveled and unsalted brick sidewalks can become slippy and trippy. The city technically requires snow removal per City Code 419.03, but enforcement is infrequent at best, and not everyone has the mobility and strength needed to dig themselves out after snowfall. Well-intentioned initiatives like Pittsburgh’s Snow Angels program don’t always meet the need for snow removal, with a disproportionate number of volunteers in better-off neighborhoods. Also, you can be sued if someone does fall in front of your house (unlike in neighboring Ohio, apparently).
Essentially, where you live and who your neighbors are could mean the difference between a carefree walk with your dog and a nasty injury or lawsuit.
But what about area residents with no sidewalks at all? In suburbs with limited streetlights, the paucity of places for pedestrians can be deadly. A McCandless resident and her dog were both struck and killed at an intersection with no sidewalks when an SUV crashed into them during a nighttime walk in mid-December. Both residents and local leadership flagged the lack of sidewalks as a factor.
Reckless and distracted driving are part of the equation. City planners can design around bad drivers to some extent with bollards, leading intervals, and other interventions (as Pittsburgh leaders did following a deadly crash in Oakland). But in areas with no sidewalks, including high-speed corridors such as McKnight Rd., a car losing control in the snow can have disastrous consequences for people and buildings.
Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania more broadly, need sidewalk reform.
The commonwealth already acknowledges that “[u]nimpeded access to sidewalks is essential for people with mobility impairments to go to work, access government buildings, shop, and generally to travel freely through their communities.” Per the ADA, curb ramps are a requirement, and state law also prohibits driving on sidewalks (many yinzers ignore this, but Philly is breaking its citizens of this habit).
So why are individual property owners still saddled with paying for and maintaining a public good? When a developer has to jackhammer an existing sidewalk for utility lines, forcing them to repave it makes sense. The same should not apply to a longtime homeowner in a 1,000-square-foot rowhouse. Without more enforcement, there’s also no incentive to change this in front of abandoned homes or empty lots. It all feels especially unfair when you see PennDOT repairing sidewalks along its thoroughfares and utility companies replacing sidewalks in your neighborhood after putting in new water or gas lines.
Studies show sidewalks decrease the risk of pedestrian deaths. There’s a compelling argument for mandating them in areas with a certain population density. Greater effort and statewide reform would mean safer conditions for everyone. This paired with measures including bollards, leading intervals, bulbouts, and traffic calming would also incentivize more Pittsburghers to walk, roll, and bike.
Imagine a snowy day with upgraded sidewalks. The blade of your shovel glides smoothly over the expansion joints — it’s so easy to keep pushing down your neighbor’s walk, and you can even don a unicorn outfit to make it more fun — all the way to the curb cut. Where the sidewalk once ended at an empty lot, there’s now fresh concrete awaiting a new house. You wave to your non-unicorn neighbors as they walk back from the grocery store or down to the bus stop. Why drive when everything is smooth and salted?
Proper planning prevents poor pavement performance. We need better sidewalks! Changes to state law and local zoning requirements could be a start. While we’re at it, it’s worth prioritizing pedestrians and wheelchair users as we rethink our car-centric country.
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2025.
