Strategy 5 Ensure City’s policies and practices support consistent access to the sidewalk network.
The actions within this strategy are divided into two categories:
Action we will DOActions we will SUPPORTAction we will do are followed by “DO” and are colored in dark gray, and actions we will support are followed by “SUPPORT” and are colored in light gray.
Learn more about how we get thereA variety of activities can cause temporary or permanent obstacles to accessing the over 2,000 miles of sidewalks in the city, including temporary closures due to street projects, utility work or private development projects, upheaving or other physical obstruction that makes a sidewalk inaccessible to people using wheeled devices to travel, and lack of sidewalk for other reasons, including deferred maintenance.
City crews inspect sections of the city each year to determine where repairs are needed, and then work with property owners to fix the sidewalks – usually with a focus on broken or heaved sidewalks that hinder movement. Temporary patches are also deployed on an as-needed basis (typically complaint driven) until permanent fixes are secured.
Actions to ensure City’s policies and practices support consistent access to the sidewalk network.
Walking 5.1
Complete a condition inventory of sidewalk, City-owned multiuse trails and street crossings.
Supported goals:
Equity Mobility
Related actions:
Bicycles 6.6
Difficulty:
High
Timeframe:
2028-2030 (Years 8-10)
Status:
In Progress
Significant milestone(s):
In 2022, Public Works completed the Sidewalk and Street Crossing Inventory Pilot to explore data collection and analysis methods for evaluating the condition and design of public sidewalks and street crossings. More information on the pilot is included in the ADA Transition Plan for Public Works.
Walking 5.2
Prioritize sidewalk repair locations by using a data-driven approach based on the sidewalk inventory data.
Supported goals:
Safety Equity Mobility
Related actions:
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2028-2030 (Years 8-10)
Status:
In Progress
Significant milestone(s):
In 2022, Public Works completed the Sidewalk and Street Crossing Inventory Pilot to explore data collection and analysis methods for evaluating the condition of public sidewalks. More information on the pilot is included in the ADA Transition Plan for Public Works.
Walking 5.3
Fund and implement proactive inspections of temporary pedestrian access routes adjacent to work zones to ensure access requirements are being met; issue fines for non-conforming or non-existent pedestrian access routes and consider withholding future permit approvals until non-compliant access routes are eliminated.
Supported goals:
Safety Mobility
Related actions:
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Status:
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Significant milestone(s):
In 2025, Public Works hired an Engineering Technician III whose responsibilities will include proactively inspecting private development and capital project sites to ensure pedestrian access routes are being provided.
Walking 5.4
Confirm location of and fill gaps in the sidewalk network and prioritize gaps near parks and other public destinations.
Supported goals:
Safety Prosperity Mobility Active Partnerships
Related actions:
Transit 5.1
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Status:
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Significant milestone(s):
Public Works fills sidewalk gaps through street reconstruction projects, through partnership projects with other public agencies and private developers and through the city's Sidewalk Gap Program, which has filled sidewalk gaps on Chicago Avenue, near North Commons Park, near Farview Park, and William Berry Park.
Walking 5.5
Provide pedestrian crossings at all legs of legal intersections by default; retroactively work to install these where they do not exist.
Supported goals:
Safety Mobility Active Partnerships
Related actions:
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2024-2027 (Years 4-7)
Status:
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Significant milestone(s):
Public Works designs pedestrian curb ramps and medians to allow for pedestrian crossings at all legs of legal intersections as described in the Minneapolis Street Design Guide (3.7D Pedestrian Crossings) and works with other public agencies, private developers and utility companies to integrate this guidance into their design plans.
Walking 5.6
Pursue quick-build interim solutions for widening narrow sidewalks or closing sidewalk gaps through interim designs until street is reconstructed.
Supported goals:
Safety Equity Mobility
Related actions:
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Status:
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Significant milestone(s):
Public Works considers interim approaches to widen narrow sidewalks or close sidewalk gaps during project development and scoping in alignment with this action. Examples of successful projects include 36th St between Richfield Pkwy and Kings Highway, and West Broadway east of Stinson Blvd.
Walking 5.7
Conduct review of the ADA Transition Plan for Public Works on a biennial basis to evaluate progress and suggest plan updates in pursuit of improved compliance.
Supported goals:
Safety Equity Mobility
Related actions:
Difficulty:
Medium
Timeframe:
2020-2023 (Years 0-3)
Status:
Successfully completed to date and on-going
Significant milestone(s):
ADA Transition Plan for Public Works was updated in 2022 and 2024.
See also actions:
- Street Operations Strategy 9
Street detours and Complete Streets