The City of Johnston has posted information regarding its plans to inspect all sidewalks in Green Meadows West and other neighborhoods, and to repair/replace at homeowners’ expenses in 2024 those that are out of compliance. Homeowners will have an option to repair or contract repairs themselves.
This will be the second year of an 8-year, city-wide Sidewalk Repair Program. The project's execution began earlier this year in the original Green Meadows neighborhood, which is located between Beaver Creak and Merle Hay Road, and south of N.W. 62nd Avenue.
The program will help address:
- Gaps between sidewalk panels
- Tripping hazards, including heaved, raised, or lowered sidewalk panels
- Deteriorated, crumbling, cracked, or unevenly surfaced panels
While this work is being done, city contractors will also ensure that corner "pedestrian ramps" (also called "ped-ramps" and "curb cuts") meet current requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) Homeowners will not be charged for this ADA-related work.
According to information first presented at two public information meetings held Wed. Sept. 27, 2023 at the Johnston City Hall, Green Meadows West homeowner-members could see city inspectors marking neighborhood sidewalks as early as October or November 2023.
A presentation the city's repair program, as well as common types of sidewalk deficiencies, is now available on-line here: www.cityofjohnston.com/DocumentCenter/View/12007/Johnston-Sidewalk-Repair-Presentation_Public-Meeting-92723
According to the September 2023 meetings, all homeowners will be presented with official, written inspection results by March 2024. Recommended repairs will be detailed and documented for each homeowner address.
However, homeowners need not wait for these reports or notices. City inspectors are available to meet with individual homeowners at any time, officials said.
Pubic works officials said that the Sidewalk Repair Program should not interfere or interact with the city's concurrent efforts to cut down untreated Ash trees in rights-of-way. "Our goal is to not to take any trees with our sidewalk program," said Johnston Public Works Director Matt Greiner. "Our contractors will typically only cut the root [of any tree causing a sidewalk to heave or shift]. That doesn't mean, however, that the problem won't grow back in 5 or 10 years."
Prior to the city's sidewalk-reconstruction efforts in Green Meadows West, additional public information meetings will be held in March-April 2024. Homeowners will then be presented with three options:
- DIY repair within 90 days. (City permit required, but right-of-way permit fees will be waived.)
- Privately contract repairs within 90 days. (City permit required, but right-of-way permit fees will be waived.)
- Have city contractors repair the sidewalk at a flat, per-panel rate. (Neighborhood-wide project likely to occur Fall 2024 or Spring 2025.)
City officials and experts said 4-foot-square sidewalk panels will be determined in each neighborhood's contract. They expect more clarity on Green Meadows West rates by March 2024, after work is complete in the original Green Meadows neighborhood. Variables include contractor bids and materials costs. At the September 2023 meetings, however, they estimated the city's flat-rate charge to homeowners would likely be set between $350 to $550 per sidewalk panel.
Homeowners opting to repair sidewalks under city contract will be given an option to pay directly, or through special assessment over a period of 5 or 10 years. Further details on available payment plans will be presented in March 2024, city officials said.
Matt Greiner, public works directormgreiner AT cityofjohnston DOT comphone: 515 - 278 - 0822
