From cracks to uneven surfaces and poor accessibility, the city of Salem has at least 1,780 unfulfilled sidewalk repair requests. City leaders have proposed a new plan to address them.
During the city council meeting Monday, Oct. 23, councilors will review a proposal for how the public works department will allocate $18.2 million to sidewalk and crosswalk projects over the next decade.
The money comes from the infrastructure bond Salem voters approved in the fall of 2022.
The city has around 815 miles of sidewalks abutting over 36,000 properties. When sidewalks are up to acceptable standards, it’s a property owner’s responsibility to maintain them, unless damage is caused by a city tree. But about half the sidewalks in Salem need city repairs to reach that point, according to a staff report from Public Works Director Brian Martin.
The city took over sidewalk repair in 1989 in response to citizen complaints about damage from city-owned trees. In 2007, the city council adopted an ordinance that returned responsibility of newer sidewalks, built after 1992, to the property owners, with the remainder to be returned after the city made adequate repairs.
The infrastructure package approved by voters included $3.5 million for safer pedestrian crossings, $6 million to add sidewalks and $8.7 million to replace damaged sidewalks. Project locations would be drawn from the existing requests, according to Martin.
Once selected, the locations would be evaluated against criteria including equity; street classification; proximity to schools, transit, parks and the next nearest crossings; hazards and the history of pedestrian crashes.
The council will also consider allocating $1.2 million of the infrastructure funds to sidewalk projects near Southeast Liberty Street and Northeast Silverton Road, to coincide with pavement projects on those streets expected in the next few years.
The Southeast Liberty Street project is planned to start in 2024. It would repave the street from Southeast Mill Street to Southeast Trade Street in downtown Salem. The sidewalk is not accessible to people with limited mobility, Martin said, and to repair it would cost an estimated $536,000.
Construction on Northeast Silverton Road, between Northeast 17th Street and Northeast Williams Avenue, and from Northeast Beacon Street to Northeast Fisher Road, is expected to start in 2025.
Several nearby sidewalks are in need of replacement, Martin said. The steering committee for infrastructure bond funds recommended repairing segments between Northeast Abrams Avenue and Northeast Fairhaven Avenue at an estimated cost of $592,000.
Councilors will also see an overview of sidewalk projects completed, unfinished and upcoming in each ward.
In the past five years, the city has repaired 10.5 square miles of sidewalk.
Since 2008, it has completed 1,176 repair requests, with 1,780 requests outstanding. Ward 1 which includes downtown saw the most repairs, at 611, and also has the most outstanding service requests at 663. Ward 7 in southwest Salem has seen the lowest rate of fulfilled requests, with 19% of its 283 sidewalk repair requests filled.
You can submit a request for repairs to a damaged road or sidewalk online. Public works dispatch will ask for the following information:
-Location, including the address or hundred block and street name and the nearest cross street.
-A description of the extent of the damage to the road.
-A photo of the issue.
-Any additional relevant information.
-Your name, phone number and email address.
Email requests to [email protected], or call 503-588-6311.
How to participate in Monday’s council meeting
The council meets Monday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. in-person at the city council chambers, 555 Liberty St. S.E., room 220, with the meeting also available to watch online. The meeting will be livestreamed on Capital Community Media’s YouTube channel, with translation to Spanish and American Sign Language available. Anyone may attend the meeting to listen or comment.
The public comment portion of the meeting takes place after opening exercises, such as roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, and residents are invited to comment on any topic, whether it appears on the agenda or not. If a public comment does not relate to an agenda item, it may be saved for the end of the meeting.
To comment remotely, sign up on the city website between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday.
For written comments, email [email protected] before 5 p.m. on Monday, or on paper to the city recorder’s office at the Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. S.E., Room 225. Include a statement indicating the comment is for the public record.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-704-0355.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
