Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Adding Sidewalks Shouldn’t Cost a Bundle

11:31 AM EST on November 2, 2015

Sidewalks on one side of the street with landscaping features that help stormwater management can save sewer costs. Photo: City of Seattle
Sidewalks with stormwater management features can prevent harmful sewer overflows. Photo: City of Seattle

Even in some of America's biggest cities, you'd be amazed at the gaps in sidewalk networks.

Most of Seattle has sidewalks, says Tom Fucoloro at Seattle Bike Blog, but some of the more recently annexed sections of the city do not. The cost to fill in the gaps was recently pegged at a whopping $3.6 billion.

But Seattle planners are thinking hard about how to deliver essential walking infrastructure more efficiently. Here are some ideas their ideas for creating a complete sidewalk network on a budget from the city's Pedestrian Master Plan, Fucoloro writes:

Some streets may need little more than a raised curb or line of parking stops to create a new dedicated walking space, as shown in these photos from the survey.

A cheap way to add sidewalks: partition off part of the street for sidewalks. Photos: City of Seattle

Other streets could get a sidewalk on just one side of the street that is integrated with gardens to catch and filter rainwater. A growing body of research shows that some of our most damaging stormwater toxins can be made much safer for salmon and other sea creatures just by filtering it through dirt. And the more rainwater we can keep from flowing into sewers, the more we can prevent harmful overflows that allow raw sewage to escape into our waterways.

And from a funding perspective, solving these problems is worth a lot of money to Seattle Public Utilities, making them a potentially great partner in creating safer streets that also retain and filter more rain water.

And to cut costs even further, the city is also implementing cheaper asphalt sidewalks that are dyed and stamped to look like brick. This lower cost will help the city build 250 blocks of sidewalk instead of the 150 originally planned if voters approve the Move Seattle levy.

Implementing these ideas will depend on voters' approval of the $900 million Move Seattle levy, or Prop 1, on the ballot tomorrow.

Elsewhere on the Network today: BikeSD considers the role of bike advocacy in low-income neighborhoods. And NRDC Switchboard reports on a panel discussion at Rail~Volution about transportation equity.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Tuesday’s Headlines Triple the Fun

Amtrak is staffing up and ready to spend the $66 billion it received from the bipartisan federal infrastructure law.

September 26, 2023

Pols: Congress Must Bolster Sustainable Commutes to Reduce Carbon and Congestion

The feds should bolster sustainable commuting modes and transportation demand management strategies.

September 26, 2023

Analysis: Everyone Agrees — Less Parking Means More Housing

Let's take a second-day look at Mayor Adams's "City of Yes" zoning proposal to do away with mandatory parking in new developments.

September 25, 2023

Monday’s Headlines Are All About Pete

From trying to avert a government shutdown to promoting rail safety, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in the midst of a busy week.

September 25, 2023

What is the Life of a Dead Pedestrian Worth?

A Seattle police officer sparked outrage when he joked that the death of pedestrian Jaahnavi Kandula might be settled for as little as $11,000. Some families get even less.

September 25, 2023
See all posts