Neighborhood Sidewalk Improvement Program (2004 LGAA)

City of Hornell (Winner)
County: Steuben County
Population: 5,000 to 10,000
City Hall: (607) 324-7421

Unlike many municipalities, the City of Hornell requires property owners to maintain the sidewalks adjacent to their lots. Even when meticulously cared for, the average sidewalk needs replacing every 20 years. The City of Hornell has developed a cost-sharing program to alleviate the high price of private labor and sidewalk replacement costs, without reclaiming full maintenance responsibility of these areas.  The city performs the replacement work at or very near to 50-60% of the cost of a private contractor.

This 40-50% savings serves as an incentive and the catalyst for property owners to perform necessary maintenance and avoids code enforcement via the court system. If, however, the city receives an inordinate amount of complaints regarding the compliance of sidewalk snow removal, the public is reminded by the city through local media channels that if sidewalks are not cleared by a certain date and time, the city will take its own measures to clean them. If a property owner is grossly negligent when it comes to sidewalk snow removal, the city will clear their sidewalk, and send the owner a bill for $100.

If a property owner is interested in participating in the city's cost-sharing program, they pay $3.25/sq ft. This price represents the cost of the materials used to replace the existing sidewalk. The city provides the labor for free. "Replacing" the sidewalk includes, tearing out the old materials and removing them from the site, grading the area where the new sidewalk will be placed, construction of a new side-walk, topsoil and seeding of the torn out area, and replacement of the driveway apron where applicable. This program not only costs 50% less, but also the property owner gets much more work taken care of than they would from a private contractor.

The Neighborhood Sidewalk Improvement Program was established approximately eight years ago and has successfully replaced over 300 sidewalks. The program has improved the quality of life in the City of Hornell by making sidewalks safe and attractive at an affordable price to both the city and the property owner.