Utah Government Trust webinar: cities urged to inventory, inspect and document sidewalks to cut trip-and-fall risk

In a webinar hosted by the Utah Government Trust, presenters told municipal and county staff that local governments typically own sidewalks adjacent to state and local roadways and carry a nondelegable duty to maintain them. Jason, the primary presenter, said jurisdictions should inventory sidewalks, inspect frequently, mark hazards and document repairs to reduce trip-and-fall exposure and preserve legal defenses.

Why it matters: trip-and-fall claims are rising and can defeat governmental immunity when an injury is caused by a defective or dangerous public improvement, presenters said. Jason warned that failing to act after notice can erode defenses: he cited a 2013 Salt Lake City case in which the court concluded the city had not acted quickly enough after becoming aware of an unsafe condition.

Presenters laid out operational thresholds and priorities. Jason cited the Americans with Disabilities Act’s quarter-inch threshold as a widely used benchmark for trip hazards and recommended treating uplifts above 2 inches as extreme and urgent. Crack-width thresholds discussed…