Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sidewalk Gaps topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richardson committee reviews sidewalk-gap analysis showing 37.6 miles of missing sidewalks
Summary
City staff told the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee that Richardson’s sidewalk inventory identifies 37.6 miles of gaps (about 8% of the network) and outlined a prioritization system emphasizing safety, roadway class and key destinations; staff said funding feasibility was excluded from ranking.
The Richardson Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee on Tuesday reviewed a city sidewalk‑gap analysis showing 37.6 miles of missing sidewalks, roughly 8% of the mapped pedestrian network.
Michael, a city staff presenter, told the committee the inventory updates the city GIS sidewalk layer and identified about 425.2 centerline miles in the pedestrian network. He said 98% of single‑family parcels are within 200 feet of a sidewalk and that 4.9 miles of gaps are already funded. Staff described the prioritization criteria used to score remaining gaps: safety (concentration of severe crashes), roadway classification (prioritizing arterials and collectors), inclusion on the active‑transportation network, development status and proximity to key destinations such as schools, transit stops and parks.
“Some high‑priority locations are expensive to build — for example, crossings that require bridges or coordination with TxDOT — so lower‑cost medium or low priorities may be constructed first if funding is available,” Michael said.
Staff noted the prioritization intentionally excluded funding availability and feasibility so that the ranking reflects transportation need rather than current funding. The committee was told the interactive map and a written report will be published and emailed to members so they can review specific gaps and submit corrections or hazard reports.
Staff gave cost examples for context: under ideal conditions, basic sidewalk construction was described at roughly $50 per foot, while a 1.5‑mile Central Trail extension that crosses rail was estimated as a multi‑million‑dollar project (presented as about $7,000,000) because of signal and rail‑crossing complexity. Committee members asked for access to the survey pin data and for the web map once it is available.
The committee did not take formal action on the sidewalk list at the meeting; staff said the analysis will inform future funding decisions and suggested potential funding sources including a dedicated bond program, the sidewalk rehabilitation program, reconstruction scoping, grants and developer-built sidewalks.
