Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSection VI Sidewalk and Trail Inspection and MaintenanceVI. SIDEWALK AND TRAIL INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE POLICY Adopted December 7, 2009 Revised November 13, 2012 INTRODUCTION The City of Prior Lake, Minnesota has 70 miles of public sidewalks and trails. The trails and sidewalks throughout the community vary in age, sub base , quality and condition. Although some may be irregular on the surface they are not necessarily deemed de fective. The city recognizes that unmaintained sidewalks or trails can create hazards for pedestrians and other users. The goal of the sidewalk and trail system is to provide a safe area for walking, jogging, rollerblading, and biking. The correspondin g goal of the sidewalk and trail inspection and maintenance policy is to make repairs quickly and in a financially prudent manner recognizing that the City of Prior Lake has limited employee and financial resources. The most common safety concern is the p otential for trips and falls on uneven sidewalks and trails. Uneven sidewalks and trails can be the result of heaving, settling, cracking, and spalling. The main reasons for these failures are tree root growth, ground shift during the freeze - thaw cycle, improper subsoil and the age of the sidewalk or trail. Six procedures are routinely used by the City of Prior Lake under this policy: removal and replacement, mud jacking, grinding, crack sealing, seal coating and over lays. There are many variables to c onsider when deciding which procedure should be used, including age and condition, probable cause of failure, potential issues with slope, and cost of repairs. Sidewalks and trail should not be replaced for cosmetic reasons such as minor cracking or spall ing. Only hazards to pedestrians should be repaired or replaced under this policy. SIDEWALK/TRAIL INSPE CTION PROCEDURES The Director of Public Works shall establish procedures for regular sidewalk/trail inspection. Those procedures will include: 1. A City wide sidewalk and trail survey. 2. Maintaining ADA Standards 3. Yearly sidewalk and trail inspections. 4. Criteria for determining whether a particular sidewalk or trail is in need of replacement or repair. SIDEWALK/TRAIL REPLA CEMENT AND REPAIR PO LICY The Maintenance Supervisor shall establish a replacement and repair schedule. This schedule is subject to modification based on sidewalk and trail condition, availability of resources, and the timing of City, County, and State road way reconstruction project s. The sidewalk and trail replacement and repair inspection schedule will divide the City into three sections and will prioritize the replacement or repairs needed. The replacement and repair policy takes into consideration the following factors: City of Prior Lake Sidewalk and Trail Inspection and Maintenance Policy 1 1. Sidewal k and trail location and amount of pedestrian traffic. 2. The nature and severity of the condition needing replacement or repair. 3. The City’s budget for replacement or repair of sidewalks or trails. 4. Whether or not and to what extent the cost of the replacement or repairs can be recovered at the same time as road way reconstruction projects. 5. Availability of employees, equipment, and other resources for replacement or repairs. 6. Public safety. 7. History of prior accidents or complaints. ADA STANDARDS FOR COMMON SIDEWALK & TRAIL FAILURES AND RECOMME NDATIONS Raised Sections or Faulting Faulting is caused by tree roots or frost heaving. Cutting the tree roots is not recommended as it will weaken the root structure and allow the tree to topple by wind. If sidewalk replacement requires the removal of a significant tree, a replacement tree may be offered to the property owner of a type and size recommended by the City’s Forester. Grinding a sidewalk or trail may provide a temporary solution to an offset resulting fr om a raised or faulted sidewalk or trail section. If the raised section is caused by tree roots, in time the sidewalk or trail section may require removal and replacement. A property owner opposed to the removal of a boulevard tree which is causing damage to the public sidewalk or trail adjacent to their property may elect to pay for the sidewalk or trail removal and replacement as necessary to maintain it in accordance with City Policy. The criteria for replacing or repairing a raised or faulted si dewalk & trail section s are as follows: Severity Level Difference in Elevation Low Less than ½” Medium ½” - 1” High Greater than 1” - 2” Linear Cracking Linear cracking of sidewalk or trail sections may occur due to improp er construction, abuse, or frost heaves. Small cracks will occur and continue to grow as the sidewalk or trail ages. As the cracks widen and deepen, chunks of sidewalk or trail may separate from the slab creating trip hazards. When this occurs, the side walk or trail may need to be removed and replaced. Replacement of a sidewalk or trail section should be considered when: 1. The sidewalk or trail has cracked into more than three pieces per section and the sections are distorted or distressed with a vertical height of one - half inch or more. 2. A horizontal separation of two inches or more. 3. The sidewalk or trail section has cracked and part of the sidewalk or trail is missing, forming holes. City of Prior Lake Sidewalk and Trail Inspection and Maintenance Policy 2 Settlement Settlement may occur if there was improper or insufficient base material or compaction thereof. It may occur when utility installations transverse the sidewalk or trail . If the sidewalk sections are intact in a settlement area, the maintenance choice may be mud jacking. If the sections are broken, removal and replacement may be needed. The sidewalk or trail section or sections that have settled more than two inches in twelve feet from the normal line of grade of the sidewalk or trail should be either replaced or mud jacked. Joint Spalling Joint spalling is the breakdown of the slab edges. A spall usually does not extend vertically through the slab, but inter sects the joint at an angle. Spalling is a result of weak concrete, water accumulation in the joint and freeze – thaw action and excessive stresses at the joint. The preferred maintenance is to remove and replace. Replacement of the sidewalk sections th at display spalling should be considered for replacement when the width of the spall is greater than two inches over 50% or more of the joint and the spalled pieces are loose or missing. Durability (“D”) Cracking “D” cracking is caused by freeze - thaw expa nsion of the large aggregate which, over time, gradually breaks down the concrete. This distress usually appears as a pattern of cracks running parallel and close to the joint or linear crack. Since the concrete becomes saturated near the joints and crac ks, a dark - colored deposit can usually be found around fine “D” cracks. This type of distress may eventually lead to disintegration of the entire slab. Sidewalks the display “D” cracks that cover more than 25% of the sidewalk section causing the accumula tion of loose material should be considered for replacement. COMMON TRAIL FAILURE S AND RECOMMENDATION S: Description Cause Cracking, low or moderate Begins at bottom of asphalt surface where stress and strain are highest under wheel load Rutting or settlement Poor sub - base material or improper drainage of sub - base area Heaving Poor sub - surface drainage, potentially from frost conditions, impacts form adjacent trees Oxidation Continuous exposure to sun light through all seasons, disintegration of oi ls and fine particles which make up asphalt SIDEWALK/TRAIL WINTE R MAINTENANCE POLICY City of Prior Lake Sidewalk and Trail Inspection and Maintenance Policy 3 Criteria and priorities for removing snow from sidewalks and trail are documented in the City of Prior Lake Winter Maintenance Policy. The Winter Maintenance Policy is updated and approved by City Council on a yearly basis. REVIEW AND MODIFICAT ION OF POLICY The Maintenance Supervisor will keep on file comments and complaints received regarding this policy. The policy will be reviewed yearly with all of the City’s maint enance policies by the City Council. The reviews will consider comments, complaints, and modifications since the last review and any other factors affecting the policy or its implementations. Modifications of this policy shall be effective on the said da te they are approved by City Council Resolution. City of Prior Lake Sidewalk and Trail Inspection and Maintenance Policy 4