Sidewalk restoration and improvements

Our existing sidewalk network is roughly 2,200 km long. We replace sidewalks that have deteriorated beyond repair and prioritize sidewalk restoration based on:

• Safety, accessibility, and pedestrian comfort
• Proximity to schools, community centres, hospitals, parks, senior centres, and transit
• Possibility to coordinate the project with other major projects, such as water or sewer capital replacement projects

Funding

We currently have an estimated backlog of $600 million in sidewalk repairs. Five million dollars in capital funding has been allocated to sidewalk restoration, which will rehabilitate roughly 4 km to 5 km of sidewalk — about 0.2% of our sidewalk network — through 2026.

Information icon TransLink’s annual Major Road Network (MRN) Operations, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation (OMR) Program can be used toward sidewalk restoration work on the MRN, which is usually performed in conjunction with roadway paving work.

Did you know?

When we consider restoring a sidewalk, it may include the addition of green rainwater infrastructure, street trees, or sidewalk widening. It may also include realignment of the sidewalk to protect street trees.

We prioritize the installation of sidewalks in locations that do have them based on:

• Proximity to transit, senior centres, schools, community centres, parks, and traffic signals
• Population density
• Resident requests

We estimate there are 450 km of sidewalks still missing in Vancouver. We allocated $4.9 million in capital funding to build new sidewalks in Vancouver, which will see roughly 4 km to 5 km of new sidewalks built through 2026. 

Information icon TransLink’s Walking Infrastructure to Transit (WITT) Program provides allocated and competitive cost-share funding for new sidewalks.

Our engineering teams are responsible for both the capital rehabilitation of sidewalks and routine sidewalk maintenance.

Each year, the entire sidewalk network is inspected to identify trip hazards. Repairs of trip hazards are completed within 7 days using interim patches, such as asphalt fillets. Roughly $500,000 is allocated annually for this work.

Information icon Roads and sidewalks can be challenging to maintain in areas built on peat and may require more frequent maintenance.

Did you know?

Historically, many sidewalks have the year of construction stamped into the concrete.