CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the 2026 and 2027 Annual New Sidewalk Program
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Christine Rhoades, PE, Senior Civil Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
On September 4, 2025, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) recommended approval of the 2026 and 2027 Annual New Sidewalk Program. (Approved 7-0)
BACKGROUND:
The New Sidewalk Program was established in 2004 following the adoption of the Comprehensive Sidewalk Policy, a guiding document that defines the policies and programs for implementation of the pedestrian component of Naperville's Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The New Sidewalk Program annually installs new public sidewalk in locations that are lacking sidewalk along the roadway (sidewalk gaps). Every few years, locations for a multi-year program are reviewed by TAB and City Council for approval. The program has installed almost 15 miles of sidewalk in over 120 gap locations.
Gap locations are prioritized using a scoring system that takes into account numerous factors such as roadway classification, proximity to schools, connectivity to the existing sidewalk network, presence of sidewalk on the opposite side of the roadway, and constructability. During consideration of previous programs, City Council expressed support for locations that are beneficial to students, are located within the City's corporate boundaries, do not pose considerable constructability challenges, and are located in front of incorporated properties. Therefore, locations that do not meet these criteria are filtered out.
To provide greater opportunity for resident input, property owners who live along high-scoring neighborhood gap locations are then surveyed before those locations are proposed to TAB. Locations with a high level of opposition are removed from near-term consideration. Gaps along arterial roadways are prioritized based on vehicular speeds and volumes.
DISCUSSION:
In...
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