TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to combine the sidewalk cutting method with the more traditional full sidewalk replacement method, to allow the City's sidewalk repair program funding to be more effective by mitigating more locations that could be done by sidewalk replacement alone, by establishing the sidewalk cutting method as a temporary solution to immediate trip hazards.
DISCUSSION
The City recently conducted a pilot program to saw cut and remove the elevated edge of displaced concrete sidewalk panels, in lieu of the temporary asphalt patches typically installed by City crews. $10,000 in funding was set aside from the 5th District share of the annual sidewalk replacement program to conduct this pilot project. The work was completed with a proprietary method by a company named Precision Concrete Cutting.
Precision Concrete Cutting developed a patented system that is currently unique to the industry. Instead of a "cutting" process, they have designed a horizontal saw system which allows the cuts to be tapered at a 1:8 slope and leaves a smooth uniform appearance and texture. This process is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The work performed under the pilot program has proved effective and popular with the residents who had the sidewalks adjacent to their property repaired in this manner.
Attached for your reference is the final report filed by the contractor, indicating the locations where the sidewalk cutting occurred and the associated cost. The average cost per trip hazard removal amounted to slightly less than $25 per location. The data from this pilot program indicates that a typical block cost between $1,500 and $2,000.
Since the sidewalk cutting is only effective up to 2 inches in depth, there are sidewalk displacements within the blocks done under this pilot program that could not be mitigated by cutting. It appears from the data provided by the contractor that at least 80% of the trip hazards in t...
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