As part of its Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the City of Charlotte sets aside $4,000,000 for the construction of new sidewalks. Generally, 50% is spent on thoroughfares (major city streets) and 50% on local and collector streets, most of which are in neighborhoods.

The selection of sidewalk projects is based on a priority listing which considers these factors:

• Street classification (major or minor thoroughfare, collector, or a local street)
• Annual Average Weekday Traffic Volume (AAWT)
• Connectivity (Connection to an existing sidewalk or sidewalk network)
• Proximity to a school/library
• Proximity to a park
• Proximity to a hospital 
• Transit (Accessibility to Transit) 
• Visible Worn Paths 
• Distance 
• Curb & Gutter 
• Drainage Needs 
• ROW Obstructions
• Autos Per Household 
• City Within A City (Roughly Inside Route 4)

Sidewalk construction is extremely expensive because of the concrete being installed, as well as storm drainage, and in some instances the purchase of right-of-way. Once a year, the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) selects $2,000,000 worth of projects from the top of the ranking lists and sends them to Engineering & Property Management (E&PM) for planning and design. Depending upon the complexity of the project, it could take up to two or more years to complete. About 12 miles per year can be done with this allocation. Currently, over 700 projects representing 332 miles are on the priority list.

To learn more about Charlotte’s Sidewalk Program, contact CDOT at 704-336-3893.

For more information on E&PM’s sidewalk program, contact Bette Frederick at 704-336-4723.