The City of San Diego is asking for your input on how to fix its crumbling sidewalks.
A sidewalk assessment in 2015 identified over 85,000 locations that need repairs. There is more than 5,000 miles of sidewalks throughout the city.
“Sometimes you can trip,” said Otto Stock from National City. “There’s tripping hazards that aren’t cool.”
These tripping hazards have cost the city millions of dollars in payouts from sidewalk injuries over the years, which is prompting it to come up with a solution.
The city is responsible for sidewalk damage caused by car crashes, water main breaks, or city-owned trees, according to the city's website. However, normal wear-and-tear of an aging sidewalk is the homeowner’s responsibility.
“I did not know this,” said Chasea Navedo from Mira Mesa. “I’m sure a lot of people didn’t know this.”
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The city currently has a 50/50 Cost Sharing Program, where it and the homeowner share the repair costs of damaged sidewalks.
The city is looking for other ways to expedite the repair process, some ideas include: having the homeowner pay or putting a lien on a property with adjacent sidewalks that are damaged.
NBC 7 reached out to local representatives who said they are open to suggestions on how to fix the problem.
