Sidewalk Repair Program
The City of Novi encompasses 115 miles of neighborhood sidewalks. The Department of Public Works assesses sidewalk and pathway conditions, collecting data to identify areas needing repair for safety and accessibility.
The Neighborhood Sidewalk Repair Program was established by city directive to keep our neighborhood walkways safe. We focus on fixing sidewalks with deflections of 1/4 inch or greater, panels that are severely broken, or any areas that pose a safety hazard.
How We Schedule: To be as efficient as possible, we prioritize repairs based on the total amount of repairs needed on a stretch of sidewalk within a subdivision.
Outside the NSRP Area: Sidewalk repairs needed in neighborhoods not currently active in the NSRP, can still be reported to the City, and, if they fall under the existing as-needed sidewalk repair criteria of a deflection greater than 2”, will be repaired as funding and time allow.
How to Report: Residents can continue to report sidewalk concerns just as they always have. Once reported, we will let you know which of these three categories the sidewalk falls into:
- It does not currently meet the criteria for repair.
- It is included in the current NSRP scope.
- It has been added to our "as-needed" repair schedule.
Please note:
- Tree Roots: Efforts will be made to preserve trees when conflicts between sidewalks and roots arise. City staff, including the City’s forester, will determine whether sidewalk replacement work is likely to cause a tree to die or pose an unacceptable level of risk because of root damage. In such cases, the tree will be removed and may be replaced with a suitable species during the City’s next available planting season.
- Reimbursement: The City will not reimburse sidewalk repair/replacement performed privately by homeowners or Homeowners Associations (HOAs).
- The City will not repair panels solely for ponding water.
- PLEASE refrain from using salt or chemical deicers on your sidewalk for at least a year after the placement of new concrete.
Grass and Sprinkler Restoration
It is the Contractor’s responsibility to restore any grass that has been disturbed. The Contractor will not receive final payment until the consultant engineer and City are satisfied with the new growth, and all areas have been restored to the specifications of the contract, which requires 90% coverage and no bare spots exceeding 5 inches x 5 inches. While preliminary growth of the grass is the responsibility of the Contractor, we encourage all residents to assist in the growth of the grass: water the seed as you would the rest of your lawn, avoid disturbing the newly seeded areas, and remove any weeds you may see. General best practice for new grass is to wait approximately 8 weeks before mowing, or once the grass is at least 3-4 inches tall. When you mow, do not remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade’s height in a single mowing.
It is also the Contractor’s responsibility to repair/replace any sprinkler heads and/or lines that may have been damaged directly by their sidewalk work. The City will not reimburse private sprinkler repairs by homeowners or HOAs.
If you notice damage to your sprinkler system, please notify the project engineer immediately and provide contact information so you can be alerted when your system has been fixed, and therefore test to confirm there is no additional damage.
If work is completed after your sprinklers have been winterized, you have 4 weeks from the time any sidewalk is replaced on your property to notify the engineer that you have sprinkler damage. If your system is winterized prior to the replacement of the sidewalk, you must notify the engineer of damage by May 31st the following year. We cannot guarantee repair of systems after these time periods.
Contact Information
City of Novi Department of Public Works (248) 735-5640
City of Novi Community Relations: (248) 735-5628. communityrelations@cityofnovi.org