Sidewalks

Sidewalks are a common and desirable feature in most communities. Unfortunately, sidewalks can add to the amount of imperviousness in a watershed, thereby increasing potential impacts on a community's water resources.

Tips for reducing runoff from sidewalks

Planning/Regulatory Techniques
Reducing Imperviousness
Reducing Stormwater Impacts

Planning/regulatory techniques:

In your Plan of Conservation and Development include a discussion of sidewalks, how they impact community character and, potentially, water resource health.

Sidewalks are not always necessary. Sidewalk design (sidewalk plans) can be undertaken by the planning commission and should insure that sidewalks "move people" effectively between neighborhoods, services and attractions. In less dense areas sidewalks may only be needed on one side of a roadway.

Review and revise, if necessary, zoning and subdivision or road ordinance requirements for sidewalks on both sides of new streets, unless they comply with your sidewalk plan.

Reducing Imperviousness

The width of the sidewalk should be in direct proportion to the estimated number of users. For example, a 7.5-foot wide sidewalk will accommodate 2 people walking abreast.

There are a variety of alternatives to concrete or asphalt sidewalks that will produce less stormwater runoff, and encourage infiltration.

Reducing Stormwater Impacts

Design sidewalks to follow site contours. This will encourage sheet flow of stormwater runoff to adjacent vegetated areas.

Disconnect sidewalks from the roadway with a vegetated area that can treat stormwater runoff.