Concrete Sidewalks

• Permits: Permits are to be obtained PRIOR to the start of excavation. Permits can be obtained at the Street Department Office, located at 2316 South 3rd Street, 816-271-4848.
• Inspections: The Utility Cut Inspector Shall inspect the location PRIOR to start of excavation and again PRIOR to pouring of concrete.
  CALL: Either Bill Wilson or John Bowser at 271-4848 between the hours of 8:00 am AND 10:00 am Monday through Friday.
• Base: The Base shall be a tightly tamped TYPE III base.
• Alignment: All forms Shall be straight and plumb.
• Finish: All concrete Shall have a Light Broom Finish.
• Barricades: All warning devices used to protect the Public Shall meet the latest edition of the Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices, (M.U.T.C.D.) & NCHRP Report 350.
• Forms: The forms Shall be either metal or wood and Shall be straight, free from warp, of sufficient strength to resist springing during construction, and of a height equal to the full depth of the sidewalk to be constructed.
  Wood forms shall have a minimum normal thickness of two - (2) inches.
  Sidewalk forms shall be four - (4) inch nominal height.
  The forms shall be thoroughly cleaned, well oiled, securely staked, braced, and held to the required line and grade before any concrete is deposited.
• Slab Specifications:
  Depth: 4 inches nominal
  Width: 48 inches or 60 inches. MUST MEET EXISTING WALKS.
  Length: 25-FT maximum distance between expansion joints. NO JOINTS ARE TO BE PLACED IN ENTRANCEWAYS.
  Edging: All edges shall be finished with an edging tool.
  Fall: 1/4 INCH PER 12 INCHES (Slope towards the street)
  Brick: All brick sidewalks must be replaced with brick.
  Joints: All expansion joints shall consist of a strip of 1/2 inch thick asphalt impregnated fiber. The joint material shall be placed 1/4 inch below the concrete surface. One Half (1/2) inch expansion joints of prepared material shall be provided every twenty-five (25) feet.
• A.D.A. Ramps:
  Required: Where sidewalk meet street or alley intersections
  Surface: Ramp edge shall be FLUSH with existing surface.
  Slope: Ramp shall have a slope of not less than 1 INCH PER 12 INCHES
  Width: Width of ramp shall be a minimum of 36 INCHES.
• General Specifications Prohibitions: Concrete shall not flow under forms. Reinforcing wire or re-bar shall not be used in any sidewalk unless the driveway is being built over tunnels, causeways or as a bridge.
• Historical Districts: Any new installation or repair or replacement of sidewalks in historical districts must be approved by the Historic Preservation Planner prior to issuance of any permits.
  Any request to replace existing brick sidewalks with concrete or other materials must be approved by the Historic Preservation Planner prior to issuance of any permits.

Brick Sidewalks
Brick sidewalks constitute an asset that should be preserved wherever possible. Any brick sidewalk located within the City right of way shall be repaired with the same material when maintenance or construction activities are in process, impacting or destroying the physical element itself.

In an instance where the entire length of sidewalk is not currently brick, the sidewalk shall be reconstructed from brick if:

1. Over 50% of the frontage length is brick; or
2. The sidewalks linking area of repair is brick; or
3. The majority of the sidewalks on either side of the street, within the block corridor, are brick and an exception would constitute a variant from the predominant material currently in use.
4. The sidewalk is located in a National Register District; or
5. The sidewalk is located adjacent to a property listed on the National Historic Registry

In the event that none of the preceding conditions are met, and brick material is removed to make way for modern material, the brick shall be cleaned, palletized, and delivered to the Street Division property for storage and re-use.

For those property owners desiring to replace brick sidewalks with modern materials, owners may contact the Street Division to inquire about the suitability of stored materials.

Subject to available inventory levels, owners may submit information pertaining to the locations, details, and estimates of materials needed for the work and obtain stockpiled materials from the Street Department at no charge.

In the event that materials are available, the property owner must provide their own transportation to pick up from the Street Division and deliver said materials to the job site.

In cases where suitable replacement materials are not available from any reasonable source, a property owner may apply for a variance to this policy to replace the said sidewalk with a modern material of more contemporary origin, such as a concrete paver, etc,--- The color and texture of the material shall be documented at the time of said variance and considered a contingent condition of any resultant action thereof.

In any of the preceding examples, requiring a variance, any location affecting property listed on the National Register or located in a National Historic District, one shall seek a variance request via the Landmarks Commission as well as the Director of this Department.
However, the Director in no way yields his authority dealing with the details of said variance and materials handling, or in cases where the director does not concur with the commission’s determination to grant a proposed variance.

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the exemptions are available for the treatment of historic fabric that would significantly alter its appearance or character.
If a reasonable effort is not possible to modify said element without such modification, it would be exempt. This would cover historic curbs and bricks that potentially would require modification for ADA curb ramps.

The ADA exemption should not be construed as meaning that if an element is historic, no attempt toward meeting ADA is required. It is possible to design and construct a ramp, using brick or stone, that meets accessibility standards.
The U.S. Department of Interior and other organizations have standard drawings illustrating the constructability and use of such features throughout the country.