Sidewalk Enforcement Resuming In Livingston: What To Know

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Township of Livingston. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Livingston property owners are reminded that they are responsible for maintaining, repairing, or replacing any sidewalk on their property. Residents and property owners with damaged, overgrown, or otherwise impassable sidewalks on their properties are urged to move forward with repairs or replacement as soon as possible.

Sidewalk maintenance enforcement is resuming now that warmer weather has arrived. Cracked, uneven, overgrown, and otherwise damaged sidewalks are unsafe. Depending on the level of damage, individuals might be likely to trip and/or fall due to the unevenness of the surface. In addition, pedestrians — including school children — may not be able to use certain sidewalks at all, forcing students to walk in the street.

The township’s updated sidewalk ordinance allows sidewalks on most roads to be made of asphalt, which is much less expensive than concrete, which had previously been required.

Only three roads in Livingston still require concrete sidewalks:

• South Livingston Avenue: from East Hobart Gap Road to Route 10
• East and West Northfield Roads: from the Livingston Traffic Circle at Route 10 to the West Orange border
• Route 10 from the West Orange border to the East Hanover border

Properties that are still required to replace their sidewalks with concrete will be able to participate in the township’s Cost-Share Sidewalk Repair program. The program will reimburse for 50% of the cost of the concrete sidewalk, subject to approval of the Township Engineer as to the reasonableness of the charges.

The change to allow asphalt for repairs or replacements should lead to improved sidewalks in town within a relatively short period of time. Residents are urged to contract with a vendor as soon as possible so that sidewalks can be repaired or replaced in a timely manner now that warmer weather is returning.

All residences with sidewalks in need of repair or replacement that are located on streets not listed above should begin their asphalt sidewalk replacements or repairs as soon as possible. For more information, visit livingstonnj.org/Maps.

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