The Neighborhood Sidewalk Program (established in 2007) helps address sidewalk needs and priorities in neighborhoods. Candidate projects have been frequently requested or long supported by residents. In most cases these projects are too small to compete for funding with larger projects or too large to be funded by other capital programs, such as the Neighborhood Enhancement Program or the Rapid Implementation Program.
About the program
Candidate project locations are assessed using a prioritization framework that considers elements such as the speed limit, collisions, volume of traffic and proximity to activity centers -- shopping, schools and libraries, for example.
Once candidate projects have been evaluated, preliminary scoping is done to establish a cost estimate, a funding plan and an implementation timeline. On average, a neighborhood sidewalk project costs between $500,000 and $3 million.
In 2016, Bellevue voters approved a Neighborhood Safety and Connectivity Levy for transportation projects; the neighborhood sidewalks program is allotted a portion of those dollars every two years. This additional funded, combined with funding already allocated in the city's Capital Investment Program plan for neighborhood sidewalks, allows the City to build more sections of sidewalk throughout the city.
Funding from the Neighborhood Sidewalk Program is also combined with funding from other transportation programs, such as Neighborhood Traffic Safety Services program, and with outside grants, to build new sidewalks.
Sidewalk request
To request a sidewalk, please complete the online form with the understanding that your suggestion will be evaluated with many other requests. You are also encourage to participate in the update to the Transportation Facilities Plan to provide comments on proposed sidewalk and other transportation projects.
Recent projects
Recently completed projects include:
- Sidewalks in the Wilburton neighborhood, near the International School and Wilburton Elementary School
- Sidewalks in the Eastgate neighborhood, near Tyee Middle School
- Sidewalks in the Newport neighborhood, near Newport Heights Elementary School
The sidewalk below on Southeast 16th Street, from 104th Avenue Southeast to Bellevue Way, was completed in 2015.
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