Sidewalk Program

Homeowner’s Responsibility
Public sidewalk systems are an important part of a city’s transportation network. In order to protect this public resource, sidewalks must be regularly maintained. According to the 2007 Iowa State Code (364.12(d-e)) and the Altoona City Code (Chapter 136),  property owners are responsible for maintaining public sidewalks adjacent to their property.


Sidewalk Inspections & Mailing
The City of Altoona currently inspects all public sidewalks on a four-year rotation. City staff physically walk the sidewalks, checking for any of the eight (8) possible sidewalk deficiencies. Once the sidewalk deficiencies are identified, staff mails out notices to the adjacent property owners, alerting them to the sidewalk issue(s) requiring repairs.

Sidewalk Repair Guide


Inspection Schedule
See the map below to view the upcoming inspection schedule.




City Repairs & Invoicing
Upon receiving notice of a sidewalk deficiency, adjacent property owners may perform certain repairs themselves or hire a contractor to perform the repairs. Any deficiencies that are not repaired will be corrected by a contractor hired by the City. The completed work will be invoiced to the homeowner via the City. Homeowners may choose upfront to have the City contractor handle the repairs.

If a homeowner does not pay the sidewalk repair invoice within 30 days, the City may assess the costs against the abutting property for collection in the same manner as a property tax.

More Information
See Altoona City Code Chapter 136 – Sidewalk Regulations for more details on the City’s sidewalk program.