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Any of the following construction or maintenance performed in the City right-of-way will require a permit and must be completed by a contractor with a valid Grand Rapids Sidewalk Builder's license.
Find a licensed sidewalk builder / drive approach contractor
Are you looking for a licensed contractor to work in the right-of-way at your property? Here is the list of our approved contractors.
Need to do work in the City right-of-way You'll need a valid Sidewalk Builder's License to do the following work in the right-of-way:
Apply for a "New" Sidewalk Builder's License here.
Already have a Sidewalk Builder's License but it has expired? Renew your license here.
The fees for the Sidewalk Builder's License are outlined below:
New or Expired Sidewalk Builder's License
Required for anyone who's never been licensed before or if your license has expired or lapsed beyond the 31 day grace period. The fee is $100.
Sidewalk Builder's License Renewal
This is your annual renewal before your license expires. Licenses expire December 31 every year. The fee is $70.
Sidewalk Builder's License Renewal Grace Period
Are you late renewing your license? We have a grace period between January 1 to January 31 to renew an existing license. The fee is $87.50
Check out our rules and regulations for more information.
Sidewalk / Drive Approach Permits
Are you a licensed Sidewalk Builder thru the Grand Rapids Sidewalk Division and want to work in the City right-of-way You'll need to get a permit to build, rebuild or repair any of the following in the right-of-way:
For more details on applying for Sidewalk/Drive Approach permits see "Applying for a Sidewalk/Drive Approach Permit".
If you have a valid Sidewalk Builder's License with the City you can apply for a sidewalk permit at our Development Center located at 1120 Monroe Ave NW or if you have an account, thru Citizen Access you can apply here.
Do you have questions on our standards for sidewalk, drive approach, ADA ramp, or curb and gutter construction? You can see details on our standard construction specifications in our "2021 Edition Standard Construction Specifications (Red Book)" located on the Engineering's website page.
Criteria for sidewalk repair requests
We inspect and maintain public sidewalks to make sure they're safe. We perform two types of sidewalk inspections: non-systematic and systematic
You can see our inspection criteria here. To request an inspection, if sidewalk issue meets our criteria, see "Report a Sidewalk Issue" on this page.
Do you know of a sidewalk issue that meets our criteria for inspection? Let us know. Contact us at 311 or 616-456-3000. We'll be happy to take the information on the issue.
What we'll need to know:
We'll record the information, give you a confirmation number, and send our inspectors to the site to look at the issue. If the issue meets our repair criteria it will be evaluated for the type of repair(s) needed. The inspector may mark the sidewalk(s) for repair and/or request a temporary fix/HMA wedge until a permanent repair can be made with a future systematic contract or Rotomill Project.
Snow or ice covered sidewalks
Having trouble walking through the snow? Residents have 24 hours from the time it stops snowing to clear sidewalks. If it has been more than 24 hours report uncleared sidewalks here.
How to tell if a sidewalk is flagged for replacement
Our inspectors mark sidewalks for replacement as they visit the sites. They will mark the sidewalk square(s) with a black or white mark. If the mark is painted white, the sidewalk will be replaced during an upcoming road repair project. If you don't see a mark on sidewalk with issues, be sure to let us know of the issue.
We're dedicated to sharing our performance as we make improvements to our Sidewalk System. For updates on where we are in our 15 year program please visit our Vital Streets Program site.
Our goals:
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