Sidewalk standards in a municipal subdivision and land development ordinance require that sidewalks be included on all subdivision and site development plans. Developers may argue that it does not make sense to build unconnected “sidewalks to nowhere,” but unless they are included in subdivision and site development plans, a sidewalk network will never get started. During the COVID-19 pandemic, curbs and sidewalks ordinances have been adjusted to facilitate commerce in open-air, through parklets. Local governments can explore ways to better connect areas with existing sidewalks to each other.

A sidewalk assessment program should document conditions, prioritize improvements, and determine where maintenance is needed. Maintenance should ensure that the sidewalk remains as even as possible. In Pennsylvania, maintenance responsibility is largely on property owners. Some jurisdictions have adopted alternative ways to fund sidewalk maintenance, such as the municipality performing the construction and the resident paying for materials in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Madison, Wisconsin, has a 50/50 plan in which repair costs are split between the city and property owners. In both cases the property owner must make the repair request.