Mt. Lebanon pays to repair sidewalks that are damaged by municipal tree roots, but property owners are responsible for repairing all other sorts of sidewalk problems.
Mt. Lebanon’s regular sidewalk inspection program, begun in 2013, ensures that all sidewalk problems eventually will be repaired. The town is divided into 10 sections, and at least one section inspected each year. Damaged slabs are marked as either the responsibility of the municipality or the property owner and added to repair schedule. This year’s section is Mission Hills.
Here’s what the inspectors look for:
Step separation: A vertical difference of ¾ of an inch or greater between slabs that could cause pedestrians to trip or prevent a wheelchair or stroller from rolling smoothly.
Badly cracked concrete: Holes and rough spots ranging from hairline cracks to indentations wider than two inches.
Spalling: Fragments of concrete detached from the sidewalk surface.
Settled areas: Indentations that trap silt and water on the sidewalk and make the surface slippery.
Vegetation overgrowth: Improperly pruned ground cover, trees, or shrubs that create obstacles. (You will need to fix but may not need to replace sidewalk.)
Obstacles: Objects that obstruct the sidewalk and will need to be removed.
If an inspection shows you need to repair a slab or slabs, you will receive a letter telling you what to do and when the work must be completed. You can hire a contractor, do the work yourself or “piggyback” on the work done by the municipal contractor. If you do the work yourself or hire a contractor, you will need a permit, and the finished walk must inspected by the public works department.
If you think you have a dangerous sidewalk situation, please call the public works department at 412-343-3403. They will evaluate the issue and determine who is responsible for repair, if it is needed. If it is a municipal problem and your sidewalk in not on the list for the year, public works can provide a temporary fix, using asphalt between the slabs to create safer conditions.
If you have questions, call 412-343-3403.