Cracks in the System: D.C. Residents Struggle With Sidewalk Hazards and Delayed Repairs

Washington, D.C.'s deteriorating sidewalks pose significant safety hazards for residents and visitors, with complaints about uneven surfaces, cracked pavement, and tree-root damage across the city's 1,500 miles of walkways. Despite the D.C. Department of Transportation's (DDOT) official repair timeline of 270 days, many sidewalk hazards remain unfixed for over a year, leading to community-led initiatives like Sidewalk Palooza where residents collectively submit repair requests through the 311 system. Critics note that sidewalk maintenance receives less priority than road repairs, disproportionately affecting seniors, disabled residents, and lower-income communities, with noticeable quality disparities between neighborhoods despite a $5 million funding increase approved by the D.C. Council in 2023.