Footways - In General

Baltimore City Code art. 26, subtit. 9

in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 9-1 General standards.

§ 9-1. General standards. (a) Width and location. (1) Every footway installed along any paved or unpaved street, lane, or alley of the City must be of the width and in the location that the Director of Transportation directs in each instance. In no event, however, may the width be less than 4 feet. (2) Wherever required by the Director of Transportation , the streets, lanes, and alleys of the City must be paved to the building line, to the full width of the sidewalk reservation. (b) Penalties. If the proprietor of any lot refuses or neglects to comply with this section, the owner of the lot is subject to a fine of $10 for each day the neglect or refusal continues, to be recovered as other fines and forfeitures are recoverable. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 00-010; Ord. 48-319, Ord. 76-139; Ord. 15-007; Ord. 12-102; Ord. 1868-071.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 9-2 Temporary footway required when digging up sidewalk.

§ 9-2. Temporary footway required when digging up sidewalk. (a) In general. (1) Whenever any sidewalk is dug or torn up by any person or corporation, that person or corporation must construct a substantial footway over the sidewalk so dug or torn up. (2) The footway must: (i) be constructed within 2 days from the start of the digging or tearing up; (ii) be at least 3 feet wide, with proper guards on the side for the use of the public; and (iii) be maintained until the sidewalk is restored and repaved in a proper manner. (b) Work under streetscape plan. If the work is done in an area subject to a streetscape plan approved in accordance with Subtitle 10A of this article: (1) the work performed and the temporary footway must conform to all provisions of the plan that govern temporary footways; and (2) all restoration and repair must be performed in accordance with the streetscape plan. (c) Penalties. Every person or corporation who refuses or neglects to comply with this section is liable to a penalty of $10 for each day that passes without a footway being in place as required by this section. (Ord. 00-010; Ord. 1894-013.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 9-3 Director’s authority.

§ 9-3. Director’s authority. (a) In general. The Director of Transportation has full power: (1) to grade and regulate the footways in all paved streets, lanes, and alleys in the City, and all streets, lanes, and alleys to be paved, repaved, or repaired, to the grade of ½ of an inch ascent (as nearly as practicable in each case) for every 1 foot in width of the footway, from the top of the curb or gutter to the line of the street, lane, or alley; and (2) to require that all drainage across footways be carried underground and through the curb to the gutter, in accordance with the specifications of the Director of Public Works. (b) Work under streetscape plan. In addition, the Director of Transportationmay implement a streetscape plan approved in accordance with Subtitle 10A of this article to the same extent and with the same authority as other repairs and work described in Subtitle 10 of this Article. (Ord. 15-435; Ord. 00-010; Ord. 76-139; Ord. 48-319; Rev. Ords. 1858-013.)

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/26/9Fetched: 10/25/2026