Across Oakland, uplifted sidewalks delay universal accessibility and create trip hazards that can lead to trip and fall injuries, which can result in claims against the City and private property owners alike. While sidewalk damage is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner, the City of Oakland has historically taken responsibility for addressing sidewalk damage is that caused by recorded official city street trees.
OakDOT is currently working through a backlog of more than 1,500 reports of sidewalk damage related to recorded official city street trees. In this project, OakDOT will first evaluate each location for horizontal concrete shaving.Horizontal concrete shaving is a technique that provides an effective, inexpensive, environmentally-friendly alternative to full sidewalk replacement. It smooths uplifts without damaging the rest of the sidewalk. If the damage is not a candidate for horizontal shaving, OakDOT will queue the location for a permanent replacement.