Street & sidewalk repair
Fixing and maintaining roads, sidewalks and curb ramps so they are smooth and accessible.
Residents consistently ask the City to fill potholes, repair and level broken sidewalks, and add accessible curb ramps, with a focus on safety for seniors and people with disabilities.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
169 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 55 | 4.5% | 12 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 59 | 4.9% | 8 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 55 | 4.2% | 12 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Fill potholes and repave rough streets
Residents across all three cycles ask for potholes to be filled and damaged streets repaved, citing vehicle damage, crashes and risks to cyclists and pedestrians.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Repair uneven and broken sidewalks
Cracked, uneven, root-lifted and brick sidewalks are described as trip and fall hazards, especially for older adults, wheelchair users and families with strollers.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Accessible curb ramps and crossings
Residents ask for repaired and added curb ramps and accessible crossings, noting that ramps are of little use next to broken sidewalk.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Tree roots and tree pits that damage sidewalks
Residents ask for fixes where roots lift sidewalks or trees narrow the walking space, including permeable paving and no trees planted mid-sidewalk.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Priority for seniors, schools and underserved areas
Residents ask that repairs go first to places used by older adults and children, such as senior housing, schools and Chinatown, and to neighborhoods that feel overlooked.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Ideas centered on sidewalk repair and accessibility, with calls for citywide sidewalk audits and master plans, help converting private ways to public streets, and pothole fixes.
2025–26
Many near-identical ideas from Chinatown asked for repairs to cracks, potholes and uneven streets near senior housing and schools, alongside broad pothole and street repair requests.
2026–27
Sidewalk repair in front of Chinatown shops and near key destinations was prominent, along with many short citywide requests to fix roads and potholes, plus new asks on snow clearing and repair scheduling.
New in 2026–27
New or growing asks include city-run sidewalk snow clearing, scheduling road work at low-disruption times, permeable paving over tree roots, and prioritizing repairs near senior centers, bus stops and business frontages.
Funding so far
No winning project in this theme was funded by resident vote, so recurring asks for pothole repair, sidewalk repair, curb ramps and fixes to tree-root damage have not yet been addressed.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Departments that often lead this work
- Public Works
- Boston Transportation Department
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Street & sidewalk repair
169 ideas
2024–25: 55 · 2025–26: 59 · 2026–27: 55
- Accessible Harvard Bridge–Esplanade connection with bike lane linkResident asks to adapt the Harvard Bridge and Esplanade connection to be wheelchair accessible and link directly to bike lanes, since few footbridges to the Esplanade are ADA compliant.2026–27Back Bay
- Fix potholes around BostonResident asks the city to fix potholes so people can walk more safely, especially in neighborhoods like Roxbury and Dorchester.2026–27City-wide
- Repave and restripe Comm Ave outbound service roadResident asks to fix potholes and repaint parking space striping on the outbound Comm Ave utility road, so drivers know which space goes with each meter.2026–27Allston
- Widen narrow sidewalk at Comm Ave service roadResident asks to widen the too-narrow sidewalk at the westbound service road and Comm Ave intersection by narrowing the service road by at least 3 feet.2026–27Allston
- Walking paths on Morton Street to Forest HillsResident asks for walking paths along Morton Street from Canterbury to Forest Hills so Olmsted Green residents can walk to the station, improving health and walkability.2026–27Jamaica Plain
- Redesign commercial corridor sidewalks with art and benchesResident proposes overhauling sidewalks on neighborhood main streets with embedded art, benches and street trees, tying needed repairs to local pride and a more attractive public realm.2026–27City-wide
- Pilot snow corps to clear sidewalksResident asks for a pilot city snow corps to clear sidewalks after storms, possibly funded by fines on property owners who don't shovel, to help elderly and disabled people get around.2026–27City-wide
- Fix sidewalks and curb ramps near key destinationsThe resident asks to repair uneven sidewalks and improve curb ramps, prioritizing areas near senior centers, schools, bus stops and parks in underserved neighborhoods.2026–27ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Repair cracked sidewalks and improve accessibilityThe resident asks to fix broken, cracked and uneven sidewalks and improve ramps and crossings, prioritizing key walking routes to transit and public facilities.2026–27ChinatownSubmitted in Chinese
- Repair damaged roads and potholes, prioritizing busy routesThe resident asks to repair broken and potholed roads, resurface, and improve drainage and markings, prioritizing high-traffic and transit routes and underserved neighborhoods for safer travel.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Chinese
- Fix uneven sidewalks on Newbury StreetThe resident asks for repair of Newbury Street sidewalks made uneven by tree roots, saying people fall and the resident has been injured.2026–27Back Bay
- Repair bike path between Neponset Greenway and HarborwalkResident says the path linking the Neponset Greenway and Harborwalk is a dilapidated sidewalk that is dangerous to bike on.2026–27Dorchester
- Repave streets and redo sidewalks in Hyde ParkResident asks for Hyde Park streets to be replaced and sidewalks redone, saying the neighborhood is neglected, poor and has empty storefronts.2026–27City-wide
- Replace faded parking and street cleaning signsResident asks to update faded and damaged parking and street cleaning signs, especially in Charlestown, to ensure fair parking access, prevent unfair tickets and support cleaner streets.2026–27City-wide
- Fix roads, especially potholesThe resident asks for road repairs, especially potholes.2026–27RoxburySubmitted in Korean
- Fix potholes around the cityThe resident asks for pothole repairs citywide, noting that potholes are hazardous for single mothers and their children riding in cars.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
- Fix roads to reduce accidentsResident asks the City to fix roads to reduce vehicle accidents.2026–27DorchesterSubmitted in Korean
- Improve roadsResident asks the City to improve roads.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Korean
- Repair streetsResident asks the City to repair streets.2026–27City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Upgrade and repair the Thoreau PathThe resident asks for the Thoreau Path, a popular route to Mass General Hospital and the West End neighborhood center, to be upgraded and beautified because parts are in deep disrepair.2026–27West EndSubmitted in Korean