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
- Resurface sidewalks to be flat and evenResident asks to resurface sidewalks so they are flat, level and even, for accessibility.2024–25City-wide
- Level sidewalks at driveway curb cutsResident asks to remove driveway curb cuts that interrupt sidewalks and level them to remove steps, for accessibility.2024–25Brighton
- Fix potholes or mark street as privateResident asks the city to either repair potholes on a street or post a sign saying it is private and for residents only.2024–25Brighton
- Repair Eastburn Footway stairsResident asks to fix the deteriorating Eastburn Footway stairs, which would improve access to the Winship school.2024–25Brighton
- Repair brick sidewalks on Dudley StResident asks to fix loose and missing bricks on Dudley St in Uphams Corner, which are a trip hazard and inaccessible, possibly keeping a brick strip highlighting historic spots.2024–25Dorchester
- Build a sidewalk on Kinross RoadResident asks for a sidewalk on Kinross Road between Lanark and Comm Ave, where none exists.2024–25Brighton
- ADA-accessible pedestrian overpass at BU BeachResident asks to rebuild the BU Beach pedestrian overpass so it is fully ADA accessible, as it currently has only stairs.2024–25Fenway
- Fix potholes and sunken sewer coversResident asks the City to fix potholes and depressed sewer covers because poor roads damage vehicles and repairs are costly for low-income residents.2024–25West Roxbury
- Fix sunken potholes and sewer coversResident asks the City to repair sunken potholes and sewer covers, which extends road life and saves money compared with repaving, and helps drivers of small cars.2024–25West Roxbury
- Repair the streetsResident asks the City to repair damaged streets.2024–25City-wide
- Improve roads and sidewalks in East BostonImprove roads and sidewalks for all East Boston residents.2024–25East Boston
- Review and renew Commonwealth Avenue roadwayResident asks for $2 million to review past plans, assess conditions and involve residents in renewing Comm Ave from Packard's Corner to the Newton line, inspired by Olmsted's inclusive vision.2024–25Brighton
- Repave streets and sidewalksResident asks for repaving of streets and sidewalks, which are tripping hazards for seniors and like obstacle courses for drivers, calling it a safety issue.2024–25City-wide
- Re-engineer and resurface Mt Vernon StreetResident asks to resurface the steep, narrow, pothole-filled Mt Vernon St and rebuild the sidewalk as one full-width sidewalk on a single side, since it currently disappears halfway.2024–25Brighton
- Better quality streets with fewer potholesResident asks for better-quality streets with fewer potholes.2024–25City-wide
- Repair bumpy roads in East BostonFix bumpy East Boston roads so drivers can drive safely and avoid damaging their cars.2024–25East Boston
- Better repair and maintenanceResident asks for better repair and maintenance, with no specifics given; placed under streets based on the category.2024–25City-wide
- Reopen the closed Cleary Square bridgeThe Cleary Square bridge has been closed two years with only one side walkable; resident says this blocks buses to an elderly and disabled complex and congests the street.2024–25Hyde Park
- Fix potholes and promote friendly drivingThe resident asks for all potholes to be fixed and for programs or announcements encouraging respectful driving, to save drivers money on tire damage.2024–25City-wide
- Fix potholes and lighting; fund elderly mealsThe resident wants spending focused on basic potholes and lighting and on elderly meals and city workers, rather than on non-citizens.2024–25City-wide