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
- Invest in better streets and sidewalks for accessThe resident asks the city to invest in improving streets and sidewalks so everyone can move around comfortably and with equal access.2024–25DorchesterSubmitted in Spanish
- Fix uneven brick sidewalks causing tripsResident asks for repair of uneven bricks and sidewalks where people are tripping and access is poor.2024–25City-wide
- Repair and add curb cuts for accessResident asks for improved curb cut repairs and additions to improve access around the city, with faster responses.2024–25City-wide
- Improve access around sidewalk treesResident asks for review and improvement of access where trees on sidewalks have openings around them.2024–25City-wide
- Solutions for sidewalks damaged by tree rootsResident asks for solutions to sidewalks destroyed by tree root growth.2024–25City-wide
- Fix uneven, narrow sidewalks blocked by treesResident asks for cracks and tree roots to be fixed and some trees removed so sidewalks are wide enough and safe for wheelchairs and walkers.2024–25Mattapan
- Serious sidewalk repairs, especially in minority neighborhoodsResident says sidewalks need major repair and that services are not equal in minority neighborhoods.2024–25Mattapan
- Faster sidewalk repair turnaroundResident asks for faster completion of sidewalk repairs, saying they have waited a year for theirs to be fixed.2024–25Dorchester
- Help converting private ways to public streetsResident asks for a program to convert private ways to public streets or help residents repair streets and sidewalks, as seniors cannot afford repairs.2024–25Roxbury
- Even, better sidewalks citywideImprove sidewalks so they are even, preventing injuries and encouraging access, especially where cars take up most street space.2024–25City-wide
- Street paving and lightingResident asks for repaving of streets and better street lighting.2024–25City-wideSubmitted in Spanish
- Citywide sidewalk audit and master planProposes auditing the condition and ADA compliance of all sidewalks to inform a master plan with a timeline to fix them, benefiting residents who walk most.2024–25City-wide
- More funding to repair sidewalksThe resident asks for more funding to fix sidewalks, noting a three-year wait for repairs and that wheelchair and walker users cannot navigate many sidewalks.2024–25City-wide
- ADA-compliant curb bump-outs protecting tree rootsResident asks to bump out the curb to make sidewalks ADA compliant while protecting the roots of large shade trees and the area's limited greenery.2024–25Allston
- Repair eroded Chestnut Hill Reservoir pathwaysResident asks for repairs to reservoir pathways where erosion has created tripping hazards, to make the surface more accessible.2024–25Brighton
- Curb extension at Kenrick and Lake StreetsResident asks for a curb extension at Kenrick St and Lake St to improve the walking loop around Gallagher Park, where the sidewalk is narrow and the turn is sharp.2024–25Brighton
- Bigger, more readable street signsInstall larger street name signs so drivers can easily read which street they are on.2024–25City-wide
- Citywide infrastructure auditResident asks for an audit of the city's infrastructure repair needs, costs and timeline, citing outdated infrastructure from past disinvestment in certain communities.2024–25City-wide
- Accessibility assessment of sidewalks and transit with wheelchair usersResident asks for a collaborative assessment with wheelchair and stroller users to find accessibility problems in sidewalks and public transit, and for 1% of the budget to go to participatory budgeting.2024–25City-wide
- Fix potholes, especially at crosswalksResident asks the city to repair potholes, particularly those at crosswalks.2024–25City-wide