Allegany County, MD Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Chapter 461, Article III sorts sidewalk repair duties in unincorporated Allegany County into three tracks based on how the sidewalk came to exist. For sidewalks built as part of urban highway reconstruction with the Maryland State Highway Administration or another County-initiated project, § 461-22(A) puts day-to-day "surface maintenance, including, but not limited to, removal of leaves, weeds, and snow" on the abutting property owner, while § 461-22(C) makes the County responsible for inspecting sidewalks and paying for structural repair or replacement, "except if the sidewalk is damaged by the actions of an abutting property owner or other party," in which case that party pays.

The other two tracks shift more cost onto owners. Where a developer built the sidewalk in a subdivision, § 461-23(B) still puts surface maintenance on the abutting owner, but § 461-23(E) makes that owner responsible to "initiate structural repairs or replacement of sidewalks at their cost," and § 461-23(F) requires that duty to be written onto the recorded subdivision plat. Where an individual owner installed the sidewalk in an existing neighborhood, § 461-24(F) likewise puts structural repair or replacement cost on the abutting owner. Across all three tracks, the County advises owners when repairs are needed and can force the issue: under § 461-25(D), if a subdivision-sidewalk owner does not repair a damaged sidewalk within 120 days of notice, the County contracts for the repair itself and places a lien on the property for the cost, recorded in the county land records until paid.