Amarillo, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Amarillo Code of Ordinances § 4-6-187
- Who repairs
- Owner of abutting property
- Owner liability
- Liable for injuries from unrepaired defects
- City cost-share
- City pays 50% in Neighborhood Plan areas
- Curbs/gutters
- City's responsibility, never billed to owner
- Maximum fine
- $500 per day under § 1-1-5
Summary
Amarillo puts sidewalk repair squarely on the abutting property owner. Section 4-6-187 requires owners to keep the sidewalk and driveway approach apron in good repair, and makes them liable for injuries caused by a defect they failed to fix. A companion cost-share program can split repair costs with the City in eligible neighborhoods.
(a)Any owner of property abutting on a public Street and Sidewalk shall maintain in good repair the Sidewalk and any driveway approach apron crossing the Sidewalk. The Sidewalk or the driveway approach shall not be removed unless to immediately replace or repair said improvements to meet standards and specifications set forth by the City Engineer.(b)The owner of property which abuts on any public Street, Sidewalk or driveway approach apron shall be liable for any injury or damage arising from a defect or defects caused by any act of omission, failure or negligence relative to the maintenance or repair of such Sidewalk or driveway approach aprons crossing such Sidewalk.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Section 4-6-187 of the Amarillo Code of Ordinances places the duty to maintain a public sidewalk on the owner of the abutting property: the sidewalk and any driveway approach apron crossing it must be kept in good repair, and neither may be removed except to immediately replace or repair it to the City Engineer's standards and specifications. Subsection (b) goes further than a maintenance duty alone, making the abutting owner liable for injury or damage arising from a defect caused by their own act, omission, failure, or negligence in maintaining the sidewalk or driveway apron.
Section 4-6-191 restates this duty of owner directly, tying it back to section 4-6-187, and then layers on a voluntary City cost-share program for eligible single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes, and condominiums inside an adopted Neighborhood Plan boundary. Under that program the property owner covers fifty percent of the estimated repair cost, payable up front or in twelve or eighteen monthly installments through the City Finance Office, with a lien securing any unpaid balance and a six percent annual late fee ceiling. Curbs and gutters, by contrast, remain the City's responsibility and are never charged to the property owner, and the City will not perform any repair on private property.
A sidewalk repaired under the cost-share program that fails again within one year is fixed by the City again at no extra charge to the owner.
Violations & Fines
A property owner who lets a sidewalk defect go unrepaired can be held liable in a lawsuit for any injury the defect causes, under section 4-6-187(b), separate from any Code citation. Failure to maintain the sidewalk in good repair is also enforceable as a general Code violation under section 1-1-5, punishable by a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each day the disrepair continues counted as a new offense until it is fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for fixing a cracked sidewalk in Amarillo?
Can I get help paying for sidewalk repairs in Amarillo?
Am I responsible for the curb in front of my house too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amarillo
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