Cicero, IL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Responsible party
- Abutting property owner or occupant
- Trigger
- Written notice from superintendent
- Standard width
- 5 ft 4 in (Sec. 82-65)
- Contractor bond
- $5,000 bond required (Sec. 82-66)
- Contractor warranty
- 5-year repair guarantee on new sidewalks
Summary
Cicero puts the duty to fix a broken sidewalk on the abutting property owner or occupant, not the town. Once the superintendent of public works serves notice to raise, lower, repair or relay a sidewalk, the owner or occupant must complete the work within the time and manner the superintendent sets, or face a fine under Sec. 82-69.
(a)Whenever the owner or occupant of any town lot is notified by the superintendent of public works to raise, lower, repair or relay any sidewalk in front of, adjacent to, or upon any premises owned or occupied by him, it shall be the duty of such owner or occupant to cause the improvement to be made, in the manner and within the time prescribed by the superintendent.(b)Any person who shall keep or leave open any cellar door or grating of any vault on any highway or sidewalk or suffer such to be left or kept open or who shall suffer any sidewalk in front of his premises to become or continue so broken as to endanger life or limb shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine as provided in section 1-12.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 121).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 82-69 places sidewalk repair squarely on the shoulders of the abutting owner or occupant: when the superintendent of public works notifies the owner or occupant of any town lot that a sidewalk in front of, adjacent to, or upon the premises needs to be raised, lowered, repaired or relaid, that owner or occupant must have the work done, in the manner and within the time the superintendent prescribes. The section also separately criminalizes leaving a hazard in place: anyone who keeps or leaves open a cellar door or vault grating on a highway or sidewalk, or who lets a sidewalk in front of their property stay broken to the point it endangers life or limb, is subject to conviction and a fine under Sec.
1-12, the Code's general penalty section. Construction standards for any new or replacement sidewalk sit in the rest of Article II: Sec. 82-62 requires five-inch-deep Portland cement concrete built to specific sand, stone and mixing ratios, Sec. 82-65 fixes the standard sidewalk width at five feet four inches unless a different width is set by ordinance, and Sec. 00 bond and to guarantee their work against faulty materials or poor workmanship for five years.
Violations & Fines
An owner or occupant who fails to raise, lower, repair or relay a sidewalk as directed by the superintendent of public works, or who lets a broken sidewalk endanger life or limb, is subject upon conviction to a fine under Sec. 1-12, the Code's general penalty provision, in addition to the cost of any repair the town ultimately performs. A licensed sidewalk contractor who built the defective walk can also be held to its five-year repair guarantee under Sec. 82-66, and risks having the town revoke that contractor's license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a cracked sidewalk in front of a Cicero home?
What happens if a Cicero homeowner ignores a sidewalk repair notice?
Does a Cicero sidewalk contractor guarantee their work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cicero
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Sidewalk Repair in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle sidewalk repair.