Fort Worth, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Repair duty
- abutting owner, agent, or tenant
- Notice period
- 30 days from director's notice
- New-install trigger
- construction ≥ 50% of assessed value
- Appeal path
- public works director, then city manager
- Last amended
- Ord. 23658-05-2019, eff. 5-7-2019
Summary
Fort Worth City Code Section 30-1 declares a defective, unsafe or hazardous sidewalk a nuisance and puts the repair duty on the abutting property owner, agent or tenant, giving 30 days from written notice before failure to repair becomes a misdemeanor.
Maintenance of defective sidewalk, driveway or curb. Any sidewalk, parkway, driveway or curb which has become or is defective, unsafe or hazardous is declared a nuisance. It shall be the duty of the owner or the agent in charge, or the tenant, of the property abutting on any street, avenue, public alley, place, square, section or part thereof along which a sidewalk, curb or driveway is ordered by the director of the department of public works to be constructed, reconstructed or repaired within 30 days from the receipt of notice from the director of public works, to construct, reconstruct or repair such sidewalk, curb or driveway. The failure of any owner or the agent of any owner, or the tenant, to construct, reconstruct or repair any such sidewalk, curb or driveway ordered to be constructed, reconstructed or repaired by the director of public works shall be a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Section 30-1 of the Fort Worth City Code covers both new installation and ongoing maintenance. Under subsection (a), an owner of property abutting an existing street must install sidewalk, parkway, driveway or curb and gutter along that frontage when it is missing, but only when the owner is building new construction or redeveloping the property with construction equal to or exceeding 50% of the assessed value of the then-existing improvements, as determined by the appraisal district. Installation must follow the city's then-current design standards. Subsection (b) covers repair: any sidewalk, parkway, driveway or curb that has become defective, unsafe or hazardous is declared a nuisance, and it is the duty of the owner, the owner's agent, or the tenant of the abutting property to construct, reconstruct or repair it within 30 days of receiving notice from the director of public works.
Failure to complete the ordered repair within that window is a misdemeanor. Subsection (c) gives a right of appeal: an owner, agent or tenant ordered to install, construct, reconstruct or repair a sidewalk, parkway, driveway or curb may appeal the requirement to the director of the transportation and public works department or a designee, and can escalate that decision to the city manager who oversees the department. The section traces back to 1964 Code Section 33-1 and was last amended by Ordinance 23658-05-2019, passed May 7, 2019.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a 30-day repair notice from the director of public works for a defective, unsafe or hazardous sidewalk is a misdemeanor under Section 30-1(b). The owner, agent or tenant can appeal the repair order first to the transportation and public works director, then to the city manager, before facing enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a broken sidewalk in Fort Worth?
How long does a Fort Worth property owner have to repair a sidewalk?
Can a Fort Worth property owner appeal a sidewalk repair order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Worth to another location·View the Texas sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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