Wausau, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Who repairs/replaces
- Abutting property owner
- Who pays crosswalks
- City pays entire cost
- Grade-change replacement
- City pays part, capped +10%
- Compliance window after notice
- 20 days
- Nonpayment remedy
- Special tax on property
Summary
Wausau puts the job and the cost of building, replacing, and repairing sidewalks on the owner of the abutting property, with the City covering only crosswalk squares and part of a grade-change replacement under Wausau Municipal Code §§ 12.28.020 and 12.28.030.
It shall be the duty of the owners of all lands in the City to lay sidewalks along the streets abutting their lands, and to keep the same in good condition and repair. ... All expenses and costs of construction, replacement or repair of any sidewalk shall be borne by the owner of the premises upon which such sidewalk abuts; provided:(a)When replacement of a sidewalk is made necessary by a change of grade, the City shall pay a portion of the cost of the replacement sidewalk and entranceways to be determined by the Board of Public Works, not exceeding the depreciated replacement cost of the replaced sidewalk increased by ten percent;(b)The City shall pay the entire cost of crosswalks and intersection squares at intersections. ... Whenever any such owner shall neglect for a period of 20 days after such service, to lay, remove, construct, replace or repair any such sidewalk as required by such order, the City may do said work directly on force account, or may cause such work to be done, in either case at the expense of the owner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
020(b) states plainly that it shall be the duty of the owners of all lands in the City to lay sidewalks along the streets abutting their lands, and to keep the same in good condition and repair. 020(a). 030 assigns the cost of construction, replacement, or repair to the abutting owner as the default rule, with two City-funded exceptions: when a replacement is triggered by a change in street grade, the City pays a share of the cost, capped at the depreciated replacement cost plus ten percent, and the City always pays the full cost of crosswalks and intersection squares.
060(a) sets the enforcement sequence: the Board of Public Works gives the owner written notice under Wis. 0907(3)(c), signed by the Sidewalk Inspector; if the owner neglects the ordered work for 20 days after service, the City may do the work itself or have it done, then levy the cost as a special tax collected the same way as other real estate taxes. 080, inspects existing walks and recommends repair, replacement, or removal orders to the Board.
Violations & Fines
Wausau Municipal Code § 12.28.020 does not set its own forfeiture for an owner who ignores a repair order; the City's remedy is financial rather than criminal, recovering the cost of City-performed work as a special tax under § 12.28.060(a). An owner who otherwise violates the chapter is still subject to the general penalty in § 1.01.110, a forfeiture of $10.00 to $200.00 per offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I responsible for the sidewalk in front of my Wausau house?
Does the City ever pay for sidewalk work?
What if I ignore a City repair order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wausau
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Sidewalk Repair in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Marathon County handle sidewalk repair.