Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Massachusetts (2026)

Cambridge keeps sidewalks in repair at City expense by default under Municipal Code Section 12.16.050, but shifts the…

New construction and major renovation projects in Chelsea must install a new concrete sidewalk along the abutting…

Lawrence's building and property maintenance code makes premises owners responsible for the paved walks on their…

Newton makes the abutting property owner responsible for removing and replacing the public sidewalk and curbing across…

Worcester's Department of Public Works & Parks, not the abutting homeowner, builds and repairs sidewalks under Chapter…

Boston Code § 16-18.1 bars using a sidewalk in a way that causes more than ordinary wear unless the abutting owner…

New Bedford puts sidewalk repair costs on the city, not the abutting owner. Code of Ordinances § 22-35(8) caps the city…

Taunton puts ongoing sidewalk repair on the City itself, not the abutting owner: the Supervisor of Streets must keep…

Structural repair of Somerville's public sidewalks is a city job, not an abutting owner's. The code places direction…

Taunton bans placing a pole, sign, mailbox, permanent trash receptacle or any other object on a municipal sidewalk if…

Boston lets the Public Works Commissioner issue a permit to block a sidewalk temporarily for raising or lowering goods…

Brockton bars obstructing any sidewalk without a permit from the chief of police, and pairs that with specific limits…

Chelsea prohibits placing any impediment or obstruction, including snow or ice pushed from private property, in a…

Fall River bars leaving trunks, boxes, barrels, or other items on any street or sidewalk if they interfere with…

Lawrence bars digging up or obstructing any street or sidewalk without a city council permit under Municipal Code §…

Leominster Code § 20-9 bars standing or grouping on a sidewalk or street in a way that blocks public travel once a…

New Bedford bans willfully or negligently blocking the free passage of pedestrians on any sidewalk. Sec. 17-9 of the…

Quincy bans standing in a way that blocks free passage on a street or sidewalk, placing anything on footwalks, and…

Revere bars placing lumber, coal, boxes, crates, signs, advertisements, or anything else on a public way or sidewalk if…

Somerville bars leaving fuel, dirt, ashes or other material on a sidewalk overnight, or obstructing a sidewalk or…

Leaving unregistered personal property on a Worcester street or sidewalk is capped at six square feet under Chapter…

Cambridge bars standing or loitering on a sidewalk or street in a way that blocks free passage, or lingering near a…

Anyone excavating in a Brockton public way, including installing or realigning a driveway, must first get a street…

Digging up a public street or sidewalk, erecting staging, storing materials, or building an underground vault under one…

Anyone wanting to place signs, awnings, marquees, phone booths, or vending machines that project onto a New Bedford…

Anyone who wants an awning, marquee, sign or other structure to project over a Revere sidewalk needs written permission…

Before erecting a fence or building next to any Worcester street or public ground, you must apply to the commissioner…

Anyone who wants to open, occupy, obstruct or otherwise encroach on a Boston street must get a Public Works Department…

Any sign, awning, marquee, clock or similar structure projecting more than six inches over a Cambridge public way needs…

Before erecting a fence or building on the line of a public way, Chelsea owners must first ascertain the exact street…

Fall River requires a permit from the Director of Traffic and Parking before anyone temporarily places staging, lumber…

Placing any fixture or structure in a Lawrence sidewalk, street or highway takes a permit from the police department…

Placing staging, lumber, brick or other building materials on a Quincy street during construction requires a written…

Leaving a vehicle, obstacle or article on a Somerville sidewalk or roadway at any time requires a commissioner of…

Anyone digging up or occupying a Springfield street, private way, or sidewalk needs a written Public Works permit and a…

Taunton requires Municipal Council permission, and a $100 fee, before anyone hangs a sign, awning, marquee, clock or…