Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules in Michigan (2026)
46 rules on the books across Michigan, 16 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Sidewalk Repair
Who pays for sidewalk repair, the city or the property owner, including cost-sharing programs, inspection triggers, and timelines for fixing damaged sidewalks.
Ann Arbor
Some RestrictionsAnn Arbor law puts the duty to keep an abutting public sidewalk in good repair on the adjacent property owner, and the…
Read full rule →Clinton Township
Some RestrictionsClinton Township puts sidewalk upkeep on the abutting property owner. Ordinance Section 1022.03(a) requires every owner…
Read full rule →Dearborn
Some RestrictionsDearborn puts sidewalk and apron upkeep on the abutting property owner, with the city stepping in and billing the owner…
Read full rule →Detroit
Some RestrictionsDetroit property owners must repair a broken sidewalk or driveway apron within 30 days of a Department of Public Works…
Read full rule →Farmington Hills
Some RestrictionsFarmington Hills places sidewalk repair squarely on the abutting property owner. Owners may not let a sidewalk fall…
Read full rule →Flint
Some RestrictionsEvery owner, agent or occupant of Flint property must keep the abutting public sidewalk in good repair, and the City…
Read full rule →Lansing
Some RestrictionsLansing sidewalk owners, not the City, are responsible for repairs: the abutting property owner must fix damage they…
Read full rule →Livonia
Some RestrictionsLivonia requires every property owner to keep the sidewalk along their land in good repair, and makes them liable to…
Read full rule →Shelby Village
Some RestrictionsVillage Code § 430-23 puts most sidewalk replacement and repair costs on the Village, but shifts responsibility to the…
Read full rule →Sterling Heights
Some RestrictionsSterling Heights property owners must keep the sidewalk abutting their lot in good repair or face liability for…
Read full rule →Troy
Some RestrictionsTroy Code Section 34.10 puts the duty to keep an abutting sidewalk or driveway approach in safe condition on the…
Read full rule →Warren
Some RestrictionsWhen Warren's city engineer finds a sidewalk, crosswalk, or driveway approach unsafe or in disrepair, the abutting…
Read full rule →Westland
Some RestrictionsWestland, Michigan places the duty to build, maintain and repair abutting sidewalks and side-drive aprons on the…
Read full rule →Wyoming
Some RestrictionsIn Wyoming, Michigan, the owner of property next to a public sidewalk is responsible for keeping it safe, not the city…
Read full rule →Grand Rapids
Few RestrictionsGrand Rapids' Charter makes abutting owners responsible for sidewalk repair, but that duty is expressly switched off…
Read full rule →Obstruction Rules
What you can and cannot place on sidewalks, including newspaper boxes, planters, sandwich boards, trash cans, and minimum pedestrian clearance widths.
Dearborn
Significant RestrictionsDearborn bans obstructing any street, alley, or public place with animals, boxes, fences, gas pumps, awnings…
Read full rule →Flint
Significant RestrictionsThe City of Flint bans storing or displaying goods, wares, produce, boxes or showcases on sidewalks, streets or alleys…
Read full rule →Ann Arbor
Some RestrictionsAnn Arbor's Chapter 47 streets ordinance flatly bars placing or maintaining any obstruction in a street or sidewalk…
Read full rule →Clinton Township
Some RestrictionsClinton Township bars owners from letting debris, vegetation, or tree limbs block the sidewalk fronting their property…
Read full rule →Detroit
Some RestrictionsDetroit prohibits obstructing or encumbering any sidewalk, street, alley, or public place with animals, boxes, signs…
Read full rule →Farmington Hills
Some RestrictionsProperty owners and occupants abutting a Farmington Hills sidewalk must keep it clear of obstructions, including…
Read full rule →Grand Rapids
Some RestrictionsGrand Rapids bans occupying a sidewalk with construction materials or equipment unless a Temporary Occupancy Permit is…
Read full rule →Lansing
Some RestrictionsLansing prohibits crowding, obstructing, or blocking sidewalks, streets, alleys, and building entrances, and makes it…
Read full rule →Livonia
Some RestrictionsLivonia bans placing materials, machinery, or other obstructions in a street or on a sidewalk without a permit from the…
Read full rule →Shelby Village
Some RestrictionsVillage Code § 430-24 makes it unlawful to place snow, dirt, trash, goods, wares, or merchandise on any public sidewalk…
Read full rule →Sterling Heights
Some RestrictionsSterling Heights bans vending machines, mailboxes, fences, mounds, and other obstructions placed in the public…
Read full rule →Troy
Some RestrictionsTroy Code Section 34.09 makes it illegal for an owner to let a sidewalk or driveway approach adjoining their property…
Read full rule →Warren
Some RestrictionsWarren property owners cannot let the sidewalk, crosswalk, or driveway approach next to their property fall into…
Read full rule →Wayne County
Some RestrictionsWayne County can order removal of any encroachment on a county road right-of-way, including sidewalks along county…
Read full rule →Westland
Some RestrictionsWestland bars placing articles or obstructions in streets and sidewalks without a permit, with narrow exceptions for…
Read full rule →Wyoming
Some RestrictionsWyoming, Michigan bars anyone from placing construction materials, machinery, or an unpermitted sign in a public street…
Read full rule →Encroachment Permits
Permits required when construction, landscaping, or other activities temporarily or permanently encroach on public sidewalks or rights-of-way.
Ann Arbor
Significant RestrictionsAnn Arbor requires a revocable City Administrator permit before anyone occupies part of a public street or sidewalk…
Read full rule →Detroit
Significant RestrictionsDetroit requires a City Council-approved permit before anyone can build or place a structure that encroaches into a…
Read full rule →Lansing
Significant RestrictionsLansing, Michigan (Ingham County) bars placing any sign or material in a public right-of-way, including sidewalks…
Read full rule →Dearborn
Some RestrictionsAnyone placing a private structure or item in a Dearborn street, alley, or right-of-way needs a permit reviewed by the…
Read full rule →Farmington Hills
Some RestrictionsAnyone placing an obstruction, structure, or installation in a Farmington Hills street or public right-of-way must…
Read full rule →Flint
Some RestrictionsPlacing stone, timber, rubbish or any other material in a Flint street, lane or alley requires City Council permission…
Read full rule →Grand Rapids
Some RestrictionsBalconies, awnings, and other private projections into a Grand Rapids public right-of-way need an encroachment permit…
Read full rule →Livonia
Some RestrictionsLivonia makes it unlawful to occupy any street or sidewalk with construction materials or machinery, or for any other…
Read full rule →Shelby Village
Some RestrictionsVillage Code § 430-6 sets the permitting process for any private use of a Shelby Village street or right-of-way…
Read full rule →Sterling Heights
Some RestrictionsSterling Heights requires a city permit before building, repairing, or excavating within any public street or sidewalk…
Read full rule →Troy
Some RestrictionsTroy bars anyone from placing an obstruction, excavation or fill in the public right-of-way without a permit from the…
Read full rule →Warren
Some RestrictionsAnyone building, altering, or repairing a sidewalk, crosswalk, driveway approach, or curb opening in Warren's…
Read full rule →Wayne County
Some RestrictionsWayne County requires a $500 permit before placing anything in a county road right-of-way, and the road engineering…
Read full rule →Westland
Some RestrictionsWestland, Michigan requires a written permit before any curb cut or sidewalk driveway crossing is made to reach private…
Read full rule →Wyoming
Some RestrictionsWyoming, Michigan requires a city encroachment permit before a balcony, awning, canopy, eave, cornice, bay window or…
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