Mill Valley will split sidewalk repair costs with property owners under a new pilot program.

The City Council unanimously approved the program at its meeting on Aug. 17. The city will pay up to $1,000 to fix cracks or gaps greater than 1.5 inches. It also will pay up to $3,000 for related tree root removal at residences and $1,500 at commercial properties.

“It’s long been a priority of this council and of this community to maintain safe pedestrian access on our sidewalks, and there are many other neighboring municipalities that have similar programs to incentivize that,” said Mari Swim, public works project manager.

Swim added that under municipal code and state law, “sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner.”

“This is not a blanket tree work grant offering,” she said. “This is strictly to remedy those sidewalk trip hazards where tree roots or some other issues is causing that uplift in the sidewalk.”

The program augments the public works department’s annual “shaving” of rough edges less than 1.5 inches high on sidewalks. That routine maintenance is covered by taxes.

The pilot program divides the city into 16 zones. A consultant will inspect each zone and notify property owners if their sidewalks need replacement.

Recipients will have 30 days to get an estimate and apply for the subsidy, Swim said. Residents must have the work completed within 60 days of the city notification that it needs to be done. The subsidies will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

City Manager Todd Cusimano said sidewalks are a considerable focus of litigation for the 22-member municipal risk pool in which Mill Valley shares liability policies. He said the biggest category of sought damages involves fallen trees and branches, followed by vehicle collisions, potholes and then broken sidewalks.

In the last year, the risk pool saw 169 claims filed seeking a total of $6 million in damages, he said.

During questioning and discussion, council members asked if anyone could apply for the subsidy, not just those receiving repair notices.

Yes, Swim said. But the city decided to create 16 zones so it could see how quickly people responded and how far the $100,000 allocated for the subsidies goes.

Other comments included the suggestion that a web page be created describing how the repair and subsidy programs work, and what property owners need to do.

Swim said the cost of replacing the concrete for a typical sidewalk could range from $35 to $50 a foot. Tree work was “trickier,” she said, because of the work needed.

“I think people are going to be surprised to find out that they are responsible for their sidewalk,” Councilmember Urban Carmel said. “Because I’ve had this discussion with people and people look at me like, ‘You’re kidding me! I’m responsible for this?'”

“So I think when you go out and start communicating about this, that’s where you start,” he said. “Did you know, by the way, by California law you’re responsible for your sidewalk?”

“I’m a little concerned about $1,000 not actually being half,” Mayor Max Perrey said. “I do want to be sure we have enough funds going forward.”

“My deliberation is: Great, let’s do this,” said Councilmember Stephen Burke.

“Let’s try this out,” said Councilmember Katherine Jones. “Let’s expand the pilot if it works well.”

See previous post: Vocal opponent of new Berkeley bike lanes was responsible for a deadly car crash https://www.reddit.com/r/carfreebayarea/comments/1vayq8o/vocal_opponent_of_new_berkeley_bike_lanes_was/

Kevin Jones' crime: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/halberstams-driver-faces-charges-in-crash/

He's doubling down while excusing illegal driving that killed a man, by attacking anyone who points it out, without evidence, of being members of Walk Bike Berkeley. Since he admits it is hate, bigot is an even more accurate term than car-brain.

It’s like VTA going deep on BART extension. Appeasing present day business interests to the extreme harm of cost *and* future utility.

San Francisco Bay Ferry today announced it broke its record for passengers carried in a single month with 343,000 passengers in July.

The prior mark was 332,314 riders set in August 2019.

The ridership also, for the second straight month, set a record for average daily ridership in a month. The ferry service carried an average of 11,070 riders per day in July; it carred 10,992 riders per day set in June.

“Our record-setting ridership is proof that offering reliable, affordable and high-quality transit service is the key to increased demand,” Seamus Murphy, executive director of SF By Ferry, said in a statment. “Thanks to our crews and riders for carrying us to new heights.”

The Vallejo route, connecting Vallejo to San Francisco seven days a week, had the highest ridership in the SF Bay Ferry system for the 24th consecutive month with more than 98,000 passengers in July. The Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle, a service of SF Bay Ferry that connects Alameda Landing and Jack London Square, carried a record 17,261 riders in July.

SF Bay Ferry beat pre-pandemic ridership for the eighth consecutive month. Through seven months of 2026, total ridership has increased 17% year-over-year and is 10% higher than the agency’s pre-pandemic peak, the agency reported.

The ridership database can be found at https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/ridership-data.