Fund Top Five Sidewalk Requests
in Next City Budget

WalkSafe Monroe is proposing that the City dedicate 0.5% of the FY27 budget to the construction of new sidewalks—enough to cover nearly all of the estimated cost for the city’s top five highest-ranked sidewalk requests.

Currently, Monroe has 27 unfunded sidewalk requests, despite a detailed prioritization system that weighs factors like road classification, traffic volume, and proximity to schools, parks, and libraries. Unfortunately, there is no funding stream to move these projects forward. Even a modest annual investment could begin to change this.

We appreciate that the City is positioning itself to pursue outside grants to help expand sidewalk infrastructure. At the same time, we believe sidewalk construction is a basic community need that should also be addressed directly through the City’s own budget—just as many other cities do.

For reference, applying 0.5% of the FY26 budget ($222.4M) would equal roughly $1.11M—enough to fund nearly all of the City’s top five sidewalk priorities, estimated at $1.14M total:

• Walkup Ave: Cuthbertson St to Broome St ($129K)

• Circle Dr: Between East Franklin St and Sunset Dr ($286K)

• Franklin St: Between High School Dr and Sunset Dr ($46K)

• Jefferson St: Between Church St and Crow St ($27K)

• Charles Street: From Franklin Street to Sunset Drive ($656K)

If this level of funding were made a standard part of the budget process, nearly all current requests could be addressed within five years—or funding could be redirected to other sidewalk priorities the City deems more urgent. By committing to this approach now, Monroe can make steady progress toward more connected neighborhoods.