§ 26-34. Sidewalk construction.

The village board may determine that sidewalks or curbs may be constructed, laid, rebuilt or repaired along or upon any public street, right-of-way or highway within the village. The village board may determine or change the width or grade of any street or sidewalk.

(1)

Generally. Concrete sidewalk construction shall meet the specifications and provisions set forth in this section and shall be constructed in locations and to line and grade as established by the village.

(2)

Concrete. All sidewalks shall be of air entrained concrete composed of six bags per cubic yard of one course construction and built to the established line and grade. Gravel shall be of good quality and washed. Concrete shall be mixed thoroughly for a minimum of two minutes after all materials have been placed in the mixer.

(3)

Forms. Concrete shall be placed in straight forms of wood or metal. Wood forms shall be surfaced plank of at least two inches thickness. Metal forms shall be of approved sections. The forms shall be of full depth of the required walk and shall be of such design as to permit secure fastening. Concrete shall be placed in the forms on a moist subgrade, deposited just above the finished grade and spaded sufficiently to bring the mortar to the surface to prevent honeycombing. It shall then be struck off level with the top of the forms and finished with wooden flats.

(4)

Slope. To provide adequate drainage, the sidewalk shall slope toward the curb at a rate of one-quarter inch per foot of width of sidewalk. All joints and edges shall be finished with a one-quarter-inch radius edging tool.

(5)

Width and thickness. Residential walks shall be four feet in width and not less than four inches thick except within driveway approaches where the minimum thickness shall be six inches. Sidewalks in front of commercial or industrial establishments shall be not less than eight feet in width and four inches in thickness except within driveway approaches, where the minimum thickness shall be six inches.

(6)

Finishing. Before the last finish has set, the sidewalk shall be steel troweled. Before final finishing, the surface shall be checked and any areas departing more than one-eighth-inch from a testing edge shall be corrected by adding or removing concrete while the concrete is still in a plastic condition.

(7)

Jointing. One-half-inch thick expansion joints of expansion material shall be located every 40 feet and at the property line and where the walk intersects another walk, curbline, building or driveway approach. The expansion joint material shall be placed in a neat and workmanlike manner with its upper edge slightly below the finished sidewalk surface. Dummy groove joints for controlled cracking, at least one inch in thickness and 5/16 inches in depth, shall be placed at intervals of five feet. All joints shall be at right angles to the direction and grade of the walk. Diagonal joints are not permitted.

(8)

Curing and drying. As soon as any of the concrete work hereinbefore mentioned has been finished and hardened sufficiently to prevent excessive marring of the surface, it shall be cured and protected against rapid drying. Concrete shall be kept moist by sprinkling, covering or a combination of both. Walks shall be kept free from all traffic at normal temperatures for 48 hours and in cold weather (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit) for 96 hours. No concrete shall be poured when the temperature is expected to fall below 35 degrees Fahrenheit in any 72-hour period or upon frozen subgrade.

(9)

Higher standards. Where deemed necessary by the village, higher sidewalk standards may be required by the village board.

(10)

Illegal sidewalks. No sidewalk which shall be constructed contrary to the provisions of this section shall be considered a legal sidewalk and the same may be ordered to be replaced with a legal sidewalk and with one that is in conformity with this section, the same as if no sidewalk whatever had been built or constructed in the place where any such sidewalk is located.

(Prior Code, § 7.02(3))