Sidewalks

Local realtors regularly tell us that walkability is one of the main reasons that people are so interested in moving to Bethlehem to live or open a business. And our community is remarkably walkable, in part because of our 47-mile long sidewalk network that touches every hamlet.

As much as we appreciate this network, however, for most of its history it was the subject of benign neglect. Improvements were made when grants came in or when there was a bit extra in the budget. This led to our sidewalks gradually degrading in quality, because time and winters are hard on concrete.

Sidewalk Investments

This approach changed in 2015 when the Town dedicated $25,000 annually for sidewalk work, in addition to aggressively going after state and federal funds to build new sidewalks. This annual commitment grew to $50,000 in 2017 and $150,000 in 2022. In 2024, the budget for improvements was further increased to $250,000 per year.

The results of these investments are striking. In 2022 and 2023, for example, our awesome Highway team built and restored more than 21,000 feet of sidewalks!

That said, the Town still faces a large backlog of sidewalks in poor condition. One panel on Douglas Road in Delmar, for example, has been in place, untouched, for more than 80 years. It will take us years to catch up and get all the sidewalks where we want them and in good condition. But we are truly making excellent progress.

Setting Priorities

Decisions about where to restore and where to build new sidewalks are made by the Highway Superintendent in consultation with the Town Planning Division, Engineering Division, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. In most instances, replacing and fixing degraded sidewalks takes priority over adding new sidewalks. Replacement projects are prioritized by level of use, degree of deterioration, and other factors such as proximity to a school and connectivity within the broader sidewalk network.

A key part of this process is a visual survey of the Town’s sidewalk and multi-use path network that the Highway Department prepares every two years or so. This survey involves inspecting and ranking the physical condition of the sidewalks and multi-use paths, and uploading this information into a database. The Town used this information to create the Town’s ADA Transition Plan for Pedestrian Facilities within the Public Right-of-Way, which identifies barriers to accessibility and prioritizes improvements that are to be made to increase ADA compliance of the Town’s sidewalk and curb ramp infrastructure.

Big Projects

In addition to steadily restoring our existing sidewalk network, the Town has completed and is in the midst of several major sidewalk construction projects.

In 2010, the Town built 9,400’ of sidewalks along Feura Bush Road in Glenmont with State grant funding.
In 2016, the Town built 5,655’ of sidewalks near the Bethlehem Central Middle School, St. Thomas the Apostle School, and Hamagrael Elementary School thanks to a $430,148 State Safe Routes to School grant.
In 2017, the Town rebuilt approximately 1.7 miles of sidewalks in and around the Four Corners in Delmar as part of the Delaware Ave Enhancement Project. This project was largely driven by a $1,200,000 grant from the NYS Department of Transportation.
In 2022, the Town finished building 1.3 miles of new sidewalks in Glenmont as part of the Glenmont Roundabout & Sidewalk Project. The Town received two grants totaling $3,877,427 from the NYS Department of Transportation for all aspects of this project.
In 2025, we completed the Cherry Avenue Extension Multi-Use Path, a 10’-wide asphalt path (similar to the Rail Trail) that connects Kenwood Avenue and the Rail Trail with the growing Slingerlands commercial district on New Scotland Road. A $1,569,539 grant from the NYS Department of Transportation made this project possible.
In 2024, we started construction of a 10’-wide asphalt path along Blessing Road. Blessing Road is the only road connecting the North Bethlehem hamlet with the rest of town, and sees 5,000 to 6,000 cars per day. This multi-use path has dramatically improved the safety of residents walking and biking in the hamlet or traveling into Slingerlands.
In 2025, the Town began using a $6,089,622 grant from the NYS Department of Transportation for the Bethlehem State Sidewalks Improvements Project to restore degraded sidewalks along most of our State roads: New Scotland Avenue (in Slingerlands), Kenwood Avenue from Cherry Avenue to Adams Street (in Delmar), Delaware Avenue from Adams Street to Cherry Avenue/Elm Avenue (in Delmar), Elsmere Avenue from Delaware Avenue to Bender Lane (in Elsmere), and Bridge Street (in South Bethlehem). This project will allow us to restore and build 27,255’ of sidewalks! We are also working to get State permits to improve a degraded section of Maple Avenue (Selkirk). Design work is scheduled to run through 2026, with construction starting in 2027.
The Town intends to start construction of a new sidewalk along Feura Bush Road from Elsmere Avenue to Hasgate Drive/Murray Avenue in 2026. This project has been in the planning phase for several years, but has been delayed by issues with rights-of-way.
In 2023, the Highway Department replaced and extended the sidewalk on Kenwood Avenue between Elsmere Avenue and the radio tower.
In 2024, the Town completed the Kenwood Ave Traffic Calming Study, which assessed the Town-managed stretch from the Four Corners to the Bypass (the State controls Kenwood Avenue between Cherry Avenue and the Four Corners). Sidewalk and crosswalk improvements are important next steps in the plan.

Tentative Priority Sidewalk Restoration List along Town Roads

Douglas Rd. – South side
Adams Pl. - South side between Roweland and Delmar Pl.
Fisher Blvd. - East side between Delaware and Orchard
Ridge Rd. - Both sides
Poplar Dr. – Between Ridge Rd. and Elsmere Ave.
Delmar Bypass near Van Dyke Rd.
Harvest Ridge Rd. - Between Ivywood Dr (N) to Elm Ave East and Forsten Drive - between Ashgrove & Kimmey Dr.
Herber Ave. - North side from 23 Herber to Elsmere
Harrison - Both sides
Burhans Pl. - Both sides
Delmar Pl.– West side between Adams and Kenwood
Euclid Ave. - Both sides
Snowden Ave. - Both sides
Alden Ct. - Both sides between Kenwood and 34 Alden
Lincoln Ave. – East side
Ivywood Dr. - Harvest Ridge to Silver Creek Dr
Bedell Ave. - east side
Rural Pl. - both sides
Thatcher St. - short stretch
Normanskill Blvd. - west side

Priority Sidewalk Restoration List along State Roads (part of the $6M Sidewalks along State Roads Improvement Project)

Delaware Ave (NY-443) –Adams St to Cherry Ave
Bridge St/Maple Ave (NY-396)
Kenwood Ave (NY-140) – Adams St to Cherry Ave
New Scotland Rd (NY-85) – Fisher Blvd to Slingerlands Roundabout
Elsmere Ave (NY-335) – Delaware Ave to Bender Ln

Frequently Asked Questions

When the Town is caught up on sidewalk maintenance, would a new sidewalk be considered on my street?

With limited resources, the Town must be strategic in how it invests in sidewalk projects. Sidewalks generally provide a broader range of benefits and more value on heavier trafficked and higher speed roadways than on lower volume and quieter residential streets where people can safely walk along a street edge. The Town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Network Map reflects roadways where new pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and/or signage would have priority consideration. If you wish to propose a potential sidewalk project, please email the Traffic Safety Team.

Why are sidewalk replacement projects made a priority over installing new sidewalks?

Existing sidewalks in poor condition may pose a safety risk to users and create accessibility challenges for people using mobility devices. Prioritizing sidewalk repair or replacement is in alignment with the Town’s ADA Transition Plan for Pedestrian Facilities within the Public Right-of-Way.

What does it take to plan and construct a new sidewalk or multi-use path?

New sidewalks require extensive planning, engineering, and coordination with residents, as there is usually need for a professional survey of the right-of-way, property easement acquisitions, utility work, tree removals, mailbox and fence relocation, and grading for stormwater management. Depending on the roadway jurisdiction, the work may need Albany County or NYS Dept of Transportation approval. These elements add cost and time to implementing new sidewalk projects, so the Town must be selective. Potential new sidewalks go through a cost/benefit analysis and are compared against other potential new sidewalks for consideration. The Town also considers potential grant funding opportunities for new sidewalk and multi-use path construction.