FAQs

Kingston is known for its distinctive bluestone sidewalks that are an important part of its character and history. Unfortunately, many sections are in disrepair, making pedestrian travel hazardous. Over time, some have been replaced with concrete, asphalt, and other materials, creating an uneven mix that is aesthetically displeasing, not compliant with ADA standards, and can be difficult to navigate in some areas. 

The new Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan will help us find a balance between preservation and safety by evaluating how and where bluestone can be retained outside of historic districts while still meeting mandated standards.

Recently, the City updated its sidewalk code to be compliant with ADA standards. Some data on sidewalk locations and conditions has been collected in GIS and will ultimately be used to produce a future ADA Transition Plan. And preliminary analysis for a potential sidewalk improvement program to fund repairs has been completed. 

• Women who walk or bike 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer
• Active commuting that incorporates cycling and walking is associated with an 11% reduction in cardiovascular risk
• Active transportation as part of everyday travel is as effective as structured workouts for improving health
• Teenagers who bike or walk to school watch less TV and are less likely to smoke than their peers who are driven to school, in addition to getting more overall physical activity daily
• Public Transit users take 30% more steps and spend roughly eight more minutes walking each day than drivers
• A 30-minute round-trip bicycle commute is associated with better mental health in men
• New Yorkers save $19 billion per year because they rely less on cars than residents of other major U.S. cities

• Encourage Safe Routes to School programs to enable children to walk and bike to school safely
• Construct a connected network of multi-use trails
• Accommodate all roadway users with comprehensive street design measures such as “complete streets,” including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and share-the-road signs that provide safe and convenient travel for all users
• Separate motor-vehicle traffic from non-motorized traffic with physical barriers, such as the construction of bicycle boulevards
• Prioritize infrastructure improvements near transit stops and public transportation stations
• Provide safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian connections to public parks and recreation areas
• Promote safe roadway crossing through use of small block sizes, pedestrian refuge islands, and cross-walks
• Provide streetscape amenities such as benches, landscaping, lighting, and public art
• Install way-finding with signs, maps, and landscape cues to direct pedestrians and bicyclists to the most direct route
• Encourage bicycle parking at workplaces and transit stops
• Support the development of street-level shopping and restaurants along pedestrian and bicycle routes
• Educate bicyclists and pedestrians on state and local laws, as well as on safe practices

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures access to the built environment for people with disabilities. This includes sidewalks, street crossings, and other elements in the public way that can pose challenges to accessibility. 

When new sidewalks are constructed, the City is required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act by providing access to people with disabilities. One way in which do do this is to incorporate curb ramps into the sidewalk design. A curb ramp is a solid, usually concrete, ramp graded down from the top surface of the sidewalk to the surface of an adjoining street. 

Curb ramps allow wheelchair users, pedestrians with a walker or cane, people pushing strollers or a hand truck, and others on foot to move onto or off of a sidewalk with less difficulty.