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Sidewalk Trip Hazards: What Every Property Owner Should Know

January 5, 20265 min read

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Understand common causes of sinking concrete, project pricing ranges, repair versus replacement, contractor questions, and Albuquerque-specific concrete concerns.

A vertical offset between two sidewalk panels creating a trip hazard

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Many questions can be answered with a quick phone call, helping you understand your options before scheduling an evaluation. Sometimes a quick conversation is all it takes to point you in the right direction.

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Many questions can often be answered over the phone. If an on-site evaluation is needed, we'll help arrange it.

A ½-inch vertical difference is enough to be a legal trip hazard in most Albuquerque-area jurisdictions. Here's how to identify, prioritize and fix them.

Sidewalk leveling repair restoring a level walkway
Sidewalk leveling repair restoring a level walkway.

ADA and most municipal codes consider any vertical difference greater than ¼ to ½ inch on a pedestrian walkway a trip hazard. For commercial property owners and landlords, that becomes a liability question — especially in Albuquerque's wet season when even minor differences become slippery.

The two fast fixes are grinding (removing the raised edge) and lifting (raising the low side back to match). Grinding is quick and cheap but leaves a rough, faded surface. Lifting restores the original grade and appearance and, more importantly, addresses the underlying cause — a voided or settled sub-base.

For any commercial walkway, document the fix. A photo before, a photo after, and a copy of the written warranty is often what your insurance carrier will ask for.

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