Raleigh has been building sidewalks in mostly white, wealthier areas. That may change.

For years, the city of Raleigh has based where to build sidewalks on where residents asked for them.

But a review of that process shows that whiter, wealthier neighborhoods were more likely to request sidewalks, and ultimately receive them.

Neighborhoods that were “less prosperous” and had a larger non-white population were less likely to ask.

“I’m going to cut to the chase of what was our conclusion,” said Anne Conlin, the business intelligence supervisor in the city’s transit department.

“We reviewed this program, and our conclusion was that, as currently structured, it is not leading to equitable outcomes,” she told the City Council on Tuesday. “And we therefore are recommending to you that we shift to a data-driven approach.”

The city added 17.1 miles of sidewalks between 2017 and 2022 through its sidewalk petition program.

How new sidewalk decisions would get made

The new approach will take in several new factors. Will new sidewalks make the streets safer? How much easier will will they make getting to bus stops and schools.

The city is not eliminating residents’ input.

There will be no balloting of neighbors if a street is designated to have sidewalks in a city plan, like the city’s street plan.

If a street has not been previously designated to have sidewalks, however, all residents within two blocks of the street will be balloted, including renters. The city previously only balloted property owners for sidewalk preference.

Do most residents generally want sidewalks?

A majority of Raleigh residents want sidewalks in their neighborhoods, especially around schools, bus stops, parks and greenways, and shopping centers. Younger, newer and renting residents especially want them, according to surveys done by the city.

Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin asked why some residents wouldn’t want sidewalks.

“A lot of time it is because they don’t want to disturb their front yard, to be honest with you,” Conlon said. “That’s one of the reasons we hear. And it will affect their property. Some people are concerned about loitering on the sidewalks.”

Raleigh suspended its sidewalk petition program in 2020 after a growing backlog. The city’s current list of projects have all received funding.

In addition to resident petitions, sidewalks are built throughout the city through government-funded construction projects either on the local or state level and through private development, which often requires sidewalks in new projects.

“As a broad comment, I think this makes good sense,” said Council member Megan Patton. “And I think it’s logical and will serve greater equity outcomes.”

City staff will bring back the policy for final approval later this year.