How Concrete Lifting Improved Sidewalk Safety Across 15 Neighborhoods
Before
After
Project Overview
For more than five consecutive seasons, B-Level Ltd. has partnered with the City of New Albany to address sidewalk trip hazard repair needs across residential neighborhoods. Instead of relying on costly and disruptive concrete replacement, the City selected B-Level’s concrete lifting and leveling process to restore sidewalk safety quickly, efficiently, and with minimal impact to residents.
The Challenge
The City’s primary concern centered on public safety. Crews identified sidewalk trip hazards defined as vertical offsets of ½ inch or greater across multiple neighborhoods. Tree roots growing beneath sidewalk panels caused most of these hazards, creating heaving and uneven surfaces.
Many sidewalks also contained underground downspout laterals running directly beneath the affected concrete. Without proper identification and protection, repairs could damage these lines and create costly infrastructure issues.
B-Level’s Approach
B-Level began each project phase with a hands-on evaluation, physically walking each area and visually inspecting every seam to identify potential tripping hazards.
After identifying the hazards, B-Level followed a structured repair process:
- Downspout Lateral Inspection
- B-Level inspected underground lines using a camera system to confirm integrity and identify perforations or damage.
- The team used a locator to mark the precise location of each line, allowing crews to complete repairs safely.
- Concrete Lifting & Leveling
- Whenever possible, B-Level lifted adjoining concrete panels using its specialized concrete slurry mixture to eliminate trip hazards while preserving the original sidewalk.
- The team used grinding only when lifting was not feasible, since grinding permanently alters the concrete surface.
- Joint Sealing
- After leveling, crews sealed all open seams with a polyurethane concrete caulk to help prevent water intrusion and future settlement.
- Resident-Friendly Execution
- B-Level closed sidewalks only during active work for safety and reopened them immediately after completion.
- The team asked residents to avoid sealed joints for 48 hours, without requiring extended access restrictions.
Results & Impact
Over the course of the partnership, B-Level achieved the following results:
- Serviced 15 neighborhoods
- Lifted 3,000+ sidewalk panels
- Saved the City hundreds of thousands of dollars compared to full sidewalk replacement
- Minimized resident disruption compared to multi-day replacement projects
- Returned sidewalks to immediate usability after repairs
The City also gained a predictable, repeatable process that supports annual planning and efficient deployment across neighborhoods.
Key Considerations
On-street parking presented one logistical challenge. When vehicles occupied active work zones, crews temporarily removed them to allow equipment access and restored parking immediately after completing repairs.
B-Level provides a standard 3-year warranty on sidewalk panels that have settled. The warranty excludes panels affected by ongoing tree root growth, since root expansion remains an uncontrollable, continuing condition.
Conclusion
Through its partnership with B-Level Ltd., the City of New Albany implemented a cost-effective, minimally disruptive sidewalk safety program that reduced trip hazards, extended the life of existing infrastructure, and improved walkability across multiple neighborhoods.
Municipalities facing similar right-of-way sidewalk concerns can contact B-Level for a full assessment, project planning, and on-site collaboration with city officials, managers, and staff.
Before
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