Red snow shovel clearing packed snow from a brick sidewalk during a Capital Region winter

Sidewalk and Walkway Snow Clearing in the Capital Region

Where nearly every slip and fall actually happens, and the one surface a plow truck can never help you with.

Quick answer

Frosty Snow Management clears sidewalks, walkways, entrances, steps and accessible routes by hand across the Capital Region, then treats them with ice melt. Sidewalk clearing is where most premises liability claims originate and it is the one surface plow equipment cannot service.

A parking lot can be cleared by a truck in twenty minutes. A sidewalk cannot. Walkways, entries, steps, landings and accessible routes have to be done by people with shovels, snow blowers and ice melt, and that is exactly why so many contractors treat them as an afterthought and why so many properties end up with a beautifully plowed lot and a glazed, unusable front walk.

It is also where the liability lives. People do not generally fall in the middle of a drive lane. They fall stepping off a curb, coming down a set of entry steps, crossing an untreated walkway between the parking area and the door, or on a stretch of sidewalk that got cleared at 6 AM and refroze by 4 PM.

In most Capital Region municipalities, including Albany, Troy and Schenectady, the property owner is responsible for clearing the public sidewalk adjacent to their property within a set window after snow stops, and there are penalties for not doing it. We handle that obligation as part of both residential and commercial agreements.

Surfaces we clear by hand

Public sidewalks adjacent to the property, meeting local clearing ordinances
Interior walkways between parking areas and building entrances
Front, side and rear entry steps, landings and porches
Accessible routes, ramps, handrail approaches and access aisles
Curb cuts and the transition from lot to walkway, where most falls start
Courtyards, breezeways and paths between buildings in multi-family properties
Bus stops, mail areas, package rooms and dumpster approaches
Fire exits and emergency egress paths, which are a code obligation, not an option

Clearing is only half of it

Shoveling a walkway down to the surface and leaving it is not finishing the job. A cleared walkway that still has a wet film on it will refreeze the moment the temperature drops, and a refrozen cleared walkway is more dangerous than an uncleared one because it looks safe.

Every surface we clear by hand gets treated. Steps, landings and ramps get particular attention because they combine the highest fall consequence with the highest likelihood of glaze, as heat from the building keeps them just warm enough to melt during the day and they refreeze hard after dark.

Accessible routes and ADA obligations

Accessible parking spaces, access aisles, ramps and the route from an accessible space to the entrance are not optional surfaces to be done after the rest of the property. For any commercial or public-facing property they are the highest-priority walking surface on the site, both because the users have the least margin for a fall and because failing to maintain them carries specific exposure.

We treat accessible routes as a first-priority item in every commercial contract, cleared and treated as part of the same visit as the entrances rather than swept up later.

Residential walkways and steps

For homeowners, walkway and step clearing is usually added to a driveway agreement, and we recommend it. A cleared driveway that leads to an icy set of front steps has moved the risk rather than removed it, and steps are where older residents in particular actually get hurt.

We clear the front walk, the steps, the landing, and the path to wherever else you need to get, whether that is a side door, a mailbox, an oil fill, a meter or a shed. Tell us at the site walk which paths matter and they go on the list.

Sidewalks & Walkways Questions

Am I legally required to clear the sidewalk in front of my property?

In most Capital Region municipalities, including Albany, Troy and Schenectady, yes. Property owners are responsible for clearing adjacent public sidewalks within a set number of hours after snowfall ends, and there are fines for non-compliance. The exact window varies by municipality, so check your local code.

Why do you treat walkways after clearing them?

Because a cleared walkway with a wet film on it refreezes as soon as temperatures drop, and a refrozen cleared walk is more dangerous than an uncleared one because it looks safe. Clearing without treating moves the hazard rather than removing it.

Do you clear sidewalks separately from plowing?

Yes. Sidewalk and walkway clearing can be contracted on its own for properties that handle their own plowing, and it is itemized separately in commercial contracts so you can see exactly what walkway service costs and what it covers.

How do you handle accessible ramps and access aisles?

They are first priority on every commercial property, cleared and treated in the same visit as the main entrances rather than after the rest of the site. Users of accessible routes have the least margin for a fall and the property carries specific exposure for not maintaining them.

What do you use on steps so they do not glaze over?

Steps and landings get ice melt appropriate to the pavement temperature and the surface material. They need more attention than flat walkways because heat from the building melts snow during the day and it refreezes hard at night, which is what produces the invisible glaze people slip on.

Can you clear the path to my mailbox, oil fill or side door?

Yes. At the pre-season site walk, tell us every path that matters and they go on the service list. Mail delivery, oil and propane fills, meters, sheds and secondary entrances are all commonly included.