Sidewalk

A sidewalk (North American English), pavement (British English, South African English), or footpath (Irish English, Indian English, Australian English, New Zealand English) is a path along the side of a road. Usually constructed of concrete, pavers, brick, stone, or asphalt, it is designed for pedestrians. A sidewalk is normally higher than the roadway, and separated from it by a curb. There may also be a planted strip between the sidewalk and the roadway and between the roadway and the adjacent land.

The preferred term for a pedestrian path beside a road varies based on region.

The term "sidewalk" is preferred in most of the United States and Canada. The term "pavement" is more common in the United Kingdom and some other members of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as parts of the Mid-Atlantic United States such as Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey. Australia, New Zealand, and many other Commonwealth countries use the term "footpath".

In the United States, the term sidewalk is used for the pedestrian path beside a road. "Shared use paths" or "multi-use paths" are available for use by both pedestrians and bicyclists. "Walkway" is a more comprehensive term that includes stairs, ramps, passageways, and related structures that facilitate the use of a path as well as the sidewalk.

In the UK, the term "footpath" is mostly used for paths that do not abut a roadway. The term "shared-use path" is used where cyclists are also able to use the same section of path as pedestrians.

In Australia and New Zealand, the term 'footpath' is used for all pedestrian paths, whether or not it runs alongside the road. A 'shared path' (or 'shared-use path') is a 'paved area particularly designed...for the movement of cyclists and pedestrians', and 'pavement' is the 'portion of a road designed for the support of...vehicular traffic'.

Sidewalks have operated for at least 4,000 years. The Greek city of Corinth had sidewalks by the 4th-century BC, and the Romans built sidewalks – they called them sēmitae.

However, by the Middle Ages, narrow roads had reverted to being simultaneously used by pedestrians and wagons without any formal separation between the two categories. Early attempts at ensuring the adequate maintenance of foot-ways or sidewalks were often made,^[why?] as in the Colchester Improvement Act 1623 (21 Jas. 1. c. 34) for Colchester, but they were generally not very effective.