Turning Assessment into Action: How Genoa, IL Uses DeepWalk for Sidewalk Inspections

Introduction:

Genoa, Illinois needed a comprehensive sidewalk condition assessment to support the development of its Sidewalk Maintenance Program. The purpose of this program is to enhance pedestrian safety for community members and ensure long-term sidewalk quality within the city. Genoa’s public works department partnered with DeepWalk, the iPhone LiDAR-based inspection software, to inspect and maintain its 28-mile sidewalk system.

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Challenge:

To develop its sidewalk maintenance program, Genoa’s public works department had to modernize its inspection process. Traditional inspection methods are time-consuming, costly, and hard to update, making planning and implementing long-term improvements difficult. In need of a multi-purpose tool, Genoa is using DeepWalk to conduct sidewalk condition assessments, maintain its sidewalk data, create improvement plans, and reassess its system every 5 years.

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Solution:

Genoa deployed DeepWalk’s scanning software on city-owned iPhones to assess 28 miles of sidewalk and 442 curb ramps. Prior to scanning, DeepWalk provided city staff with a 20-minute asynchronous training and configured custom manual tags to classify trip hazards by size. Once collected, data collectors uploaded the scans to DeepWalk’s automated measurement process, passing through a quality control team to ensure data accuracy. As scans are processed, the data becomes available in DeepWalk’s web application.

DeepWalk’s web application is a comprehensive sidewalk management platform, delivering detailed inspection data and actionable sidewalk programs. The web application is designed to help municipalities get from inspection to bid efficiently. It features tools to customize data collection, data dashboards, budgets, and improvement programs. These tools alleviate the demand on public works departments, allowing for data-driven decision-making, faster project planning, and efficient sidewalk compliance efforts.

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Results:

Extensive Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Assessment

Genoa successfully implemented DeepWalk’s sidewalk inspection software on 28 miles of sidewalk and 442 curb ramps. Assigned an average accessibility score of 3.8 out of 5, Genoa’s assessment accurately identified specific locations of access barriers, including trip hazards, deterioration, and obstructions within the sidewalk network. The completion of this condition assessment enabled Genoa’s public works department to create its sidewalk maintenance program and standardize its sidewalk inspection process moving forward.

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For scoring system and measurement details, read our blog post.

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Recommendations for Improvement Programs

Genoa received recommendations for sidewalk improvement programs to increase its sidewalk and curb ramp accessibility score. The recommendations are generated on DeepWalk’s web application and are based on the complete sidewalk and curb ramp data set. For Genoa, DeepWalk recommends a vegetation removal program to increase its access grade from 3.8 to 4.2. Other recommended programs include trip hazard removal and detectable warning retrofit. The tools to create programs are available on DeepWalk’s web app.

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ArcGIS Integration

Genoa integrated DeepWalk’s mapping files with its existing asset management system using the 2-click ArcGIS integration. Available in the web application, the integration takes less than 15 minutes to complete and supports a holistic planning approach to community-wide improvements.

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Comprehensive Sidewalk Management Platform

DeepWalk’s web application is the home to all inspection data. This platform guides users from data collection to implementation to reassessment. Genoa can easily maintain and update its data to reflect future repairs and improvements made to the sidewalk network. As updates are made, the sidewalk access score is recalculated to accurately reflect its current status.

Impact:

Implemented Deterioration Program

By downloading DeepWalk’s PDF AutoReports, Genoa’s public works department implemented a program to remove and replace deteriorated sidewalk panels within its system. The AutoReport displays a top-down, labeled image of the sidewalk, featuring inspection summaries, access barrier location, and GPS data. The detailed reports equipped construction teams to locate and replace deteriorated panels easily.

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Received APWA Asset Management Award

In March 2025, Genoa’s public works department was granted the Asset Management Award by the American Public Works Association (APWA) - Fox Valley Branch and the APWA - Chicago Metro Chapter. Genoa advanced asset management practices across its streets, water, and wastewater divisions by leveraging technologies like DeepWalk to improve long-term infrastructure efficiency and sustainability.