The owner of property that fronts on a walkway leading to the closed Birmingham Avenue steps in Avalon complained to the borough council Tuesday that the deterioration of the sidewalk has led to a safety hazard for her tenants.

Denise Dyer told council that her property is landlocked, with the walkway being the only access for an ambulance crew, firefighters, or others who may need to reach the house. There was no snow removal last winter, she said, and the walkway continues to deteriorate.

The steps that connect to the walkway were closed after the borough determined that it was too expensive to rebuild them, especially with the topography and the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Borough manager Harry Dilmore said that he has applied for several grants to fund the projected $100,000 cost, but the borough has not yet received any of them.

Dilmore estimated that it would cost at least $30,000 to repair just the sidewalk leading to the steps.

Borough officials planned to visit the site to determine what could be done