LA streets face \u2018dire future,\u2019 according to a new report<\/p>\n
Los Angeles city streets will worsen and repairing them will become more expensive unless the city overhauls its approach to maintenance, according to a report from transportation advocacy group Streets For All.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles city streets will worsen and repairing them will become more expensive unless the city overhauls its approach to maintenance, according to a report from transportation advocacy group Streets For All.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking towards a dire future for the streets of Los Angeles if we continue on the status quo,\u201d said Josh Vredevoogd, who heads creative and research for the organization that spearheaded Measure HLA and co-authored the report published in late April.<\/p>\n The critical condition that L.A.\u2019s streets could find themselves in is the result of underinvestment, opting for smaller-scale treatments and delaying compliance with long-standing federal accessibility laws, according to the report.<\/p>\n One of the potential solutions the report names is changing the city\u2019s charter to mandate a five-year infrastructure plan, and that\u2019s the option local leaders have recently angled toward too.<\/p>\n Keep up with LAist.<\/p>\n If you’re enjoying this article, you’ll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. <\/p>\n The context behind the report<\/p>\n The Streets For All report picks up on questions that surfaced late last year when transportation advocates noticed<\/a> the city had halted<\/a> resurfacing, which treats a street from curb to curb. While some resurfacing has since resumed, the Bureau of Street Services estimates<\/a> its current budget will only allow 60 lane miles of resurfacing this fiscal year compared to more than 300 lane miles the prior year.<\/p>\n Part of the reason, city officials have said,<\/a> is the high price of installing curb ramps. According to federal guidelines, curb ramps must be installed in compliance with ADA standards before a road is resurfaced. They come with a high price tag at $50,000 per curb ramp, according to Streets For All.<\/p>\n The city has instead prioritized \u201clarge asphalt repairs\u201d this year. That\u2019s a method of patching when there are structural failures like potholes or extensive cracking, “but the entire street doesn’t yet need full resurfacing,\u201d said Dan Halden, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Street Services.<\/p>\n By opting for large asphalt repairs, \u201cCity lawyers believe ADA repair requirements are not triggered,\u201d Streets For All\u2019s report says.<\/p>\n The report\u2019s findings\u00a0<\/p>\n The group’s report says that large asphalt repairs end up costing more per square foot than resurfacing, lead to more expensive repairs later and don\u2019t result in any meaningful improvement to street condition.<\/p>\n Halden said large asphalt repairs are a \u201cstandard practice in pavement management.\u201d<\/p>\n The report estimates that by not keeping up with curb ramp standards, L.A. will need to spend $4 billion to address its estimated 80,000 ramp backlog.<\/p>\n How does charter reform fit into this?<\/p>\n For years, advocates, namely Jessica Meaney of Investing in Place, have called on the city to create a long-term infrastructure development and maintenance plan, something major cities throughout the U.S. already have.<\/p>\n Vredevoogd said such a plan, known officially as a Capital Infrastructure Program, could include a streamlined method of street maintenance.<\/p>\n \u201cThey repave the street. They fix all the curb ramps. They put in new trees. They add Vision Zero improvements,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what you see happening with more functional Public Works programs in other cities.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Mayor Karen Bass released a Capital Infrastructure Program focused on projects for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic games. Bass\u2019 plan is a one-off, though, and long-term infrastructure planning and budgeting isn\u2019t part of the regular course of city business.<\/p>\n