{"id":444663,"date":"2026-08-27T02:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T02:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/444663\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T02:18:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T02:18:08","slug":"willits-slide-demonstrators-mark-progress-yet-work-to-be-done-in-making-la-sidewalks-accessible-daily-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/444663\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Willits Slide\u2019 demonstrators mark progress, yet work to be done, in making LA sidewalks accessible \u2013 Daily News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Disability<\/p>\n

Disability and mobility advocates held the Willits SLIDE on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, a demonstration that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Paralympian<\/p>\n

Paralympian Candace Cable addresses attendees of the Willits SLIDE, a demonstration held on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Disability<\/p>\n

Disability and mobility advocates held the Willits SLIDE on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, a demonstration that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Executive<\/p>\n

Executive Director of FASTLinkDTLA Hilary Norton addresses attendees of the Willits SLIDE, a demonstration held on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Disability<\/p>\n

Disability and mobility advocates held the Willits SLIDE on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, a demonstration that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Artist<\/p>\n

Artist Reanne Estrada addresses attendees of the Willits SLIDE, a demonstration held on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Artist<\/p>\n

Artist Reanne Estrada addresses attendees of the Willits SLIDE, a demonstration held on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Disability<\/p>\n

Disability and mobility advocates held the Willits SLIDE on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, a demonstration that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 8<\/p>\n

Disability and mobility advocates held the Willits SLIDE on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, a demonstration that marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles settlement and addressed the city\u2019s advances and delays in making sidewalks and curbs accessible. (Photo by Jacob Lewis, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Sliding forward and backward in unison outside City Hall in matching shirts bearing the \u201cBoo Boo Bandage Brigade\u201d logo, disability and mobility advocates performed the \u201cWillits Slide\u201d on Tuesday, Aug. 25, encouraging officials to make sidewalks and curbs accessible, keeping the promises made in a landmark 2016 legal settlement.<\/p>\n

Executive Director of FASTLinkDTLA Hilary Norton marked the 10th anniversary of the Willits v. City of Los Angeles agreement by applauding the city\u2019s advances but declaring that there is still much work to be done to make the city\u2019s sidewalks and curbs truly accessible. FASTLinkDTLA is non-profit organization focused on reducing traffic in Los Angeles County by encouraging public transit, walking, biking, carpooling, on-demand transit, walking and other methods of transportation.<\/p>\n

Paralympian Candace Cable \u2014 \u00a0a nine-time Paralympian and first U.S. woman to medal at both the Summer and Winter games \u2014 was also on hand for the event.<\/p>\n

According to city documents, L.A. officials administer sidewalk repairs via compliance with the 2016 Willits settlement, which ended a class action lawsuit propelled by disability rights advocates, who claimed that damaged and non-navigable sidewalks across in the city were a major problem for pedestrians and others. At the time, the City Council approved a \u201cfix and release\u201d policy, vowing to repair all sidewalks in city and creating a process for assuring work was done.<\/p>\n

The pact required the city to spend $1.37 billion over 30 years to fix broken sidewalks, inaccessible curb ramps and other problems for pedestrians.<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles Department of Public Works said Wednesday that the city has spent more than $370 million toward the Willits settlement and has continually met or exceeded its annual spending commitment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith one of the most expansive sidewalk networks in the nation, the City has remained committed to deliver accessible improvements to those with mobility disabilities,\u201d Oliver Hall, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

But disability advocates said damaged sidewalks and other walkways still pose problems for people who use wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility tools, despite the money the city has spent.<\/p>\n

City Controller Kenneth Mejia also criticized the city\u2019s handling of sidewalk infrastructure, pointing to both a backlog of repair requests and the cost of sidewalk-related liability claims. Between July 1, 2019, and Dec. 31, 2025, Los Angeles paid $110 million in sidewalk-related liability claims, about 10% of all city liability payouts during that period, according to Mejia\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

The city also has a backlog of more than 4,400 sidewalk repair requests, Mejia said. He criticized plans to prioritize sidewalk repair work near Olympic venues, arguing that repairs should instead be directed to areas with the greatest need.<\/p>\n

\u201cCity Hall has not been prioritizing safe sidewalks,\u201d Mejia said in a statement. \u201cThe City needs to overhaul its priorities and invest in what actually prevents harm and improves people\u2019s lives, like fixing and maintaining sidewalks. Not only would it prevent injuries to our residents and visitors, but it will ultimately save money in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mejia also pointed to cuts to the Bureau of Street Services, saying its operating budget declined by $61 million, or 26%, from fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2026. The Controller\u2019s Office said it conducted an audit of the city\u2019s risk management practices aimed at reducing injuries and liability costs and expects to release the findings in the coming months.<\/p>\n

Public Works, meanwhile, urged residents to report barriers to the public right-of-way through MyLA311.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

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