The city of Los Angeles has a $27 million set aside for sidewalk repair during the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. This is only the proverbial drop-in-the-bucket for L.A.'s estimated $1.5 billion in overall unmet sidewalk repair needs. Based on liability and property concerns, the city is only spending its $27 million repairing tree-root-damaged sidewalks along city facilities, such as parks and libraries.
Last month, Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian strongly criticized city bureaucracy for delays in spending even the relatively meager sidewalk repair monies budgeted.
Walking around my Koreatown neighborhood a few days ago, I spotted white markings on the slightly damaged sidewalks in front of Shatto Park. It looks like the city forces are at least getting some sidewalk repair work under way. I inquired to the city's Public Works Bureau to find out where and when sidewalk repair is happening, and will do a follow-up article when I hear back from them.
Readers: is anyone else seeing these sidewalk repair markings in front of city facilities in your neighborhoods? Where? Are there other tree-root-damaged sidewalks (in front of city facilities) that the city should be repairing? Let us know in the comments below.
Update April 2: The list of city facility sidewalk repairs underway is in this March 2015 Bureau of Engineering Report [PDF]. It's part of the sidewalk repair city council file 14-0163-S4.
