ARE L.A.'S STREETS BEYOND REPAIR? CITY FACES 66-YEAR BACKLOG OF RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer Rebuilding just 15 miles of its broken and crumbling streets a year, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. will have cleared its current backlog of roads needing major reconstruction in 2065, 66 years from now. Of course, by then the backlog would be much greater than the 1,000 miles of city streets that now need rebuilding, not just resurfacing. In a city with streets ranked among the worst in the nation, the allocation of just $30.2 million out of a $4.2 billion budget to resurface re·sur·face v. re·sur·faced, re·sur·fac·ing, re·sur·fac·es v.tr. To cover with a new surface: resurfacing a road; resurfaced the floor. v.intr. 220 miles and rebuild 15 miles is a losing battle. To repair all the damaged streets in the city would cost $1.5 billion over the next 10 years, officials say. In a calculated gamble, the city uses a formula allocating 80 percent of its repair money on resurfacing and 20 percent on reconstruction of the 6,500 miles of streets in hopes of slowing deterioration as much as possible. ``It is a problem,'' said Greg Scott Greg "Greggles" Scott (born 6 March, 1969 in Macclesfield, Cheshire) is an English television presenter. Early life and career The son of a comedian, Greg Scott worked as a redcoat at Butlins and then as a warm-up artist on the Channel 4 programme Countdown for 13 years. , head of the city's Bureau of Street Services. ``We get questions all the time about why we're resurfacing one section of street when another is so much worse. We tell people we're trying to prevent the one from getting so bad.'' Scott acknowledges there is not enough money provided for street repair to stay ahead of the problem, but he notes that the budget has been rising in recent years. ``It doesn't sound like much, but we're making some headway,'' he said. ``It's all a matter of money and how much we can allocate for repaving or reconstruction.'' Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. said repair of the streets has been one of his priorities since taking office. One of his first acts was to assemble a task force of private citizens to analyze the city's needs - and streets were high on the list. ``We have been doing more than anyone else in the past 25 years,'' Riordan said. ``The state of the streets not only affects business but also the quality of life in the city.'' For San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. resident Nila Clay Gieg Arlington, who has lived in her Hesby Street house in Valley Village for 58 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time street is a constant problem. ``It all started with the earthquake when we began to see cracks,'' she said. ``Then, during El Nino, it got really bad. We have to get the front end of our cars realigned every six months. It's gotten to the point where we just know where to dodge when we drive.'' But Arlington said she knew of no one who has filed a complaint with the city. ``What good would that do? No one listens.'' Modesta Fredricks, who also lives on Hesby Street - which is scheduled for reconstruction this year - echoed the sentiments on the street's conditions. ``We've been disappointed that it's taken so long to get anyone to even notice,'' Fredricks said. A study released last year ranked Los Angeles streets as among the worst in the nation and estimated the cost to motorists is an extra $1,325 over the life of their cars because of damage caused by the condition of streets in the city. The problem - as elsewhere throughout the city's aging infrastructure - is money. Scott said this year's plan calls for resurfacing 75 miles more than last year's, nearly a 50 percent increase. The reason for spending more money on resurfacing than reconstruction is that each dollar goes further, Scott said. The average resurfacing cost is about half the average $400,000 a mile cost for reconstruction. In some cases, reconstruction costs are $600,000 a mile. Scott said the selection of which streets to reconstruct are worked out with City Council members and the community through hearings. ``It's a delicate balancing act,'' Scott said. ``I really wouldn't be in the position of having to make the decisions, and that's why we work with the council offices to meet their priorities.'' And, there are other considerations. ``Each year we get to all but about 30 percent of our list because some of the streets are on utiliFty holds - places where other agencies will be doing work underground,'' Scott said. ``There is nothing more frustrating for people than to see us go in and repair a road and then someone come in and tear it up.'' An example of a utility hold is a stretch of Burbank Boulevard adjacent to the border of the City of Burbank. ``We've had that on hold since 1989 waiting for a sewer to go in,'' Scott said. ``We now hear they'll be doing that in a couple of months. Then we can go in and fix it up.'' Scott said he has been encouraged by the increased funding provided by Riordan and the council over the past few years, and his department is working to find other sources of funds. ``We are trying to get a number of streets designated as federal highway segments, where we could add miles to the federal highway system so we could leverage our money for more federal dollars,'' Scott said. ``We're also working with the mayor and the council to try to get more state money back from surpluses they have for street work. We're optimistic that we might be able to help ourselves get well.'' Councilwoman Laura Chick, who serves on the council's Public Works public works pl.n. Construction projects, such as highways or dams, financed by public funds and constructed by a government for the benefit or use of the general public. Noun 1. Committee, said she is concerned about how the money is spent. ``While we can sometimes point to increasing the miles repaired, I would like to see us doing even more,'' Chick said. ``I want us to become more cost-effective and also makes sure we get the maximum so we don't have to go back in three to five years and have to do it all over again.'' THE WORST STREETS IN THE VALLEY These streets, on the city's list for reconstruction during 1999-2000, are considered the worst in the San Fernando Valley. The streets are listed according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the City Council district in which they are located. COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 Alley south of Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. , from Vantage Street to Laurel Grove Street Helen Avenue, from Walnut Drive to Sunland Boulevard Hesby Street, from Colfax Avenue Colfax Avenue is the main street that runs east and west through the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area in Colorado. As U.S. Highway 40, it was one of two principal highways serving Denver before the Interstate Highway System was constructed. to Laurel Canyon Boulevard Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a major street in the city of Los Angeles, California. It starts off at Polk Street in Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley near the junction of the San Diego (Interstate 405) and the Golden State Freeways (Interstate 5). COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 Bessemer Street, from Shoshone Avenue to White Oak Avenue (east roadway) Calvert Street, from Shoshone Avenue to White Oak Avenue Darby Place, from Cantara Street to Lorne Street Delano Street, from Shoshone Avenue to White Oak Avenue (east roadway) Erwin Street, from Sale Avenue to Fallbrook Avenue Geyser geyser (gī`zər) [Icel.], hot spring from which water and steam are ejected periodically to heights ranging from a few to several hundred feet. Avenue, from Miranda Street to Collins Street Martha Street, from Yolanda Avenue to Wilbur Avenue (east service road) Sale Avenue, from Victory Boulevard Victory Boulevard is a major thoroughfare on Staten Island, measuring approximately 8.0 miles (12.87 km) and stretching from the west shore community of Travis to the upper east shore communities of St. George and Tompkinsville. to Calvert Street Shoshone Avenue, from Delano Street to Bessemer Street Yolanda Avenue, from Miranda Street to Martha Street COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 La Maida Street, from Lankershim Boulevard to Bakman Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 Sunswept Drive, from Laurel Terrace Drive to Fairway Avenue Valleyheart Drive, from Woodman Avenue to Hazeltine Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 7 Langdon Avenue, from Chase Street to Lanark Street Lev lev-, pref See levo-. Avenue, from Montford Street to Van Nuys Boulevard Tobias Avenue, from Nordhoff Street to Parthenia Street Wheeler Avenue, from Gager gag·er n. Variant of gauger. Street to Terra Bella Street COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 Buenaventura Street, from San Feliciano Drive to Cerrillos Drive Comercio Lane, from Ventura Boulevard to Avenue San Luis San Luis, city (1991 pop. 110,353), capital of San Luis prov., W central Argentina. The city is the commercial center of an area producing cattle, corn, and asparagus; the surrounding area has timber and mineral resources. San Luis is a popular resort. Comercio Way, from Ventura Boulevard to Avenue San Luis Costanso Street, from Baza Baza (bä`thä), town (1990 pop. 21,123), Granada prov., S Spain, in Andalusia. It is a food-processing center for a fertile farm area noted especially for its cattle. Baza has flour and textile mills, tanneries, and cement plants. Avenue to Tendilla Avenue Viscanio Road, from Don Pio Drive to Topanga Canyon Boulevard COUNCIL DISTRICT 12 Gresham Street Gresham Street, in the City of London, is named after Thomas Gresham and runs from St. Martin's Le Grand near St Paul's Cathedral in the west, past Guildhall, to Lothbury in the east. , from Louise Avenue to dead end west of Andasol Avenue Los Alimos Street, from Louise Avenue to Encino Avenue Petit Avenue, from Horace Street to Tulsa Street Ruffner Avenue, from dead end north of Vintage Street to Lassen Street SOURCE: City of Los Angeles
THE WORST STREETS IN L.A. These streets, on the city's list for reconstruction during 1999-2000, are considered the worst in Los Angeles excluding the San Fernando Valley. The streets are listed according to the City Council district in which they are located. COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 Menlo Avenue, from 20th Street to Amey Street 6th Street, from Carondelet Street to Vermont Avenue Vermont Avenue is one of the longest running north/south streets in Los Angeles. Located just west of the Harbor Freeway for the major portion south of downtown Los Angeles, it starts in Griffith Park at the Greek Theatre in the Los Feliz neighborhood as a one-lane divided road (it COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 Camero Avenue, from Hoover Street to Hillhurst Avenue Camino Palmero, from dead end north of Franklin Avenue Franklin Avenue can refer to:
Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out Edgemont Street, from Hollywood Boulevard to Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. Hoover Street, from Clarissa Avenue to Franklin Avenue Rosewood Avenue, from Harvard Boulevard to Serrano Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 Sarbonne Road, from Chalon Road to Bellagio Road COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 Mountain View Avenue, from Charnock Road to Victoria Avenue Mountain View Avenue, from Victoria Avenue to Venice Boulevard Penmar Avenue, from Rose Avenue to Palm Boulevard Stewart Avenue, from Centinela Avenue Centinela Avenue is an important street in Los Angeles. It generally runs north/south, but also east/west, and is the prime thoroughfare for West Los Angeles, Mar Vista, and Culver City. to Short Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 Wilton Place, from 89th Street to 92nd Street 42nd Street, from Arlington Avenue to 100 feet east of 4th Avenue 56th Street, from Denker Avenue to Western Avenue 71st Street, from Normandie Avenue to Halldale Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 9 Naomi Street, from 16th Street to Santa Monica Freeway The Santa Monica Freeway is the westernmost segment of Interstate 10, beginning at the western terminus of I-10 at the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica, California and ending southeast of downtown Los Angeles at the famous East Los Angeles Interchange. 7th Street, from Maple Avenue to Hope Street 21st Street, from Compton Avenue to Naomi Avenue 33rd Street, from Griffith Avenue to San Pedro Street 55th Street, from Figueroa Street Figueroa Street is a street in Los Angeles County, California. It runs in a north/south direction for a length of more than 30 miles (48 km) between the Los Angeles communities of Eagle Rock and Wilmington. to Hoover Street 59th Place, from Harbor Freeway to Figueroa Street 79th Street, from Central Avenue to Avalon Boulevard COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 Highland Avenue, from Edgewood Place to San Vincente Boulevard Pickford Street, from Hauser Boulevard to Sierra Bonita Bonita (Spanish and Portuguese for "beautiful") is the name of:
Sawyer Street, from Venice Boulevard to Fairfax Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 13 Alley east of Benton Way, from Reservior Street to Elsinore Street Alvarado Street, from Elmoran Street to Whitmore Avenue Blake Avenue, from Altman Street to Gail Street B lake Avenue, from Gail Street to North Coolidge Avenue De Longpre Avenue, from Cahuenga Boulevard to Highland Avenue Farwell Avenue, from Waverly Drive to Glendale Boulevard Hudson Avenue, from Yucca Street to Hollywood Boulevard Mayberry Street, from Mohawk Street to McCollum Street Morton Avenue, from Morton Place to Echo Park Avenue Reservoir Street, from Occidental Boulevard to Silver Lake Boulevard Westmoreland Avenue from 1st to dead end South of 1st COUNCIL DISTRICT 14 Clarence Street, from Kearney Street to Via Las Vegas Hartwick Street, from Hill Drive to Colorado Boulevard Marmion Way, from Avenue 66 to Figueroa Street Minerva Street, from 23rd Street to center line south of 25th Street Randolph Avenue, from Carnegie Street to 500 feet north of Hillsdale Drive 7th Street, from Central Avenue to San Pedro Street 7th Street, from Alameda Street to Central Avenue COUNCIL DISTRICT 15 Hickory Street, from 103rd Street to Santa Ana Boulevard Juniper Street, from 103rd Street to Santa Ana Boulevard Mona Boulevard, from Santa Ana Boulevard south to Imperial Highway SOURCE: City of Los Angeles CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, 2 Boxes PHOTO (1) A core sample is used to determine the condition of a street. (2) Cu Luong, a materials testing engineer, uses an instrument to take the temperature of a street. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer BOX: (1) THE WORST STREETS IN THE VALLEY (see text) (2) THE WORST STREETS IN L.A. (see text) |
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