L.A. NEEDS $2 BILLION TO FIX WORST STREETS.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

After decades of neglect, Los Angeles' city streets are so badly aged, cracked and full of potholes that it would cost nearly $2 billion over 10 years - more than double current spending - just to catch up on repairing the worst roads.

Without such a major financial commitment to repair Los Angeles' 6,571 miles of streets, motorists can look forward to further deterioration and even more costly car repair bills because of what is already one of the worst street systems in the country, officials told the Daily News.

``If we were to take the budget today and just do the bad streets, in 20 years we would have more streets that would need reconstruction than we do today because we have an old street system that is aging,'' said Greg Scott, director of the city Bureau of Street Services.

The 97 worst streets - including 32 in the San Fernando Valley - have been identified by the bureau for complete reconstruction because they are so badly deteriorated that pothole repair and repaving would be insufficient. Scott plans to propose reconstruction of all 97 streets in next year's budget at a cost of $430,000 per mile.

A recent report to the City Council warned that nearly 60 percent of Los Angeles streets are older than 25 years - the average life span of a street even with periodic repairs and resurfacing.

The report said that 950 miles of the city's streets are in failure and require major reconstruction, but only 20 miles of street receive that costly refurbishment annually.

To motorists, the failure to maintain the city's streets amounts to a hidden tax for car repairs.

The Surface Transportation Policy Project, a national coalition of 175 transportation policy groups, recently reported that badly maintained roads and freeways cost Los Angeles drivers more on car repairs than anyone else in the country except Detroit motorists.

The group said Los Angeles motorists spend $1,325 over the life of a car on repairs caused by potholes and other road problems.

``The streets here are atrocious,'' said Gloria Ohland, local director of the Surface Transportation Policy Project.

``Cities are just so strapped for funds and have so many other pressing needs, such as police and fire protection, that it's hard to keep up.''

From the outset of his first term as mayor in 1993, Richard Riordan recognized the neglect, and budgeted for doubling the repair of streets to 200 miles a year. But other priorities have moved ahead in recent years, and only 175 miles are being repaired this year.

Riordan has begun talking to city department heads about developing a plan to address the problem of crumbling streets, said a spokesman.

``The Mayor's Office and other city department heads are working hard to address this problem in a responsible and effective manner, including looking at sources of federal and state funds, as well as what general funds can be committed to it,'' said mayoral spokesman Deane Leavenworth.

Civic leaders say good roads, capable of carrying people efficiently, are important to the city's economy.

``The quality of city streets is not good,'' said City Councilman Mike Feuer. ``They need dramatic improvements.''

Need for a plan

After being contacted by the Daily News on Friday about the city's street problems, Feuer proposed that a committee of city managers be assembled immediately to develop a plan for funding and repairing streets and sidewalks.

Scott said a recent assessment of the street system concluded a much more dramatic commitment is needed to eliminate a backlog of 3,628 miles of street - nearly half the city system - that is overdue for repairs.

``We were at 100 miles per year (for repairs) before the mayor took office,'' Scott said. ``We've got 6,500 miles of streets, so at that pace that's repairing the streets once every 65 years.

``I can't tell you that with the money we now get, that the streets are getting better. We would need to do 300 to 350 miles each year if you wanted to take care of all the bad streets and catch up so we can move forward.''

Such a project would cost the city $1.5 billion in today's dollars, and some $1.8 billion if done over 10 years, Scott said.

The plan would increase the current regular maintenance schedule from 150 miles to 225 miles, and also repair an additional 223 miles of repairs on streets in the backlog.

If the backlog work is delayed to be done over 20 years, the price tag increases to $2.6 billion.

The lack of funding is no excuse to residents who live near, and drive on, the city's worst streets. Something needs to be done now, they say.

``I messed up the wheel-bearings in my car twice on this street, and it cost me $200 to fix each time,'' said Antonio Ramirez, who lives on a stretch of Tobias Avenue in Panorama City, one of the 97 worst streets in Los Angeles.

``All up and down this street there's bumps and cracks everywhere, like you see when there's an earthquake,'' Ramirez said. ``I've been here 20 years, and they've never fixed the street.''

On Helen Avenue in the Northeast Valley, part of the street is still a dirt road that develops 8-inch-deep potholes whenever it rains, said Connie Barnes, a resident of the area known as Shadow Hills.

The paved section of roadway is also crumbling in places, she said.

``When you drive down the street, you don't drive straight, you have to drive around the potholes,'' Barnes said. ``If you tried to drive fast you would bottom out.''

Barnes has mixed feelings about the poor street conditions because it keeps people from speeding on a street where many children live.

Pam Petty, Barnes' neighbor on Helen Avenue, has no such misgivings.

``It should have been done a long time ago,'' Petty said.

A group of residents were so fed-up with the conditions on the street that they circulated a petition to ask the city to take action.

Fixing the worst

Scott said he believes the worst 97 streets - containing 20 miles of roadway - can be reconstructed next year. There are 930 more miles that also need reconstruction next year but are not going to be funded.

Tackling the problem is complicated by the fact that the streets are just one element of the city infrastructure that has been neglected and needs a massive infusion of up to $4 billion to fix.

The Los Angeles City Council asked voters last month to approve $769 million in special taxes for sidewalk repairs. The measure failed to get the necessary two-thirds vote, leaving council members and the mayor scrambling to look for other sources of funds.

In addition, the city plans to ask voters in April to approve more than $1 billion in bonds to build and upgrade city police and fire stations.

City taxpayers already have the burden of spending $2 billion on upgrading the city's aged and overburdened sewer system, and the city is already spending tens of millions in voter-approved bond funds to fix city bridges and earthquake-damaged buildings.

``It's a very daunting task,'' Feuer said.

Ohland said when money has been made available by federal and state agencies, too often it is put into new road projects, including new freeways.

``We're trying to say, wait a minute. Here we are continuing to build a lot of new roads when we can't even maintain what we have,'' Ohland said.

She said the state this year is making a one-time offer of transportation funds for road repairs.

City officials are also looking at the possible use of transportation taxes that have been freed up because of the scaling back of the subway system and diverting some of that money to road repairs.

``Clearly this is a multiyear program, but we need to make the commitment now so we don't end up with an infrastructure that is completely broken,'' Feuer said.

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. Figures refer to the length of each segment.

GRANADA HILLS: Andasol Avenue from San Fernando Mission Boulevard to Chatsworth Street (0.49 miles)

GRANADA HILLS: Horace Street from Louise Avenue to White Oak Avenue (0.5 miles)

GRANADA HILLS: Ludlow Street from Louise Avenue to Encino Avenue (0.25 miles)

GRANADA HILLS: Shoshone Avenue from Chatsworth Street to San Jose Street (0.25 miles)

GRANADA HILLS: Tribune Street from Louise Avenue to Encino Avenue (0.25 miles)

GRANADA HILLS: Tulsa Street from Louise Avenue to Zelzah Avenue (0.25 miles)

LAKE VIEW TERRACE: Wheeler Avenue from Gager Street to Terra Bella Street (0.22 miles)

NORTHRIDGE: Prairie Street from Louise Avenue to Bianca Avenue (0.18 miles)

NORTHRIDGE: Ruffner Avenue from dead end north of Vintage Street to Lassen Street (0.2 miles)

PACOIMA: Borden Avenue from Paxton Street to Van Nuys Boulevard (0.57 miles)

PANORAMA CITY: Tobias Avenue from Nordhoff Street to Parthenia Street (0.51 miles)

RESEDA: Capps Avenue from Haynes Street to Gilmore Street (0.13 miles)

RESEDA: Lorne Street from Shirley Avenue to Corbin Avenue (0.25 miles)

RESEDA: Yolanda Avenue from dead end north of Haynes Street to Victory Boulevard (0.22 miles)

RESEDA: Rhea Avenue from Haynes Street to Gilmore Street (0.12 miles)

RESEDA: Gilmore Street from Baird Street to Capps Avenue (0.11 miles)

RESEDA: Alley south of Gilmore Street from Yolanda Avenue to dead end west of Yolanda Avenue (0.12 miles)

SHADOW HILLS: Helen Avenue from Walnut Drive to Sunland Boulevard (0.3 miles)

SHERMAN OAKS: Camarillo Street from Natick Avenue to Kester Avenue (0.2 miles)

SHERMAN OAKS: Greenbush Avenue from Sarah Street to Valleyheart Drive (0.16 miles)

SHERMAN OAKS: Matilija Avenue from Moorpark Street to Ventura Boulevard (0.13 miles)

SHERMAN OAKS: Valleyheart Drive from Woodman Avenue to Hazeltine Avenue (0.51 miles)

SHERMAN OAKS: Varna Avenue from Sarah Street to Valleyheart Drive (0.16 miles)

TARZANA: Geyser Avenue from Miranda Street to Collins Street (0.08 miles)

TARZANA: Martha Street from Yolanda Avenue to Wilbur Avenue east service road (0.23 miles)

VALLEY VILLAGE: Hesby Street from Colfax Avenue to Laurel Canyon Boulevard (0.5 miles)

VAN NUYS: Covello Street from Whitaker Avenue to Balboa Boulevard (0.2 miles)

WOODLAND HILLS: Buenaventura Street from San Feliciano Drive to Cerrillos Drive (0.2 miles)

WOODLAND HILLS: Comercio Lane from Ventura Boulevard to Avenue San Luis (0.12 miles)

WOODLAND HILLS: Comercio Way from Ventura Boulevard to Avenue San Luis (0.13 miles)

WOODLAND HILLS: Costanso Street from Baza Avenue to Tendilla Avenue (0.05 miles)

WOODLAND HILLS: Viscanio Road from Don Pio Drive to Topanga Canyon Boulevard (0.1 miles)

Source: City of Los Angeles 

THE WORST STREETS IN LOS ANGELES

These streets, on the city's list for reconstruction during 1999-2000, are considered the worst in Los Angeles. Figures refer to the length of each segment.

Adair Street from Washington Boulevard to dead end south of Washington Boulevard (0.1 miles)

Argyle Avenue from dead end north of Temple Hill to Primrose Avenue (0.08 miles)

Boulder Street from dead end east of Sloat Street to Evergreen Avenue (0.23 miles)

Calmar Street from Holman Avenue to dead end north of Holman Avenue (0.05 miles)

Camino Palmero from dead end north of Franklin Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard (0.22 miles)

Charnock Avenue from Faris Drive to Hughes Avenue (0.1 miles)

Cimarron Street from Rodeo Road to 39th Street (0.25 miles)

Citrus Avenue from De Longpre Avenue to Lexington Avenue (0.25 miles)

East Side Street from Sloat Street to Evergreen Avenue (0.12 miles)

Edris Drive from 500 feet south of Pico Boulevard to dead end south of Cashio Street (0.22 miles)

Farwell Avenue from Waverly Drive to Glendale Boulevard (0.12 miles)

Graham Avenue from 103rd Street to 108th Street (0.3 miles)

Graham Avenue from 111th Street to 114th Street (0.25 miles)

Gramercy Place from Middleton Place to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (0.3 miles)

Hampton Drive from Rose Avenue to Sunset Avenue (0.14 miles)

Hartwick Street from Hill Drive to Colorado Boulevard (0.35 miles)

Highland Avenue from Edgewood Place to San Vicente Boulevard (0.4 miles)

I Street from Fries Avenue to Island (0.1 miles)

Kalmia Street from 103rd Street to Santa Ana Boulevard (0.5 miles)

Kinnard Avenue from Westholme Avenue to Manning Avenue (0.16 miles)

Ladrillo Street from dead end east of Sadring Avenue to Sadring Avenue (0.1 miles)

Logan Street from Scott Avenue to Sunset Boulevard (0.24 miles)

Lucille Avenue from Effie Street to Sunset Boulevard (0.2 miles)

Manhattan Place from Melrose Avenue to dead end south of Clinton Street (0.2 miles)

Marmion Way from Avenue 64 to Figueroa Street (0.24 miles)

Mayberry Street from Mohawk Street to McCollum Street (0.2 miles)

Menlo Avenue from 20th Street to Amey Street (0.06 miles)

Meridian Street from Avenue 64 to Figueroa Street (0.28 miles)

Michigan Avenue from Echandia Street to Pleasant Avenue (0.1 miles)

Minerva Street from 23rd Street to city limits south of 25th Street (0.2 miles)

Morgan Avenue from 55th Street to Slauson Avenue (0.3 miles)

New Jersey Street from Boyle Avenue to Echandia Street (0.1 miles)

Normandie Avenue from Third Street to Wilshire Boulevard (0.48 miles)

Ogden Drive from Sunset Boulevard to Fountain Avenue (0.25 miles)

Orange Grove Avenue from Sunset Boulevard to Fountain Avenue (0.25 miles)

Penmar Avenue from Rose Avenue to Palm Boulevard (0.34 miles)

Pickford Street from Hauser Boulevard to Sierra Bonita Avenue (0.12 miles)

Randolph Avenue from Carnegie Street to 500 feet north of Hillsdale Drive (0.25 miles)

Sawyer Street from Venice Boulevard to Fairfax Avenue (0.1 miles)

Spring Street from Imperial Highway to 116th Street (0.1 miles)

Stoner Avenue from dead end north of Pearl Street to National Boulevard (0.56 miles)

Summit Avenue from Pleasant Avenue to dead end west of Pleasant Avenue (0.04 miles)

Tabor Street from Exposition Boulevard to Hughes Avenue (0.1 miles)

Waring Avenue from Kilkea Drive to Harper Avenue (0.18 miles)

Westlake Avenue from Sixth Street to Ninth Street (0.48 miles)

Westmoreland Avenue from First to dead end south of First (0.13 miles)

Willowbrook Avenue from 107th Street to 112th Street (0.38 miles)

Wilton Place from 39th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (0.27 miles)

Wilton Place from 89th Street to 92nd Street (0.25 miles)

Fifth Avenue from Rose Avenue to Sunset Avenue (0.14 miles)

Seventh Street from Central Avenue to San Pedro Street (0.4 miles)

11th Street from Lucerne Boulevard to dead end west of Lucerne Boulevard (0.03 miles)

20th Street from Tarleton Street to Central Avenue (0.4 miles)

33rd Street from Griffith Avenue to San Pedro Street (0.25 miles)

38th Place from Western Avenue to Gramercy Place (0.26 miles)

42nd Street from Arlington Avenue to 100 feet east of 4th Avenue (0.16 miles)

56th Street from Fortuna Street to Compton Avenue (0.1 miles)

56th Street from Denker Avenue to Western Avenue (0.25 miles)

57th Street from Long Beach Avenue to Fortuna Street (0.12 miles)

59th Place from Budlong Avenue to Normandie Avenue (0.25 miles)

71st Street from Normandie Avenue to Halldale Avenue (0.12 miles)

79th Street from Central Avenue to Avalon Boulevard (0.5 miles)

101st Street from Broadway to Olive Street (0.06 miles)

112th Street from Monitor Avenue to Compton Avenue (0.3 miles)

118th Street from Main Street to San Pedro Street (0.24 miles)

Source: City of Los Angeles

CAPTION(S):

Photo, 2 Boxes

PHOTO Residents of Sunland's Helen Avenue stroll along an unpaved stretch of street often flooded and riddled with soggy potholes.

David R. Crane/Daily News

BOX: (1) THE WORST STREETS IN THE VALLEY (see text)

(2--Ran in Los Angeles Edition) THE WORST STREETS IN LOS ANGELES (see text)