LA Public Works Committee Approves Street Repair Study

By City News Service

The City Council's Public Works and Gang Reduction Committee approved a comprehensive study today that backs away from an initial proposal in January by two council members to take out a $3 billion bond for repairing city streets.
   
The "Save Our Streets LA'' plan would address 8,700 miles of street lanes, including some streets that are so bad the city has given up on fixing them. The proposed review of this plan still requires approval by the full council to move forward.

Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Mitchell Englander drew criticism earlierthis year for proposing to place a $3 billion bond measure on the May ballot. They shifted gears and decided to do a "fact-finding mission,'' shopping the street repair idea at six public meetings held across the city, Buscaino said today.
   
The proposed study would ask city officials to look at two dozen instructions suggested at those meetings.

The $3 billion bond proposal could still be part of the repair plan, but the study approved today asks city officials to find other ways of funding the project beyond just asking taxpayers to foot the bill, including using vehicle license and gasoline fees or grants.
   
The review, if approved, would be due back in 45 days and would also include identification of city streets rated in the worst condition, a long term maintenance plan and a review of whether $3 billion would be sufficient to fix all of Los Angeles' worn out, pothole-filled streets.

Which streets in the Encino and Tarzana areas are in most desperate need of repair?