MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES PACKAGE TO INCREASE STREET PAVING

Category: City News
Published on Thursday, 13 November 2014 12:48
Written by Dianne Lawrence

200 Miles Extra Per Year from ‘Street Smart’ Package Combines with 200 Extra From Previous Reforms for 400 Extra Miles Annually


street paveLOS ANGELES -- Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced a package of initiatives to increase street paving across Los Angeles by 200 miles annually. Combined with 200 extra miles per year that will result from previous reforms led by the Garcetti Administration, L.A. will see 400 more miles of streets paved in the coming years.

Garcetti made the announcement at the corner of National and Barrington on the West side, which is being paved today. Following the announcement, Councilmember Joe Buscaino was to introduce the necessary City Council motions to implement the initiatives.

street pavestreet pave“We are going to be ‘Street Smart’ with our paving to make sure we squeeze more miles out of every dollar we spend. We are going to make sure we are paid back in full when people dig up our roads; we’re going to break down silos between departments and work more efficiently; and we’re going to modernize our asphalt plant so we can pave more streets for less money,” Mayor Garcetti said. “As Mayor, I am leading a back to basics agenda that’s focused on those core functions of city government that build strong neighborhoods, a strong quality of life and a strong economy, and figuring out a way to pave our streets better is exactly what we need to be doing.” Mayor Garcetti said L.A. will get more “Street Smart” about paving through:

**Full Cost Recovery for Damage Done to Our Streets
Currently, when utilities and other entities cut into city streets, costs are paid according to a 1996 formula that’s outdated and that is flawed in other ways. A new process will be developed to ensure the city is 100 percent reimbursed so we are not losing money that will instead be used for paving streets.




**Cracking Down on Parking Lot Tax Scofflaws
Cash only parking lots can enable unscrupulous owners to pocket the 10 percent city parking tax paid by motorists. Requiring credit and debit card options at parking lots will increase collections of the tax, and any collections over the current level will be allocated to street paving.

**Upgrading Asphalt Plant #1
The city owns two asphalt plants. Modernizing “Asphalt Plant #1” will save $5 million a year, because the city will be making asphalt cheaper than it is now and cheaper than buying it from an outside vendor. Additionally, modernization means we’ll be able to use 50 percent recycled asphalt in manufacturing our own.

**Efficiency through Cutting Red Tape Between Departments
Instruct the various departments involved in street paving to formalize and regularly meet as a Coordination Group to identify efficiencies to do more with less.

**Base Repairs on Need/Merit
Repairs above the current level will be resurfacing, not just slurry, and repairs will be based on need and merit, not politics.




**Full Review of Street Paving Technology
Ensure that most effective and efficient tools and technology are being used.

**Community Beautification Assessment Districts
CAO to assess possibility of establishing assessment districts to allow residents and businesses voluntarily expedite street repairs.

**Street Cut Moratorium
Ban street cuts into newly resurfaced streets from one to three years.

“I'm glad that we as a city are willing to take a hard look at where we are on these issues, to embrace my office's audit recommendations, and to take bold action to move us forward,” said Controller Ron Galperin.

“The people want their government to work well, and they want their leaders to work together. They will reward good management and smart fiscal policies by approving revenue measures at the ballot box: the recent passage of the state water bond is proof of that,” said Councilmember Joe Buscaino.

“Being smarter and more efficient about how we invest in infrastructure is how we put neighborhoods first in Los Angeles. A better approach to street repaving doesn't just repair the physical street - it helps enhance mobility, improve sustainability and it rebuilds pride in our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Mike Bonin.