Repaving of the 101, street repair priorities (Los Angeles, Sacramento: city hall, transfer, to buy)

[bpeeps]

I can't quite understand how the city of LA prioritizes street repaving/resurfacing. The 101 is getting a fresh coat of tar for no reason other than aesthetics. The highway has undergone repaving around the Hollywood/Highland exit when it was already a smooth ride. Am I missing something here? Was there some construction I don't know about? I'm not sure what the 405 is like now after all the construction, but the southbound lanes through the Sepulveda pass were a rough and bumpy ride.

Streets like Laurel Canyon, where the hills are dumping debris onto the street and the road has a plethora of cracks and unevenness, go primarily unnoticed. Even Wilshire blvd, I avoid at all costs now because it's like driving up the side of a mountain.

Instead of repaving the 101 every 4 years, can we allocate that money to streets/freeways that really need it. Or are they simply trying to stay ahead and not some streets deteriorate to the point of the cost outweighing the repair? What's up with that?

[JohnG72]

The city of LA has literally nothing to do with the 101 being repaved. The 101 is a state highway.

[infinitekid]

right... 101 and LA no connection...troll another thread John

[BRinSM]

From Wikipedia:

The system of United States Numbered Highways (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the United States. As the designation and numbering of these highways were coordinated among the states, they are sometimes called Federal Highways, but the roadways have always been maintained by state or local governments since their initial designation in 1926.

[Spikett]

Cal Trans does the work on state and federal roadways. LA and Ventura Counties are in district 7:

Welcome to the State of California Department of Transportation, District 7, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by Spikett

Cal Trans does the work on state and federal roadways. LA and Ventura Counties are in district 7:

Welcome to the State of California Department of Transportation, District 7, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

Thank you, I couldn't figure out what site the 101 was listed on. I kept getting sent to the LA Bureau of Street Services.

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by infinitekid

right... 101 and LA no connection...troll another thread John

He's correct.

[]

[timtemtym]

Every morning driving up Highland I see signs saying the street will be closed for whatever upcoming weekend. I got excited the first few times, but then on Monday morning it was the same old janky paving! Are they closing for festivals every weekend because they sure aren't doing any construction on it! The roads around Hollywood are a mess and need re-engineering. I tried to go three blocks away to Staples on my lunch break and used the half the time driving there and half the time driving back.

Well why didn't I just walk? I was going to buy some heavy stuff. Anyways, that's my rant. The 101 can go kick rocks. Our streets are a craps shoot of perils. *rant* *rant* *rant*

[HarryKerryJr]

It is true what other have said: not necessarily any connection between state or interstate highway getting fixed and not a city road.

However, sometimes MTA (not city of LA) does pay for work on freeways/interstates (usually because CalTrans is unable to fund them), as part of the transportation taxes that is also budgeted for roads in LA County, but to meet CalTrans spec/approval, and then the contractors are hired by LACMTA and the project is under LACMTA control and management. The State pleased as punch they aren't paying for any or most of it (sometimes some State money is part of the funding package for an LACMTA roads project, or, in the case of the 405 HOV lanes, FEDERAL $$$).

Further, the City of LA, or any other city in LA County can apply for and and be granted MTA money (Call for Projects) for LOCAL projects that are related to transportation such as transit (service or construction) roads, and even bike paths. That money is mandated to be available for local projects so that everybody in LA County can benefit at the local area that may be miles from downtown of a tax on all LA County purchases at retail that we all pay.

Further, the OP observations are common because FUNDING a project takes time and sometimes is cobbled together from different sources. A project may have been approved for funding a year ago or longer, but it takes time to prepare environmental report (could be done before FULL funding) make public the plans, solicit bids, review bids, award bid, begin preparation of the site, etc. before the fist ground is broken, and this may be funded over a few years state budgets. However, in the meantime, some other road may have reached a point that is looks as if it should be fixed first instead of the fully funded project, but the new worse problem isn't funded for any real fixes, and the money approved for the first, but now no longer worse problem can NOT be used for any other purpose. Sometimes the Legislature may pass a law that allows for a transfer of funds to other programs, but this is done very rarely and only in either extreme circumstances.

In other words, the way things work and get done as we observe them can often look crazy. I remember during the height of the economic crash a few years ago, suburban cities were going ahead with construction of landscaped medians on some streets while govt. was laying people off and all sorts of other govt. cuts. I surmised that those projects already got funding either locally or from the state and it was already in the pipeline. Sometimes if those cities didn't spend the money on the approved project, they lose the money, so go ahead and build the landscaped median for the street. Still, it looked like an AWFUL way to spend public money with so many other govt. services were being cut and locals were looking to increase taxes.

As for the 101 work: I think that CalTrans probably puts importance on maintaining the lines are clear and easily visible to aid in preventing accidents or contributing to good flow. Also, one would be surprised at how politicians can get the city or state to spend money in THEIR districts to maintain things that don't really need maintenance nor fixing yet nor a fresh coat of paint, but if a politician is in a powerful position at City Hall, Sacramento or Washing D.C., keeping a fresh coat of paint on freeways that don't seem to need them is how those politicians get re-elected. That's is exactly what the constituents want to see.

But while a freeway gets a facelift, a local road in worse condition does not is simply because it is, primarily, the the State maintaining freeways and local cities maintaining the roads in their city and those are two different govt. entities with two different pocket books.

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by HarryKerryJr

It is true what other have said: not necessarily any connection between state or interstate highway getting fixed and not a city road.

However, sometimes MTA (not city of LA) does pay for work on freeways/interstates (usually because CalTrans is unable to fund them), as part of the transportation taxes that is also budgeted for roads in LA County, but to meet CalTrans spec/approval, and then the contractors are hired by LACMTA and the project is under LACMTA control and management. The State pleased as punch they aren't paying for any or most of it (sometimes some State money is part of the funding package for an LACMTA roads project, or, in the case of the 405 HOV lanes, FEDERAL $$$).

Further, the City of LA, or any other city in LA County can apply for and and be granted MTA money (Call for Projects) for LOCAL projects that are related to transportation such as transit (service or construction) roads, and even bike paths. That money is mandated to be available for local projects so that everybody in LA County can benefit at the local area that may be miles from downtown of a tax on all LA County purchases at retail that we all pay.

Further, the OP observations are common because FUNDING a project takes time and sometimes is cobbled together from different sources. A project may have been approved for funding a year ago or longer, but it takes time to prepare environmental report (could be done before FULL funding) make public the plans, solicit bids, review bids, award bid, begin preparation of the site, etc. before the fist ground is broken, and this may be funded over a few years state budgets. However, in the meantime, some other road may have reached a point that is looks as if it should be fixed first instead of the fully funded project, but the new worse problem isn't funded for any real fixes, and the money approved for the first, but now no longer worse problem can NOT be used for any other purpose. Sometimes the Legislature may pass a law that allows for a transfer of funds to other programs, but this is done very rarely and only in either extreme circumstances.

In other words, the way things work and get done as we observe them can often look crazy. I remember during the height of the economic crash a few years ago, suburban cities were going ahead with construction of landscaped medians on some streets while govt. was laying people off and all sorts of other govt. cuts. I surmised that those projects already got funding either locally or from the state and it was already in the pipeline. Sometimes if those cities didn't spend the money on the approved project, they lose the money, so go ahead and build the landscaped median for the street. Still, it looked like an AWFUL way to spend public money with so many other govt. services were being cut and locals were looking to increase taxes.

As for the 101 work: I think that CalTrans probably puts importance on maintaining the lines are clear and easily visible to aid in preventing accidents or contributing to good flow. Also, one would be surprised at how politicians can get the city or state to spend money in THEIR districts to maintain things that don't really need maintenance nor fixing yet nor a fresh coat of paint, but if a politician is in a powerful position at City Hall, Sacramento or Washing D.C., keeping a fresh coat of paint on freeways that don't seem to need them is how those politicians get re-elected. That's is exactly what the constituents want to see.

But while a freeway gets a facelift, a local road in worse condition does not is simply because it is, primarily, the the State maintaining freeways and local cities maintaining the roads in their city and those are two different govt. entities with two different pocket books.

This was extremely informative. Thanks.