Last year as part of a lawsuit settlement, the city began a comprehensive sidewalk repair program called Safe Sidewalks LA, with the objective of investing more than $30 million a year over the next 30 years to make all 11,000 miles of city sidewalks safe and accessible. This program allows residents to request repairs and use rebates to accelerate repairs.

The city is now giving notice that they are beginning an environmental review process on the Sidewalk Repair Program and the public is invited to weigh in and submit public comment by midnight September 15, 2017. Public input during this scoping period will shape the scope and content of the analysis in the Draft EIR. Once completed, the Draft EIR will include the results of the technical studies the City conducted and be circulated for public and agency review and comment.

The project in question is the continued expansion and implementation of Safe Sidewalks LA, in order to make City pedestrian facilities compliant with applicable accessibility requirements.

Potential environmental effects associated with the proposed Project include the following: Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services, Transportation and Traffic, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems.

Of note is the potential impact on street trees. Sidewalk repair will likely result in the removal of large quantities of mature street trees that are the cause of the sidewalk damage. Steet trees are expected to be replaced at a 2:1 ration per current policy. The initial study discusses the potential impacts related to trees.

Sidewalk repairs have been a frequent topic at Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meetings over the years, so we thought our stakeholders might want to know more about this program and be interested in providing public comment.

Study Document for Public Comment: Initial Study Environmental Checklist

More about current Safe Sidewalks LA

Notice of Preparation

Sidewalk Repair Program Scoping Meeting Presentation August 2017

Sidewalk Repair Fact Sheet

List of physical locations to view the Notice of Preparation / Initial Study

How to Submit Comments

Please note: Your input will become part of the public record and will be included in the Draft EIR. 

• Submit comments online at the following link:http://sidewalks.lacity.commentinput.com/. Please be sure to include your contact information.
• Email your comment to Shilpa.Gupta [at] lacity.org (please include ‘SRP’ in the subject line). Please include your contact information, including name, telephone number, mailing address, and e-mail address so that we can contact you if we have any questions regarding your comment. We will also use this information to add you to the mailing list so that you can learn when the Draft EIR becomes available.
• Complete a comment card or write a letter that includes your contact information. Please send your comment to:

Shilpa Gupta, Environmental Supervisor I
City of Los Angeles Public Works, Bureau of Engineering
Environmental Management Group
1149 S. Broadway, Suite 600, Mail Stop 939