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Bugged by a buckled L.A. sidewalk? Submit your photos to The Times

A woman with a walker navigates a buckled and broken sidewalk in the 1900 block of 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

A woman with a walker navigates a buckled and broken sidewalk in the 1900 block of 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Los Angeles plans to spend nearly $1.4 billion over the next 30 years to repair its immense network of more than 10,000 miles of sidewalks. However, city officials do not know how many miles need repair, where all the damage is located and which spots should be fixed first, a Times report found.

As part of its coverage of the issue, The Times has created this submission page to share photos and comments related to broken and buckled sidewalks in the city. Readers also can explore records of complaints about sidewalks for their streets and neighborhoods using The Times’ interactive map.

City Hall fields about 10 sidewalk complaints a day, according to a Times analysis of requests made to L.A.’s 311 service request program. But those complaints reflect only part of the problem.

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The Times analyzed more than 19,000 resident requests for sidewalk repairs received over the past five years and found that in 40% of the cases, no repairs had been made. Many sidewalks were patched over with asphalt, a temporary fix that sometimes leaves the path uneven.

City leaders also must decide how they will execute their ambitious repair plan and what share of the cost will be borne by private property owners.

A top budget and policy official recently recommended that homeowners assume responsibility for upkeep adjacent to their property after the city rebuilds walkways damaged by trees, or certifies they are in good condition. Commercial property owners would have to pay for repairs near their land within a year of receiving notice of a problem from the city.

A series of community meetings on the proposal are being held across the city.

The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Estelle Van Meter Senior Center at 7600 Avalon Blvd.

Twitter: @ryanvmenezes and @bposton

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