Los Angeles City Council members say they are determined to find ways to fix the city’s broken sidewalks, starting with a slate of reports on how to fund a cost-sharing repair program.

The council voted unanimously Tuesday, with three abstentions, to have city departments conduct the studies, with the expectation that the reports will be presented to the council within weeks.

Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Paul Krekorian’s proposed sidewalk fixing program would let residents evenly split the cost of repairs to sidewalks outside their homes with the city, depending on what the city’s reports determine. A very rough city estimate says that 40 percent of its sidewalks need repair – an estimated $1.5 billion problem – though officials have cautioned that they don’t know if that number still holds.

Regardless, only $20 million has been allocated for sidewalk repair this year, plus $7 million rolled over from the previous year. Some of it can’t be spent yet, due to ongoing litigation, and Councilman Bernard Parks suggested the city didn’t have a way to fund the massive outlay needed to overhaul the sidewalks.

But Krekorian insisted the new reports would outline a sustainable path toward systemic reform.

“What we’re asking for is specific policy recommendations that this council is going to act on in a matter of weeks,” Krekorian said.

While the council didn’t approve any funding for the program, it did create a fund where future money dedicated to sidewalk repair can be placed. It instructs city departments to investigate using new, more sustainable materials for sidewalks and create a repair map driven by complaints and prioritized on locations that pose the greatest challenges to limited-mobility pedestrians. (Full story at LosAngelesRegister)