E 151 City Liability and Responsibility

Generally, responsibility for maintenance and legal liability go together. That is, if the City is responsible for maintenance of an area it is also legally liable within the same area. The City is primarily responsible for maintenance of existing street improvements and that portion of curb and sidewalk lying within the "curb returns" of the street and alley intersections (except for special types such as terrazzo, granite, tile, etc.). 

E 151.1 Bureau of Street Services (Bureau of Street Maintenance)

An outline of the general area of maintenance responsibilities for Street Maintenance Projects is:

1. Improved Streets:
   1. Resurfacing - Replacing pavement in poor condition by removing the areas of insufficient thickness, scoring the high spots and high crown areas, and providing the entire area with a new pavement or smooth surface.
   2. Reconstruction - Used where the crown surface is considerably higher than the standard crown section for the established street and where resurfacing alone would result in unsatisfactory drainage conditions, create excessively low curb faces, and make vehicle parking more difficult.
   3. Gutter - In streets of rock and oil or asphalt concrete pavement having grades of 0.4 percent or less and in other locations where costs of gutter maintenance are excessive, concrete gutters should be constructed.
2. Unimproved Streets: On unimproved streets without an established grade and upon which private parties propose the application of oil, the Bureau of Street Maintenance might prepare the surface to the extent of smoothing by a grader where necessary. Those which have been previously oiled could have the potholes filled with bituminous materials. Grading and other maintenance work may be done on streets withdrawn from public use if necessary to provide access to abutting Property.
3. Improved Alleys: Asphalt concrete and Portland cement concrete alleys will be given the same maintenance service as streets. Alleys improved with 2 inches or thicker plant-mix, with an established grade and a V- shaped cross-section, will be given the same maintenance services as streets with rock and oil surfacing. Alleys with oiled surface will have the potholes repaired if the surface is not entirely worn. and will be cleaned as needed.
4. Unimproved Alleys: Dangerous potholes or rough conditions will be corrected by smoothing with a grader and cleaning will be done on request. Areas not specifically designated as the City's responsibility and which may be considered the responsibility of others (see the following section) may be repaired, corrected or temporarily maintained by the City at the City's expense under certain conditions. Refer to the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Street Maintenance Manual for criteria and additional information.