The Long Beach City Council received one of its first department-specific budget briefings this past Tuesday from the Public Works Department—which plans to use 25% of their $59.79 million mobility budget on American Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramp improvements this coming fiscal year.
Following closely behind are investments in arterial street rehabilitations ($14.16 million), residential street improvements ($13.1 million) and arterial corridor enhancements ($7.66 million).
The Public Works budget is subject to change as city leaders and department officials wait for the outcome of a national infrastructure bill that could infuse the department with unprecedented funds. The outcome of the bill is currently at the discretion of the House of Representatives and Senate, though bipartisan support is expected.
“We’re about to see a massive infrastructure investment in Long Beach and across the county,” Garcia said, noting that it would be one of the largest investments of its type in a generation. “I plan to be very involved and engaged in ensuring we get that across the finish line.”
If passed, the City of Long Beach could spend the money on their unfunded needs: a mishmash of street and road improvements, sidewalk management, alley paving, stormwater projects and facility repairs with an estimated total cost of $3.54 billion.
Mayor Robert Garcia called public works investments—like street repairs, playground installations and tree trimming—“bread and butter issues.” He encouraged Public Works Director Eric Lopez to prioritize playgrounds in the coming years and said there were “very few things” that receive as much positive feedback from the community.
Councilmembers exchanged some light tit for tat about prioritizing streets over playgrounds, ultimately agreeing that both were important.
“There are neighborhoods that are very dense where they have no yard, and [playgrounds are] the only source of area for young people to have physical activity,” Councilmember Suely Saro said.
Councilmember Suzie Price said that parks were “great to have” but infrastructure like roads were a “need to have.”
“[Residents] do not feel like their tax dollars are being spent in the right way,” Price said. “Even if we have amazing programs that people throughout the city are benefitting from, there’s something to be said about the hardscape […] that makes people feel like their city is taking care of them.”
Public Works’ proposed investments—a combination of airport, beaches and marinas, mobility, parks, public facilities and utilities—total $146.5 million, most of which is split between investments in utilities and mobility.
The department is expected to give a more in-depth presentation on the City’s long-term infrastructure plan in the coming weeks.
