RICHMOND, VA—An 8News Investigation uncovers a decade long backlog to fix Richmond's aging, and in some cases, dangerous sidewalks.
Investigative reporter AJ Lagoe exposed the cracks in the city infrastructure.
8News obtained the City of Richmond's master list of sites in need of repairs. The list contains nearly one thousand locations. Some of those sites are a block long.
8News Investigates wanted to know how the city's sidewalks got into such rough shape, the answer said The Capital Projects Administrator for Richmond's Public Works Department—funding.
"We don't have enough funds to cover the level of repair that's needed for the sidewalks," said Lamont Benjamin, the Richmond Capital Projects manager.
The estimated cost to repair the sidewalks that have already been evaluated is more than $21 million. In 2012, the city budgeted just $750,000 for repairs.
"We requested $2 million. We're getting $750,000" said Benjamin.
The department said they'll likely only get to the top 10 sites on the list, due to budget constraints.
Residents 8News spoke with said it's time for something to be done about the sidewalks.
"They're pitiful," said Jane Hillyer of Richmond.
Hillyer said since moving to her home in 1979, the sidewalk in front of her home has never been repaired.
The sidewalk is at the very bottom of the City's list. At the rate of 10 repairs a year, Hillyer will have to wait 99 more years before she can expect to see any repairs made.
"I doubt seriously I'll be here by then, if I'm that low on the totem pole," said Hillyer.
It's a problem that leaves many city residents frustrated.
8News Investigates wanted to know where sidewalks fell on the priority list, so we took the issue to 1st District Councilman Bruce Tyler.
"Well it falls at the bottom, there's no doubt about that," said Tyler.
"We have a tendency to want to run off and do great new projects, as opposed to take care of what we have," said Tyler.
That mindset, said Tyler, needs to change, and citizens agree.
"Yeah; yeah I think so, because I think that makes the city the condition of the sidewalks," said Hillyer.
Money for a proposed citywide assessment hasn't been approved, and meanwhile, the list of known repairs continues to grow.
Copyright 2012 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
