Dive Brief:
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A nine-year-old ban on road construction during commuter rush hours is costing Los Angeles $91,000 every day—which adds up to $20.3 million a year.
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In a Los Angeles Times column over the weekend, the paper's editor-at-large, Jim Newton, cited a Department of Water and Power study that revealed its crews arrive at highway jobs by 7 a.m. but may not begin working until 9 a.m. on commercial streets and heavily traveled thoroughfares. Then, they're prevented from repairing electrical and water systems under the pavement after 3:30 p.m., even though the typical shift doesn't end until 4 p.m.
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Newton agreed that the rush-hour construction ban has reduced traffic, which former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he intended when he signed the popular executive order. But Newton said the plan illustrates “two common defects of Los Angeles government: rigidity and a tendency to manage by fiat.”
Dive Insight:
Newton isn’t the first Angelean to bring the wasted working hours to light. Current Mayor Eric Garcetti, who succeeded Villaraigosa, reportedly has appointed a committee to recommend a solution.