The City of Bell’s Comprehensive Street Revitalization & Improvement Plan

The City of Bell underwent an unprecedented economic scandal culminating in 2011 with the arrest (and subsequent prosecution) of the City Manager, 4 of the 5 City Council Members, and other executive staff. In addition, the corruption resulted in more than 30 serious lawsuits against and by the City involving claims of tens of millions of dollars. The extensive theft and mismanagement of municipal funds over more than a decade together with the legacy litigation costs starved the City of money to conduct routine maintenance in a variety of areas including the transportation infrastructure. Former administration ignored critical needs of the city in terms of road resurfacing, street improvements, transportation issues including bus shelter improvements, pedestrian and bicycle street improvements. Administration knew that the community was poor and uneducated and as a result preyed on their vulnerability. A new City Council was elected in a special election in 2011. They quickly identified the crumbling transportation network as an important community need and established it as an investment priority. Council charged City Staff to develop a plan and secure funding to improve the City’s roads and bridges paying particular attention to all modes of transportation. It is this Comprehensive Street Revitalization and Improvement Plan that we are extremely proud of. The City of Bell’s Comprehensive Street Revitalization and Improvement Plan was created to preserve the local street network and make the Bell streets more effective as they are utilized as regional arterials to connect Los Angeles County. This plan has been a work in progress for 3 years. Due to the amount of infrastructure damage that needed to be addressed this plan encompassed six (6) critical area of needs that needed to be completed at the same time. Every department worked collaboratively and seamlessly to make sure every angle of the street improvement plan was addressed with community input as well. The teamwork approach within Bell City Hall to accomplish this task was monumental especially knowing the history and lack of trust displayed in the past. The NEW Bell thrives on collaboration with Council, staff, and local and regional partners. If awarded this honor, this award belongs to everyone. We are proud that Bell has come through stronger than before and created a much needed transportation network that contributes to economic development, instills trust in local government, helps to maintain property values, promotes civic pride among residents, and saves money in the long term. The City is committed to developing programs, securing funding, and executing projects to maintain its infrastructure in the most cost effective and technologically advanced method. The creation of this plan allowed the City of Bell to preserve their local street network as well as saving local dollars so that the tax payers did not suffer.