The Observation Deck

With the present state of the city's infrastructure there little question that City of Lakewood administration is a self serving bloated bureaucracy. The city streets are deteriorating while City Council and Mayor watch while they play their violins. The majority of city streets are in deplorable condition and filled with potholes that have existed since spring.

Where are the city crews making street repairs, or are they too busy painting bike lanes? It took nearly two months for the city to remove the steel plate and repave an evacuation made by water department to replace a leaking lead service line to a home. Winter is almost upon us, and the freeze thaw cycle will began. The pot holes sizes and depth will increase, the cracks will open and expand into more pot holes.

Instead of a pot hole reporting map on the city website, you most go to reporting a problem page. I strongly suggest that residents file a report on any street condition that poses a danger to bicycles and motorcycles, or may cause damage to vehicle. Your report will remove the city's immunity from negligence, and if any injury or damage to property occurs it will become gross negligence making the city responsible if repairs are not made.

A lot of it is due to poor work done by paving contractors. The crumbling concrete on Riverside and standing water spots on Hilliard are examples.

Lakewood has a City Engineer and a street department that should be monitoring the quality of work performed by contractors. Just another case of a inert and inept city goverment.

Riverside includes the State and Hilliard includes the County. Poor supervision of low-bid contractors.