Coalition Launches Initiative to Repair Downtown L.A. Sidewalks
A coalition of community organizations has launched a campaign to address the deteriorating condition of sidewalks in downtown Los Angeles. The initiative, titled “Boo-Boo Bandage Brigade Bonanza,” aims to highlight the numerous infrastructure issues affecting residents, tourists, and individuals with disabilities. The event took place on September 30, 2025, and included a series of activities designed to draw attention to the need for repairs.
Participating organizations, including Los Angeles Walks, Public Matters, DTLA Mobility for All, and FASTLinkDTLA, gathered to raise awareness about what they describe as “infrastructure ouchies.” These include cracked pavements, missing curb ramps, and empty tree wells, which collectively pose significant challenges for mobility and safety.
Art, Advocacy, and Awareness
The event featured a variety of activities, such as art installations, guided tours, and workshops focusing on civic action and disability rights. Participants placed symbolic bandages on the most affected areas throughout downtown, intended to visually underscore the urgent need for infrastructure improvements. Each bandage bore the message “Help Heal Me!” along with a QR code that connects the public to resources and a detailed map of necessary repairs on the DTLA Ouchie Map.
According to the coalition’s press release, the initiative also provided estimated repair costs for the highlighted locations. FASTLinkDTLA Executive Director Hilary Norton emphasized the pressing need for infrastructure repairs to ensure safety and accessibility for all. “We want to show the compounded issues related to our sidewalks, our bike lanes, our curbs, our streetlights… all of these things need to be repaired so that the public realm can move quickly, easily and without fear of falling and hurting themselves,” she stated.
Voices from the Community
Event attendees shared their personal experiences with the city’s sidewalks. One participant, a woman named Kerry, who uses an electric wheelchair, expressed frustration with the state of the walkways. “The sidewalks are so torn up and patched that when I ride around, it’s so bumpy,” she explained. “A lot of times the cracks will drag my wheelchair towards the edge of the sidewalk or into buildings.” Kerry recounted a recent incident where she accidentally veered into a planter due to the uneven surfaces.
Despite the community’s efforts, city leaders have acknowledged that a backlog of maintenance requests and insufficient staffing have delayed repairs. The coalition’s initiative seeks not only to draw attention to these problems but also to galvanize support for long-term solutions in anticipation of the 2028 Paralympics, which will further highlight the need for universally designed infrastructure.
The “Boo-Boo Bandage Brigade Bonanza” serves as a call to action for city officials and the public alike, urging them to prioritize repairs that will enhance mobility and accessibility for everyone in downtown Los Angeles.
