LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti broke ground today
on a new asphalt plant his office said would save taxpayers $5 million a year
and provide a more environmentally friendly paving material.
The $38 million facility will be the first new asphalt plant built in
the city in 70 years and will replace the 1940s-era Asphalt Plant No. 1. Once
completed, it will drastically increase production from 174,000 tons per year
to as much as 700,000 tons, Garcetti's office said.
``When we talk about getting L.A. back to basics, nothing could be more
fundamental than ensuring that the streets we rely on to get around the city
are safe and dependable,'' Garcetti said.
``This new plant is a clear example of how L.A. is taking big steps to
improve services while keeping our commitment to minding the bottom line and
protecting the environment in everything that we do.''
The new facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018 and
will use 50 percent recycled asphalt material, compared with the 7 to 12
percent currently used, and the recycled material will come from the city's own
streets as they are repacked, Garcetti's office said.
The plant, located on the southern edge of downtown, also will meet or
exceed the latest air quality standards of the South Coast Air Quality
Management District, and will reduce pollutants from stormwater runoff at a
lower cost per ton than the old plant, Garcetti's office said.
``This is a win-win for the city and for taxpayers,'' Board of Public
Works President Kevin James said.
``These important upgrades give us the capacity to produce a much larger
amount of recycled asphalt, which is a more environmentally responsible
product, and at a significant savings. Producing our own asphalt allows us to
guarantee price and quality, enabling us to meet more stringent environmental
standards and maintain more of our roads.''