City Councilman Jim Motznik is calling for an investigation into repairs being made to sidewalks surrounding PNC Park.

In a letter to city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority Executive Director Mary Conturo, Mr. Motznik said he wanted a full report discussing whether the repairs were a result of design or materials failures.

"PNC Park is barely 7 years old and already the concrete sidewalk is in need of repair; this is deplorable," he said.

Mr. Motznik was responding to a story and photo in yesterday's Post-Gazette that mentioned sidewalk concrete repairs and showed workers removing old concrete near the left field entrance.

The councilman said concrete sidewalks should last 30 to 40 years, not six or seven. "There's a problem somewhere. Someone is to blame," he said in an interview.

The SEA board recently approved $294,780 in spending from a capital reserve fund set up as part of PNC Park's construction to pay for sidewalk work and some other improvements.

Of that, $160,000 will go for sidewalk work, Ms. Conturo said, and involves the replacement of decorative stone inlays, not concrete.

She said the stone inlays, shaped like diamonds, had cracked and were heaving in places and that the SEA's engineers recommended that they be replaced with concrete. Forty-one are being replaced around the ballpark and 21 on the riverwalk, she said. The concrete would provide for a more even walkway and would be easier to maintain, she said.

As for whether there was a design or material flaw, she said, "Pavers are not as durable as concrete. It's because of that the engineers are recommending that they be replaced with colored, stamped concrete."

She added the Pirates are replacing and re-laying "Bucco bricks" near the left field entrance. That is being paid for by the team, not from the capital reserve fund.

Ms. Conturo said she would answer the councilman's letter and provide him with the engineering support for the repairs. The money for the SEA capital reserve fund comes from a ticket surcharge.

Mr. Motznik said he agreed with the SEA that stone inlay doesn't hold up like concrete.

"There's also concrete that's failing. That's why I brought up the questions I did," he added.