At LACBC, we spend a lot of time working on big campaigns, like bike lanes on Westwood, N. Figueroa, and Central Ave., or advocating for billions of dollars from a potential new transportation ballot measure. Along the way, we attend a number of government meetings and form relationships with key agency staff and board members. Much of the time, this work goes unseen by our members, so we’re excited to share just one of many examples of when being in the right place at the right time pays off in real benefits for bicyclists.
On Monday, Metro unveiled a new parking facility at their North Hollywood Red Line Station. Intended as a temporary use of what had been a dirt lot awaiting transit-oriented development, this parking lot is a demonstration project of a variety of sustainability features like permeable paving, LED lighting, and solar-powered EV charging stations. Notably missing from that original project scope was anything for “active transportation” (Metro’s way of saying walking and biking). At a Metro board committee meeting in 2013, LACBC flagged the fact that this lot was the missing link between the popular Chandler Bike Path and the station portal, creating a huge opportunity to make a family-friendly connection between the Red Line and residential neighborhoods in Burbank, consistent with Metro’s First/Last-Mile Strategic Plan to improve access to transit.
Here is a map image that LACBC Planning and Policy Director Eric Bruins quickly made at the time to demonstrate the need for the path.
As a direct result of LACBC staff speaking up, the board directed Metro staff to meeting with us and draw out what a better connection could look like as a part of this project. We met with the project manager a few times over the course of 2013 and quickly reached agreement on a revised concept that included a bike path connection. Two years later, Metro followed through and delivered a small project that makes biking in the Valley that much better. Thanks, Metro!
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