Oct 3, 20233 min read

Infrastructure & Policy Updates 10/05/2023

By Halle Knutson

Federal Level

LA, Metro Seeking Federal Grant Money for Infrastructure Projects

The city of LA alongside Metro is seeking federal funding for new active transportation and public open space projects through the Neighborhood Access and Equity Regional Partnership Grant, which provides $86-million towards projects that include new bus-only lanes, bike lanes, and other active transportation and transit infrastructure. If awarded, the grant would fund: 60 new bike share stations between Venice Beach and Downtown LA, mobility hubs at important stations along the metro route (North Hollywood, Expo/Crenshaw, and Chatsworth), and upgrading the bus lines running between First Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Metro Offers Free Rides For California Clean Air Day

Wednesday was Clean Air Day, a day in which California comes together to make an effort to improve California’s air quality. As part of an effort to promote public transit as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to driving cars, all Metro rail, bus, and bike rides were free.

Metro released a plan to link North and South LA through a K-Line extension. This extension would like the C, E, D, and B Metro rail lines.They plan on holding a series of community meetings to figure out the best way to link the two through various routes: La Brea, Fairfax, and San Vincente-Fairfax. While this project is not planned to start construction until 2041, they are exploring options for other funding to start earlier.

New Protected Bikeway Opens in Pasadena

Pasadena opened a new protected bikeway along Union Street. The project, dubbed the “Union Street Cycle Track” extends 1.5 miles from Hill Avenue to Arroyo Parkway. While the street is one way, the bikeway is bidirectional, a formation that has worked well in other cities such as Barcelona. Other ‘bike features’ of this pathway include green pavement in conflict zones, curb ramps, high visibility crosswalk areas, bike loop detectors, and new signage.

Slow street installations are temporarily spreading through parts of South Pasadena. The projects are along Oak Avenue in the east area and Grand Avenue in the west. Officials say the idea is to make the projects temporary for a more hands-on experience for the residents, and a more cost-effective solution before any permanent decisions on the area are made. Slow streets will include higher visibility crosswalks, more bike lanes, and curb extensions; which the city hopes will reduce reckless driving in these areas.

Reimagining the Freeway: Marina Central Park Initiative

The Marina Freeway, or CA-90, is one of the least used freeways in LA. The advocacy organization Streets For All wants Los Angeles to reimagine the space into a sustainable urban development concept, Marina Central Park. If the project moves forward it would open about 4,000 new units of affordable housing and be home to one of the largest parks in LA county. Additionally, the concept would allow for more bike lanes, dedicated bus lanes, and pedestrian walkways. This park would also be connected with other green spaces; Centinela Creek, the Ballona Creek trail, and the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

Community input meetings have begun to discuss the extension of the Ballona Creek bike path into Mid-City. The meetings started in September 17th and the final community meeting will be this Saturday, October 7, via Zoom with Los Angeles City Councilmember Heather Hutt. If you want to give your input, or learn more about the project, you can find the information on https://finishthecreek.carrd.co/.

Metro and the city of Santa Monica are partnering to reduce car usage by offering residents of households that have multiple cars a weekly stipend in exchange for only using one car. Residents are able to sign up until October 6th, the only requirements being that they must have two cars in their household and be at least 21. The weekly stipend is up to 119.80/week, totaling in at $599 for 5 weeks. Additionally, the city is also offering bonus incentives; a metro TAP card preloaded with $50 and 5-10 free rides on Metro Bike Share.

Bike repair stations will be installed in West Hollywood, as an effort to continue to support bike usage and ridership throughout the city. Currently, there is not much access to bike stores within West Hollywood and the City hopes to change that narrative to make it more efficient for cyclists. The bike repair stations will include tools to make minor repairs, including air pumps to refuel flat tires. The City of West Hollywood is hoping to increase ridership by implementing these stations.

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