Infrastructure & Policy Updates 10/19/22
By Jackson Beermann
State Level
All-Electric Car Goals Face Uncertainty
Despite 55% of registered voters supporting California’s ban on the sale of (many) gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, only 20% say they’re likely to go all-electric next time they shop for a new car or truck. Many consumers cite the cost of EVs as their number one deterrent, with market prices at around $60,000 per car. There are age and ideology gaps when it comes to EVs as well, making the goal even more uncertain.
General LA
Metro Service Changes To Bring About More Frequent Bus Stops
In an effort to return bus service to pre-pandemic levels, Metro is making service changes to some bus lines starting Sunday. They will also be adjusting some of the bus schedules to reflect today’s traffic levels. For riders, that means more buses will more often arrive on schedule. A full list of changes can be found below:
More Details Released For Proposed Silver Lake Reservoir Transformation
The Silver Lake Master Plan is inching closer to becoming a reality, as the city this week published the plan's draft environmental impact report, which details a vision for transforming roughly 116 acres of the 127-acre Silver Lake and Ivanhoe Reservoir complex as public open space. The published Draft EIR opens the project up to seek funding sources.
Arroyo Verdugo
Burbank v. Drive-Thrus
The Burbank City Council voted unanimously this Tuesday to impose an immediate moratorium on applications for new business drive-thrus for 45 days. Raising Cane's Chicken Finger restaurant specifically plays a role in these changes, as their customers overflow onto Olive Avenue, impede traffic, and park their cars on residential streets, sometimes leaving trash. Existing drive-thrus remain untouched by this new measure, but residents say this is not enough.
South Bay Cities
'Great Boulevard' Project To Transform Stretch of Artesia in Long Beach
A 3.2 mile corridor of Artesia Boulevard in North Long Beach will undergo a year-long facelift, with the city projecting the project to be complete by the end of 2023. The project includes new landscaping, medians, pedestrian bulb-outs that will shorten the distance of crosswalks and new bike lanes that will be protected by on-street parking and new landscaping. A number of pedestrian signals will also be installed that will allow people to cross the street safely at intersections without signals.
Carson Bridge Reopens
The repaired bridge will provide a safe means of passage to the pedestrians and bicyclists who use the bridge as their daily access to Victoria Community Regional Park and Towne Avenue Elementary School from the neighborhood to the Northwest.
San Gabriel Valley
Whittier Proposes Revamping Preferential Parking Program
The proposal includes more than 600 homes, mostly in the northern area near Hellman Park, and would require a permit for residents to park on their streets. Council members and the mayor remain divided over the questions of fees and time limits.