Streetsblog Los Angeles

As Transportation Reformers continue to wait for the Senate to join the House of Representatives with a sense of urgency for re-authorizing the federal transportation spending bill; Senator Barbara Boxer and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a "Town Hall" type meeting at Metro Headquarters from 9:30 A.M. to 3:45 P.M.  The draft agenda for the day, available via the announcement on The Source, can be found here. 

Boxer and LaHood get on the same page. Photo: Associated Press

If this sounds familiar, it's because Boxer held a similar forum downtown back in September of 2008 where various officials from around Los Angeles, ranging from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and then-Metro CEO Roger Snoble testified about their priorities in a federal transportation funding and policy bill.  The basics of the hours and hours of testimony can be described in two terms: "new starts" and "ports."  There was no mention of words such as "bicycle," "pedestrian," or even "Smart Growth."

The key to whether this "Town Hall Forum" is a chance to have a discussion of what various transportation stakeholders need and desire in a transportation re-authorization bill will be up to Boxer, LaHood and Leahy.  Last time non-VIP's had to wait through hours of presentations by elected officials and bureaucrats before any advocates or other people that don't collect a government pay check.  If this is really a Town Hall hearing, then hopefully all of the stake holders, including commuters that don't have a paid driver get to speak.

The Southern California Transit Advocate's Dana Gabbard agrees,

I'm glad to see Senator Barbara Boxer and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood have announced they are reaching out to stakeholders seeking input on the currently stalled federal transportation funding reauthorization bill. Which is all well and good IF the attendees reflect a wide range of stakeholders, not just usual suspects. Heretofore our region hasn't always done as well as it should in that regard. If a more diverse group of people see the process as being connected to their needs and concerns, maybe the chances would improve of some progress occuring in passage of the bill sooner rather than later. At least the preliminary agenda includes some good concepts for discussion, including livability and safety.

I guess we'll have to wait and see for another nine days.  Rest assured, this website will "go dark" next Friday, but we'll be live tweeting from Metro's Board Room.