Poverty is no longer a predominantly urban problem — and the suburbs are no longer the refuge of the upper classes. There are now almost 3 million more poor people living in suburbs than in cities, according to a new book, “Confronting Suburban Poverty in America,” by Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube of the Brookings [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/05/21/suburbanization-of-poverty-isolates-a-growing-number-of-americans/
Isaiah (center) speaks with Malcolm Carson (L), Tafarai Bayne (R) and Andres Ramirez (far right) at a bike-to-work-day pit stop sponsored by Community Health Councils and TRUST South L.A. Sahra Sulaiman/LA Streetsblog Stop any cyclist in South L.A. and ask them their thoughts on bike-to-work day and I can almost guarantee you’ll get a snort, a [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/05/17/for-many-angelenos-every-day-is-bike-to-work-day/
If you've already purchased a car, there are big financial incentives to drive it. Image: Better Institutions While owning a car is a massive financial burden, economic incentives can still get in the way of the transition from car ownership to living car-free, even if you already don’t drive much. As Shane Phillips at Network blog Better [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/04/30/the-big-leap-from-car-lite-to-car-free/
Don’t Forget to Vote in our Spring Street Green Buffered Bike Lane Photo Contest. Metro Ends Monthly Charge for Irregular FastTrack Users of ExpressLanes (LAT, Curbed, The Source, ZevWeb) 5 Ways to Irritate Everyone with Barely Coherent Arguments (L.A. Weekly) Media Continues to Lionize Distracted Driver Who Plays with Apps While Driving (LAT) An Editorial In Favor of High Speed Rail, [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/26/todays-headlines-1226/
In case you haven’t heard, gas tax revenues aren’t what they used to be. In this kind of fiscally-constrained environment, every dollar spent on big, expensive transportation projects is a dollar that won’t be spent on smaller but smarter local transportation needs. Yet around the country, mega-highway plans conceived in a different era continue to march [...]
streetsblog.net/?p=25028
Images of trolley buses from around the world, collected by Alexander Friedman. Los Angeles is the 2nd largest city in the United States., both in population and size, and is [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/18/oped-a-quick-fix-to-l-a-s-mass-transit-bring-back-the-trolleybuses/
This is the second installment in Streetsblog’s series on transportation demand management at American colleges and universities. Part one gave an overview of TDM techniques that schools employ. This post looks at how Stanford University has used TDM to reduce driving and realize huge savings in the process. Stanford graduate engineering student Matthew Haith made the [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/04/17/transport-u-stanford-turns-green-commuting-into-greenbacks/
(One of the ongoing stories in our Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles coverage has been the debate over whether or not to proceed with the redevelopment of Wyvernwood Garden Apartments. Jesús Hermosillo has a master’s degree in urban planning and contributes regularly to Boyle Heights Beat. Streetsblog has not taken a position on the project and welcomes [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/17/saving-wyvernwood-is-the-environmental-choice/
Should Caltrans Change HOV Requirement So That It Takes 3 Riders? (Daily News) First Bike Share Kiosks Could Come to L.A. in Next 2 to 3 Weeks (Curbed) And Then There Was Darkness. L.A.’s Digital Billboards Go Dark Following Judge’s Ruling (Daily News) Krekorian Begins Own Outreach on Bike Planning for Lankershim Blvd. (CD2 News) LAPD Offers Rewards on [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/16/todays-headlines-1217/
Our Santa Monica weekly column is supported by Bike Center in Santa Monica. In Santa Monica becoming a little more Portland (without the rain):the Santa Monica city council just approved an ordinance on Tuesday to regulate pedicab operators interested in setting up shop in town, this Saturday is the first Santa Monica Kidical Mass (a concept [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/12/santa-monica-bike-update-pedicab-ordiance-passes-kidical-mass-this-weekend-the-smc-bike-club-goes-camping/
Image: Amtrak At today’s hearing on Amtrak’s budget proposal, the nation’s rail leaders met with a different kind of Congressional leadership than in it has in recent years. The vibe of the meeting was significantly less combative — with the primary exception being Rep. John Mica’s reprise of his famous role as Amtrak villain. Here are [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/04/11/congress-administration-trade-gimmicky-ideas-for-keeping-amtrak-afloat/
Step one: Do it like Indianapolis. This is how Indianapolis does complete streets. Image: UrbanIndy Of the 130 complete streets policies passed in 2012, the one passed by Indianapolis gets the highest score in a new ranking by Smart Growth America and its National Complete Streets Coalition. “The Complete Streets movement fundamentally redefines what a street is intended [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/04/08/how-to-write-a-complete-streets-policy/
A rendering of the RiverLink project. Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach (The 2002 River Link Report is available off our Scribd Account after the jump.) You see, there’s this thing called a Healthy City–and according to the National Recreation and Parks Association, a Healthy City has 10 acres of parks for every 1,000 of [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/08/riverlink-the-best-over-a-decade-old-idea-yet-to-be-realized-for-west-long-beach/
This week, the Long Beach City Council–acting as the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency in Long Beach–voted unanimously 6-0 to implement a ballot process to possibly establish the Uptown Business Improvement District (UPBID). The North Long Beach Business Alliance is well known for Thursday evening's Long Beach Uptown Farmer's Market, but they hope to score a true business improvement district [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/04/north-long-beach-closer-to-scoring-upbid/
"Anything Can Be Beautiful When You Look" mural near Manual Arts High School. (photo: sahra) As Damien noted in his post on city-wide projects, voting on proposals submitted for the L.A. 2050 Challenge begins today. Sorting through the nearly three hundred proposals vying for the $100,000 prize to find the true gems is probably more than a [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/04/02/south-l-a-steps-it-up-with-inspirational-l-a-2050-proposals-check-out-great-ideas-from-the-advancement-project-community-coalition-community-health-councils-neighborhood-land-trust-trust-south/
Cap and Trade explained. If that first company can't find a trading partner, then they get fined. Image: Pon87 As part of today’s Metro Board meeting, the Board of Directors passed a motion calling on the state’s Air Resources Board to spend funds collected through the state’s cap and trade program on sustainable transportation funding. California’s cap-and-trade [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/03/28/metro-takes-a-stand-on-cap-and-trade-funds-spend-them-on-sustainable-transportation/
Maryland is one of a growing number of U.S. states that’s found itself in a tough spot when it comes to transportation funding. Transit advocates in Maryland have rallied around Governor Martin O'Malley's plan to increase revenues. Image: Transportation for America The state blew through its transportation funds when it built a big highway project called [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/03/28/maryland-on-the-verge-of-a-fix-for-transportation-funding-woes/
Mitsubishi, and other bus makers, have developed all electric buses. Long Beach Transit (LBT) is considering two common, albeit game-changing RFPs (depending on their decisions): to purchase new buses that fit within the so-called alternative fuel sectors–that is, hybrid, CNG, or electric. Before I even make another statement, there are two that shouldn’t even be on that [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/03/22/long-beach-transit-please-go-more-electric/
It has a nice ring to it: using oil and gas revenue to shift transportation off oil and gas dependence. President Obama announced a plan to do just that on Friday — but the details of his plan are disappointing if you want to see the conversation on clean transportation go beyond cars. Hey, it's OK [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/03/18/obamas-clean-energy-policy-elevates-efficient-cars-over-efficient-modes/
“In 2014, federal investment in surface transportation — which is currently about $50 billion per year — will drop to $6 billion or $7 billion. In one year.” Rep. Peter DeFazio says underinvestment in transit is killing people, and it's about to get way worse. Those were the dire words spoken by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) at [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/03/14/lawmakers-fret-about-impact-of-budget-cuts-on-transit/
Will a new rail authorization find a way to help states make needed repairs to keep the whole Northeast Corridor running smoothly? Photo: NJ Transit via Second Avenue Sagas Now that the surface transportation bill fight is over — at least for the moment — transportation reformers are eying the expiration date of another key piece [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/03/13/eleven-things-to-look-for-in-the-passenger-rail-reauthorization/
Janette Sadik-Khan addresses the UCLA Complete Streets Conference. Photo by Juan Matute. Last Thursday UCLA hosted its third annual Complete Streets Conference in Downtown Los Angeles. I was excited to have had the opportunity to attend with such a packed line up for the all day event, with a few big names in the mix including [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/03/05/ucla-advancing-the-complete-streets-dialogue/
More than 100 people ate and danced at a potluck styled party to protest the Wyvernwood redevelopment project. Kris Fortin/LAStreetsblog Advocates for the preservation of Wyvernwood Apartments used the simplest of ideas Sunday to oppose the proposed $2 billion redevelopment project: throw a backyard/frontyard party at the complex. Families brought homemade food, silverware was used instead [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/02/22/residents-protest-demolition-of-wyvernwood-apartments-seek-preservation/
When it comes to transportation funding, President Obama always seems to say the right thing. The latest example was his State of the Union address, where the president promoted a fix-it-first approach to infrastructure spending. On Wednesday, the White House fleshed out the idea with a proposal to direct 80 percent of a $50 billion [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/02/22/despite-fix-it-first-rhetoric-obama-still-promoting-highway-expansions/
I had the chance to sit down with Ray LaHood yesterday morning before he spoke to the U.S. High-Speed Rail Association. Our conversation covered a wide range of topics, looking back on his four years at the helm of the U.S. Department of Transportation. We’ll publish the interview in three installments over the next few [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/02/13/the-ray-lahood-exit-interview/
On Tuesday, President Obama pledged during the State of the Union to adopt a “Fix it First” approach to infrastructure, which would focus on maintaining what’s already built instead of building expensive, sprawl-inducing new roads. New York's transit-less, mega-wide Tappan-Zee Bridge is in line for TIFIA funds. Image: New York State via the Transport Politic But Yonah [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/02/14/fix-it-first-policy-must-tackle-road-expansions-on-track-for-federal-loans
Following up on the passage and initial efforts of the Bike Action Plan, Santa Monica is kick starting the process on a new Pedestrian Action Plan. For those who didn’t know, some commitments came up that demanded nearly all of my time the past few weeks so I took a break from the blogging. For my [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/02/13/from-sprouting-rail-bridges-to-complete-streets-santa-monica-advancing-on-multiple-fronts/
Everyone watching the President’s State of the Union address last night was looking for hints about what’s to come during his second term. And the good news is that what he had to say left advocates for safe, sustainable transportation feeling hopeful. David Goldberg at Transportation for America said the President used some important phrases, and [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/02/13/why-obamas-fix-it-first-approach-to-infrastructure-matters/
The 46,000-mile interstate system was completed in 1991, costing a total of $216 billion (in 2012 dollars). Since then, these seven interstate highways - totaling 2,800 miles -- have been built at the cost of $45.4 billion. They were funded through Congressional earmarks. Graphic: McClatchy The work of a sustainable transportation reporter can be a lonely [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/02/12/mcclatchy-muckrakers-expose-seedy-underbelly-of-the-highway-bonanza/
(Over the next couple of weeks, Streetsblog L.A. will strive to cover all of the City Council elections that are not part of the Streetsblog TV schedule. Our next piece of election coverage will be Live Streaming the LACBC/Occidental College CD 1 Candidate Forum on Streetsblog TV this Sunday.) Just a couple of years ago, the [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/02/06/quiet-election-in-council-district-5-as-koretz-faces-off-with/
The politics of sidewalk repair. When Dennis Zine announced a plan to spend $1 million on sidewalk repair yesterday, political opponent Cary Brazeman circulated a flyer with this picture of Dennis Zine's home block in 2007. Brazeman joked that it was nice that Zine was helping other constituents get the same services he provides himself. Whether [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/02/05/sidewalk-politics-enters-into-the-city-controllers-race/
Environmental groups developed their own alternatives to the massive proposed widening of the I-710 between Long Beach and East Los Angeles. "Community Alternative 7" is clearly the preferred alternative of community advocates, but if Metro/Caltrans feel they just have to build something really big, there's an alternative for that. Read all about them at in [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/02/05/three-government-committees-reject-current-plans-to-widen-710-between-long-beach-and-east-la/
Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City’s Republican mayor, has made it his mission to make his city healthier and less obese, in part by improving its walkability. The city lost a million pounds during his weight-loss campaign — and then they took a freeway out of the middle of downtown and overhauled its built environment. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/01/25/how-mayor-mick-cornett-fought-oklahoma-citys-brain-drain-and-weight-gain/
L.A. Weekly Spends a Day on Metro with Amusing and Horrifying Results Brown: Now That State Has Better Fiscal Future, Let’s Talk HSR (LAT) Also Proposes Consolidating Bike/Ped Programs in 2014 Budget (Cyclelicious) Metro Board Waits 2 More Months to Maybe Take Action on FasTrac Transponders (The Source) L.A. Opening Parklets in February in Eastside, Downtown (Curbed) Fight Over #RoadBond [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/25/todays-headlines-1160/
Oh, the lengths governors around the country will go to in order to avoid raising the gas tax. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has a plan to shore up the state's transportation accounts with a tax on fuel. But will he direct the new money to the existing infrastructure screaming for maintenance? Image: Wikipedia Recently we’ve seen Virginia Governor Bob [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/01/24/pa-gov-tom-corbetts-transpo-spending-fix-a-tax-on-fossil-fuel/
Image:Metro.net Ever since Metro first announced the details of its ExpressLanes program, converting HOV lanes to variable toll lanes on parts of the I-10 and I-110 debate has been fierce. In legacy media outlets, the debate has been over whether or not it is right or ethical for government to charge drivers for access to the [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/17/metro-responds-to-fasttrack-criticism-removing-monthly-fee-opens-budget-hole-encourages-people-outside-l-a-county-to-purchase-not-use-transponders/
It’s official. Moments ago, Council Members Mitch Englander and Joe Buscaino pulled the plug on efforts to place a $3 billion property tax bond that would fund road repair from the Spring ballot. The Council Members ammeded their motion requesting the city attorney draft a motion with language for a ballot in “the future.” Wait 'til [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/15/englanderbuscaino-road-bond-off-the-ballot-for-2013/
Municipal bond rates are at historic lows. A memo by two respected faculty members at the UCLA Anderson Forecast (available at Streetsblog, for some reason link to city website is broken) suggests the city take advantage of these low rates to fund a $3 billion program to resurface, rehabilitate, and reconstruct city streets. This same logic extends [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/15/op-ed-invest-in-multipurpose-streets-to-support-housing-values/
Speakers line up to comment during a public hearing about the proposed Wyverwood mixed use project. More than 300 people were in a attendance, with a majority making up supporters for the project. Kris Fortin/LAStreetsblog Maria Mendez, a Wyvernwood resident, has asked for improvements at the Wyvernwood Apartments, saying she takes the bus to wash her [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/14/sides-agree-wyvernwood-living-conditions-intolerable-divided-on-right-solution/
This 75-acre golf course in San Jose, California, is considered a small course. Even so, it's a colossal public expense. Photo: Dave Polaschek/Flickr The 15,753 golf courses in the United States take up more space than half the state of New Jersey. And though they devour so much land, much of it in suburbia, the sport [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/01/09/how-rethinking-the-golf-course-could-help-seniors-age-in-place/
The most significant part of the fiscal cliff deal for transportation was the bump that some transit riders got in the form of a commuter tax break that’s now on par with what drivers get. There are two more minor elements in the bill for transportation — both of them random enough to fit into [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2013/01/03/fiscal-cliff-deal-leaves-big-questions-on-transportation/
Cesar Amphitheater. Click on the images to go to a larger copy. (Editor’s Note: The Simple Art of Beautification Part I can be found here.) Talk to anyone who has lived in Long Beach for a bit and—whether one gripes about or praises this particular characteristic—this city is always described as a “little-big city,” essentially meaning that [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2013/01/03/long-beach-the-simple-art-of-beautification-part-ii/
Yonah Freemark at The Transport Politic mapped out the transit projects that will either begin construction or start service in the year ahead. Bus rapid transit projects in Austin, Tampa, and the Twin Cities. Streetcars in St. Louis, New Orleans, and Detroit. Those are just a few of the transit projects beginning construction or entering service [...]
streetsblog.net/2013/01/02/sneak-preview-2013-in-transit/
L.A. Taco finds a squirrel trying to beat the summer heat in his apartment complex (photo courtesy of L.A. Taco; click on photo to see original post) While hiking in Griffith Park, my friend remarked that he found it refreshing to be surrounded by so much wildlife. “What wildlife?” I hadn’t spotted any yet. “All the squirrels.” “The squirrels…?” Yes, [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2012/12/20/dear-santa-the-50-parks-initiative-is-great-but-please-bring-south-l-a-some-green-space-for-christmas/
Oftentimes, we feel far too overwhelmed with the act of bettering our neighborhoods. There’s a sense of futility, particularly paired with the economic crisis, that overshadows creative and innovative ways to handle even the most simplest of beautification tasks. 4th Street Before... Say, for example, a sidewalk. Many of us know that fences, barriers, bridges, and sidewalks [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2012/12/18/long-beach-the-simple-art-of-beautification/
Metro Board: Five Year Advertising Contract to CBS (The Source) Metro Board: More Funding for Blue Line Safety (LAT) Metro Board: Zev Wants to Do Away with ExpressLane Transponder Maintenance Fee (The Source) Weird Density Bonus, No Parking Required, for Cornfield Plan Moved by Planning Commission (Curbed) County Population Nears 10 Million People (LAist via Curbed) Convention Center Moves Towards Private [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2012/12/14/todays-headlines-1138/
OK, truth: Raise your hand if you find federal transportation legislation intimidating and incomprehensible. T4America's new document will help communities improve mobility and keep everyone safer. Photo: T4America I thought so. Me too. The problem, as you know, is that it’s enormously important that advocates not only understand the new transportation law, MAP-21, but that they understand it [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2012/12/11/seven-jiu-jitsu-moves-for-advocates-to-use-map-21-to-their-own-advantage/
The unofficial entrance to the South L.A. Wetlands Park. That's Maya Angelou High School in the background. (photo: sahra) The South Los Angeles Wetlands Park located at 54th and Avalon is having a rough go of it these days. Earlier this year, officials had to drain it in order to replace the leaking ceramic basin with plastic [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2012/12/07/when-a-door-closes-a-window-always-opens-because-someone-will-saw-through-the-fence/
Participants in the Tour de la Heights ride in July stopped in front of Corazón del Pueblo, a community arts, education, and social action center. The space just celebrated its three-year anniversary this past Saturday. Kris Fortin/LAStreetsblog When I try to talk to Rooster, a 20-year-old Eastside resident, he is visibly nervous. When we finish talking he says [...]
la.streetsblog.org/2012/12/05/corazon-del-pueblo-pumps-community-life-into-first-street/
Friday's panel at the Bipartisan Policy Center. From left: Moderator Jeffrey Shane; Doug Foy, former head of Massachusetts' Office of Commonwealth Development; Janet Kavinoky of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Ryan Holeywell of Governing Magazine; Pete Ruane of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association; and David Traynham of The Boeing Company. Photo: Tanya Snyder If [...]
dc.streetsblog.org/2012/12/03/eight-burning-questions-about-post-election-transpo-policy-and-politics/#more-132756
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