Over one hundred tenth graders from Esteban Torres High School’s Renaissance Academy had a chance to redesign the Gold Line Eastside Extension Station areas as part of a series of interactive modeling sessions designed to introduce them to urban planning.  Rather than introducing them to our modeling process through a presentation, we took the students to visit and take notes at three Gold Line Stations: Mission/Meridian, Lake and Del Mar Stations.

Photo: Latino Urban Forum/Flickr

Next, we had them examine the stations from a different perspective.  They participated in  a series of interactive workshops to help the students articulate their needs. We had them read maps of the station areas and create models from them using found objects.

The students presented their ideas through models of the Gold-Line Metro station areas and and explained how their proposed developments around the stations may increase ridership and attract people into East Los Angeles. They created three trains in their models; one, the newly christened Butterscotch Line, is made completely from candy (just in time for Valentine’s Day.)

The students designed these light rail station areas as neighborhood destinations to draw the community to the station and draw riders off the trains. They located services, and amenities lacking in today’s Eastside community such as parks, stores, housing, and offices within site of the stations.  The students were proud of their community and designed stations that welcomed people to the Eastside with “welcome” signs and decorative gateways.

Best of all, their stations and their Gold Line fit the community.  Before the workshops they investigated the physical form of the actual community.  The examined architecture and design that creates identity of place. They used that map of their community to create beautiful streetscapes designs that capture the artistic power of the community.

The candy Gold Line Train model is incredible. It’s a wedding cake of rich colors, shapes, textures that draws you in.  The candy model captures the vibrancy and sensual quality of East Los Angeles. The Gold line is created by a butterscotch candies while an Aztec Temple made of sugar cubes creates a canopy over the station.  There’s never been a  model quite like this one.

But most impressively were the students themselves.  They took ownership of the planning process. They were articulate and had conviction and passion for the transformation of East Los Angeles.   Just as the students of the Renaissance Academy learned a lot about planning from this process, there is a lot the professional planning community can learn from these students.

While many cyclists around the city applauded the 1st Street Green Lane, local drivers, pedestrians and even cyclists were confused when the lane was painted last fall. All pics by Carlos Morales

Bike lanes began to appear in Boyle Heights during November 2011.  It was a joyous celebratory occasion to many cycling advocates who have lobbied city hall for years.  The lobbying is a result of several thousand incidents throughout the city in which cyclists have been involved in automobile traffic collisions.  These incidents have resulted in property damage, personal injury, and tragically, death.

Politicos hold press conferences announcing the new bike lanes as they are painted in each district throughout the city.  They jump on a bike, ride for a block or so for the perfect photo opportunity.  After the picture has been taken, they walk away from the project, and it’s “Mission Accomplished!”

Well, not really….. I started to receive phone calls and emails from Boyle Heights residents asking questions as soon as the paint was dry on the new 1st Street Bike Lanes, part of which are painted green.  These calls were mostly concerned with how to maneuver around the new bike lanes.  This did not surprise me, as a matter of fact, I was expecting them. The simple reason is that there has been NO outreach or educational material distributed about bike lanes to our community.  Like magic, the bike lanes simply appeared.  After receiving these many calls in November, I rode over to observe for myself. I witnessed near misses between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists around the bike lane.

Too common a site...

In preparing for this article, I revisited First Street in Boyle Heights, where I witnessed the close calls.  First Street has about 1.5 miles of bikes lanes that run past the Mariachi Plaza and the Metro Eastside Gold Line.  I observed a couple interesting incidents. The first was a car double parked in the bike lane.  I pulled out my camera to document it, and as I approached the car to speak with the driver, he drove off.  This is a big problem. Cyclists often find obstacles such as cars, trash cans and debris thrown in the bike lanes.

The point of the green lane is to reduce interactions between cyclists and other road users. But when cyclists don't know where to position themselves, the purpose of the lane breaks down.

Next, I saw was a couple of cyclists who veered over from the bike lane to the curb while waiting for a green light at the intersection of First and State Street.  First, I thought it was an isolated incident, then a couple of minutes later, I noticed another cyclist doing it, a few minutes later, yet another one. This actually puts the cyclist at a greater risk and into a “Danger Zone” by placing them in the way of a vehicle making a right turn.  When the light turned green, each cyclist would veer back into the bike lane position while pedaling through the intersection.  This can be another dangerous maneuver which places the cyclist in danger.

Last, I noticed pedestrians crossing bike lanes often talking, surfing the ‘net, chatting and texting on their cell phones.  They are not paying attention to the stripes on the ground. This should be a concern because this is where pedestrians, bikes and automobiles all meet on the street, all sharing the road.

During this trip I also met Juan Romero, owner of Primera Taza Coffee House and asked him what he thought of the bike lanes. Romero said, “I think it’s a great start, not only for businesses here in our community but also for residents.  They (cyclists) are now able to utilize these lanes as a safe pathway to run errands or go to school or work.  One of the problems we have in Boyle Heights is the mix of bikers and foot traffic on the sidewalk. I have seen lots of near misses with people walking in and out of businesses.  Now that the bike lanes are in place, I hope more cyclists will try to use them and clear room on the sidewalk for pedestrians. It’s nice to see entire families riding in the lanes and even better when everyone is wearing a helmet.”

The new green lane on Spring Street Downtown actually caused more confusion for riders in Boyle Heights. Why does their lane look different? What does it mean?

Romero asked me, “Why the discrepancy of the Green bike lanes in downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), and the ones we have here in Boyle Heights?” What Romero was referring to is that in DTLA, the bike lanes are printed solid green, and in Boyle Heights lanes are outlined with lines with partially painted green sections.  LADOT officials have noted that in DTLA, there are less driveways and alley ways where vehicles can pull in and out.  In contrast to the Boyle Heights community, there are many businesses and residences with narrow driveways and numerous alleyways.  The green stripes are there to warn both cyclists and motorists, these are “Danger Zones.”  The green stripes are also found at all intersections by the crosswalks.

A common problem in this city and across the state; is many cyclists are teens or possibly day laborers.  They do not own a driver’s license, or perhaps never obtained one, yet they are expected to obey the same rules of the road as a motor vehicle.  Most of these people have never seen a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) manual, which is referred to when preparing for a driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle, and learn the “Rules of the Road.”

Many cyclists who can't speak English or are day laborers aren't aware of their responsibility to stay off the sidewalk when there is a bike lane.

I picked up the 2011 CA DMV Manuel just to see what it says about bike lanes.  This section does not seem to have been updated, and does not mention or include photos or diagrams of green bike lanes.

Below is a snippet of actual verbiage out of the CALIFORNIA DRIVER HANDBOOK 2011 Edition:

Bicycle lanes: A bicycle lane is a designated traffic lane for bicyclists, marked by a solid white line, typically breaking into a dotted line at the corner.  Different from a simple white line showing the edge of the road, a bicycle lane follows specific width requirements and is clearly marked as a bike lane.

Share the Roadway Bicycle markings (sharrows)

Sharrows are used to remind motorists that bicyclists are allowed to lawfully use     this portion of a lane.  Sharrows are used to assist bicyclists with positioning on a shared roadway.  It also alerts motorists of the location a bicyclist may occupy within the traveled roadway.

• Treat a bicycle lane the same as other traffic lanes.
• Do not turn into the lane if there is a bicyclist in the bike lane. Yield to oncoming traffic.
• Do not obstruct bicycle traffic by reducing the width required for safe bicycle passage, typically three to four feet. When you are making a right turn and are within 200 feet of the corner or other driveway entrance, you must enter the bicycle lane only after en- suring there is no bicycle traffic, and then make the turn. Do not drive in the bicycle lane at any other time.

Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicle and motorcycle     drivers. Respect the right of way of bicyclists because they are entitled to share         the road with other drivers.

Personally, I find the bike lane section to be very vague and outdated. It does not mention pedestrians in bike lanes, and does not mention or have photos of the green bike lanes.

What bike planners and city officials are missing is an integral cohesive education and outreach plan, supported with visible signage to address motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.  Signs should be posted on poles along the road and sidewalk where the bike path is located.  It should address pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Outreach should also be done at schools, city parks, libraries, businesses or resident homes.  Signage should address blocking of bike lanes (cars / trash cans / dumping of debris), Texting/Chatting/Surfing/Talking while walking near the lanes.  Not just “SHARE THE ROAD” and “BIKE LANE”

The lack of education and good signage causes other confusion. For example, many cyclists think this section of road is a bike lane. It isn't.

There are two good examples of public outreach from the government on local projects here in Boyle Heights. The first is the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension. Prior to becoming operational, Metro launched a public safety outreach and education campaign through flyers, newspaper ads, several public meetings, and press conferences, all aimed at the community public safety concerns. They also made presentations at schools, Neighborhood Watch meetings, Chambers of Commerce mixers, Neighborhood Council meetings, parks, libraries, and passed out literature to businesses and homes.  When the Gold Line became operational, Metro launched another outreach and education campaign to make sure the community understands the severity of possible dangers.

The second example is the campaign utilized prior to LA distributing the three trash collection and recycling bins (Black, Green and Blue) to city residents.  This outreach and education campaign was established to alert stakeholders on what items were to be deposited in each colored container.  When the containers were delivered, the city informed stakeholders by attaching flyers on the collection bins to ensure the community understands the proper use of these containers.  There were also press conferences and pamphlets passed out at Neighborhood Councils, Senior Centers, Libraries, and Neighborhood Watch meetings.

What will it take for city officials to take a proactive approach, and move forward to outreach and educate our community of the importance of bikes lanes?  We have only begun to see the first 100 miles of the proposed 1,600 miles of bike infrastructure. Let’s solve the problem now before another community member gets hurt or killed.

Carlos Morales’ weekly column is sponsored by the law firm of  Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP.

This evening, eight street vendors will be open for business to raise funds so they can sell legally at a future evening farmers market in Boyle Heights. While the public munches on food like tacos dorados, and pupusas, their spent money will go toward helping the street vendors buy equipment and cover other overhead costs.  The vendors will be open from 5:00 to 10:00 P.M. in front of the offices of the East Los Angeles Community Corporation,  530 South Boyle Avenue.

To see a full sized copy of the poster, click on the image. For the Spanish language version, click here.

The street vendors sold food at the informal Breed Street Food Fair until the police forced them out in 2009.

“It actually created a safe market. People were more vigilant when they were in mass numbers. And then they weren’t prey to negative sources,”said Mike Dennis, ELACC’s director of community organizing. If enough money is raised – the goal is $15,000 – the evening farmers market could bring back a Breed Street style of community interaction, Dennis said.

The equipment most street vendors currently use don’t adhere to local codes for food vendors because they are makeshift.  These carts and stands are cost effective, they only cost a couple hundred dollars.  In comparison, the more expensive equipment that adheres to health and safety codes cost nearly $1,500 in most cases.

Boyle Heights resident Jessica Perez highlights the event  on her Mis Neighbors blog and gives her local take on the situation:  

Neighborhood street food vendors are a part of our everyday lives. They are our neighbors, our mothers, our friends, or simply a familiar face. And although not all community members agree with unlicensed street vending, and police have cracked down on them at higher rates recently, they’ve maintained a following.

–

Event: Boyle Heights Street Vendor Fundraiser

Where: East Los Angeles Community Corporation (530 S. Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90033)

When: 5-10 pm

Cost: 1$ entrance fee (the food is separate).

Vea el Streetfilm sin subtítulos, aqui.

After sponsoring two Streetfilms of the first two CicLAvias, Los Angeles’ version of the open streets festival based on Bogota’s Ciclovia, Los Angeles Streetsblog faced a dilemma: How can we continue to cover the event that draws over a hundred thousand Angelenos to the streets?  The Answer? Make a Streetfilm that was accessible to Southern California’s large Spanish-speaking population.

¡Viva CicLAvia! consists of two parts.  First, narrator Mara Corina Arellano Colin explains the history and concept of Los Angeles’ amazing open streets party, including footage and photos from similar festivals in Bogota, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Brussels and Miami.  While the narration is a great explanation of the benefits and culture of CicLAvia, the soul of Social Impact Consulting’s efforts are the interviews with participants.

The next five minutes is a parade of Spanish speakers professing their love of CicLAvia.  Whether it’s the team from South Central’s Mendez Bike Shop, the traffic officer spreading his arms while explaining Viva CicLAvia, or Hollywood’s City Councilman Eric Garcetti; the broad smiles in the Southern California sun give a message in any language.  Giving people more chances to play in the sun is good for Los Angeles.

This Streetfilm marked another first for Streetfilms, a directly reader supported video.  L.A. Streetsblog asked its readers if they wanted a Spanish language film on CicLAvia, and when they said yes, the readers were challenged through a Kick Starter campaign to fund the film.  Needless to say, the readers came through.

Watch here without English subtitles.

Eddie Solis leaves the Metro Red Line, which serves as one part of his hour-long commute from his day job in Hollywood to his home in Boyle Heights. Much of the inspiration for his band It's Casual comes from his observations from being car-free, a bus and subway rider, and a skateboarder. Photo courtesy of Eddie Solis.

A few weeks ago, the hardcore band It’s Casual posted “The Red Line” music video on Youtube and quickly caught the attention of local and national blogs for it’s simple yet creative critique of Los Angeles freeways. A current resident of Boyle Heights, guitarist and vocalist Eddie Solis sat down with Eastside Streetsblog to talk about how his car-free lifestyle inspires his music and how he encounters on his morning walks the smell of Boyle Heights tortilla factories.

You do a lot of music that’s very transit oriented; can you explain why you went that route?

Sometimes I think there’s a lot of content out there that’s too, I want to say, too fiction. Kind of make believe. And I notice all my favorite music that hits home to me in my heart and that I kind of step back and see these bands still going  . . . are bands that write timeless music with timeless contact that basically come from the truth of actual events and someone’s perspective. So I said I really want to find an avenue and report on it. And I go, wait you know what, my daily commute. I see LA different because  . . . I take the bus and subway everywhere. And the freeways are just sitting there, and people are in their cars just frustrated about it, but I’m just like sightseeing everyday. So I took that concept and said, “You know what, I’m basically going to report on what I see and interpret it.”

What kind of message were you trying to evoke when you were making “The Red Line” and then making the video?

For one thing, the lyrics explain the feeling I had. I remember one particular summer I would maybe catch a ride with a friend to go places, and I always noticed we were always stuck in traffic. And it was always to get from Hollywood to Downtown or in between. And I was like, “ Man, you have to ride the Red Line with me.” I validated my opinion by taking him on there and I remember seeing the 101 being a parking lot, and another freeway would be a parking lot. And I’m like “I’m able to get from downtown to Hollywood in 17 minutes, and it would take an hour for some people (or) 45 minutes.” My intent or my message was from real life experiences, and if I name check all the freeways, I’m going to identify the region within LA and people will get it.

So when we made the video, Rick Kosick, he’s the director, he scouted the locations, he had the vision, the video is all him. He really wanted to create visually what I’m saying vocally, verbally. The whole video took six months. I mean, keep in mind though he has a job, I have a job, and he went out and scouted locations and said here are the way we are going to do things. Rick wanted to create exactly what I’m saying but with full energy and movement.

Did you have any trouble shooting on the subway? What were the kind of reactions you got?

It’s funny you say that. We went in there, we were kind and courteous to everybody, and we didn’t have no problems. There was times on Saturdays at Union Station, where you know, the sheriffs were patrolling, and they talked to us: “So what are you guys doing?” And we told them the truth. He’s like, “Ok, well, do your thing.” Really I don’t know if that’s good or bad I’m saying that after letting us off. Cuz I don’t know.

As a resident of Boyle Heights, what kind of opportunities and challenges do you see for public transit users in Boyle Heights?

I would say from experience, and being hands on with public transportation, the opportunities first would be the (Metro bus) line 18 runs on the main artery in Boyle Heights, which is Whittier Boulevard. And to me that’s amazing because it’s 24 hours. And not only that, it runs so often and I believe like between the hours of (6 am – 12pm), they’re like every 10 minutes, 12 minutes. So you don’t need a schedule. You just get to a stop and they come.

As far as the challenges, the fact that after a certain time the 18 runs very infrequent. It runs once an hour. And that’s kind of rough. And I think the MTA should be a little more mindful because there are a lot of working class people out there that need to get form point A to point B. You need to serve them a little better because these people are using it to earn a living and keep themselves above water. Some of these people have to work over night, so make it every 30 minutes.

Take us through a walkthrough of a day in Boyle Heights for you. What do you see, smell, or hear?

On a regular weekday I get up and do a morning walk. And I grab my cup of coffee at the La Mascota Bakery which is like an institution for their tamales and pan dulce and stuff like that. And I’ll walk to Soto (Street) and, I gotta say that not only what I see but what I smell, is a key component, because there are so many tortilla factories and bakeries and it’s just like this, the aroma is just like an epic for your taste buds. I’ll walk back down Whittier Boulevard past east of Camulos (Street) toward Indiana and Lorena and I see a lot of exciting things. Independent businesses, I see different things coming in, skateboard shops which I think is very cool.

Kris Fortin, photo:Rafael Cardenas

Streetsblog is happy to announce that thanks to a generous grant from the California Endowment, today we are opening two “local bureaus” in South Los Angeles and Boyle Heights.  These bureaus will each feature new writers who will bring us stories on how decisions on transportation planning, development, transit oriented development and open space impact the health and character of these communities.

There’s also a lot that everyone can learn from these communities.  Fortin and Sulaiman will be exploring how the culture of these communities impacts their streetscapes, architecture and local culture.  As we explored in-depth during our 2011 series on L.A. County Department of Public Health PLACE Grants, how a community is built has a dramatic impact on the health, well-being and life expectancy of the people living there.

In addition to publishing their stories on the front page of Streetsblog, all of the South L.A. stories and Boyle Heights stories will be published on special community sites at http://eastsidestreetsblog.org and http://southlastreetsblog.org .

Sahra Sulaiman

In Boyle Heights, Kris Fortin will be leading our local coverage efforts.  Fortin has been freelance writing about the Latino community for the past four years at the Los Angeles Times, the former Café Magazine, and currently at Boyle Heights Beat and Mis Neighbors. After getting his bachelor’s degree in journalism and urban studies and planning, Fortin wedded the two areas through an internship at Planetizen and hopes to continue to delve deeper into urban issues through journalism.

In South L.A., our lead writer is Sahra Sulaiman.  Sulaiman is a documentary photographer and researcher who has been 99.5% car-free since buying a road bike and riding it across Spain on a dare in 1996. A well-travelled M.A. and A.B.D. in International Relations, she also is deeply invested in LA as a regular volunteer with at-risk teens in local-area high schools and is currently working on a year-long photography project documenting the difficult circumstances which many of them endure. She seeks to use her skills for gathering unique stories to bring a more human dimension to discussions about the future of transit in Los Angeles.

Each writer will be publishing a story later today.  I won’t ruin the surprise for you, but they’re both great reads.

Carlos Morales PhotoFlying Pigeon

Speaking of surprises, we’re also proud to announce the addition of Carlos Morales to our team.  You may know Morales through his writing at The Voice/La Voz papers in East L.A. or you might recognize him as the founder of the Eastside Bike Club.  Morales will be writing a weekly column for us about his observations and views of life while pedaling through Los Angeles.  His first piece will run a little later this week.

But don’t worry, just because new writers are joining the team doesn’t mean that our original writer, Damien Newton, is going anywhere.  You might see his byline a little less frequently than several times a day, but the tradeoff is that you’ll also see longer stories and more original reporting.

I’m sure some of you are reading this and wondering, “Why does Boyle Heights and South L.A. get local coverage and not my community?  The good news is that we plan on continuing to expand over the next couple of years to provide more community reporting.  If you can help us find a source of local funds, we’ll be happy to provide regular local coverage in your community as well.

Wildflowers in bloom at the cornfields. Note the proximity of industrial development. Photo: Creek Freak

Can a community plan claim to be progressive without a strong affordable housing component?

That questions has been at the heart of a debate about the Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan (CASP) that promises to transform 660 acres located in the communities of Lincoln Heights, Cypress Park and Chinatown from mixed-use, mostly industrial, to a more residential area with industrial areas designed to attract green and other LEED certified (environmentally clean) businesses.  Back in March of 2009, Joe Linton described many of the benefits of the plan, including a decoupling or parking from rental or purchase fees of new apartments.

But what makes the plan so impressive to Livable Streets advocates makes it a nightmare for affordable housing ones.  Because the plan offers increased density and reduced parking requirements without requiring an affordable housing tradeoff, advocates are concerned that the end result of the CASP will be to force out existing residents by turning the area into one for those earning a higher income.

“The critical question about the Cornfields Arroyo Seco Specific Plan is this: Will the plan lead to luxury housing and market rate shops unaffordable to local residents? Or will it lead to a community where everyone can live?” asks Serena Lin, a staff attorney with Public Counsel. “Right now the plan prioritizes luxury housing developers over local residents, and we call on Councilman Ed Reyes to amend it.”

If CASP had a provision that offered extra density bonuses or reduced parking standards if a developer agrees to build a small percentage of affordable units, the Plan could be a real tool in our City’s toolkit argues Public Counsel. Instead of fighting with community groups, the city could proactively plan for communities where all residents, including people struggling with poverty, can afford to live. Instead, the Plan offers developers incentives to build market rate housing, without any provision for affordable housing. In an area with a median income of less than $25,000 per year, much of the current community would get priced out of a community where they.

“There’s been a lot of pressure to change the zoning for the plan are over the years,” explains Claire Bowen, the project manager with the Department of City Planning (Planning) for the project.

Bowen points to recent affordable housing developments that have already gone into the area, many of whom are getting exclusions from the existing zoning code.  This leads to “spot zoning” and haphazard mixed use planning that benefits few people.  Instead of pushing people out of the area, Bowen argues that the community will be improved to make life better for the people already living in the area.

But she also readily concedes that the CASP is about bringing in new people and new businesses into the area.

“This is an area we’re trying to attract people to,” Bowen supplies. “Cities that are successful in attracting new clean or green light industrial uses, they’re attracted to areas that have these types of amenities versus single zoned areas.”

At a public meeting held on Saturday, residents and community leaders expressed concern about bringing in too many new people without providing an affordable way to maintain housing for current residents and expanded affordable housing for their families.  Representatives from the East Los Angeles Community Corporation, Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance, Homeboy Industries and the Southeast Asian Community Alliance (SEACA) all voiced concern at the lack of affordable housing guarantees in the plan.  All in all, between 80-100 people attended the meeting, most of those who spoke were there to raise concerns about CASP’s impact on existing community residents.

“We fought hard to build the vibrant community that we have here,” claims Sissy Trinh, with SEACA.  ”Now the city is setting in motion a plan that risks destroying that in order to build luxury housing. All the while, the luxury housing that was built in the last few years sits empty while our families struggle to find affordable housing.”

SEACA has created a website outlining the pros and cons of the CASP from their point of view and offers ways the city could improve upon the existing plan.  SEACA notes there are many benefits to the plan as it exists including better streets, better bicycle infrastructure and the potential to bring more jobs, more affordable housing and more transit options to the area.  For each of their cons, City Planning has some sort of answer, although in many cases the answer wouldn’t be satisfactory to those pushing to protect the community.

For example, SEACA argues that while CASP would double the residents living in the area, there are no plans to improve the infrastructure to help move all of the new residents and deal with new traffic.  City Planning points to the impressive bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure planned for the area and the existing transit infrastructure.  The CASP area includes two Gold Line Stations, is adjacent to another one and if you add up all of the bus stops made in a given day, it averages roughly 1,000 stops per day.

But is that a realistic transportation plan when so many of the “market rate” units that will be encouraged will be filled by people with the means to own or lease automobiles?  If the city’s plan were to attract more affordable housing, then there would likely be a lower physical impact on road infrastructure as there would be less cars.  But the plan is to attract more middle-class, or “market rate” housing.   Will these new residents be as wiling to forego their cars?

To answer that question, Bowen and Planning point to the reduced car parking requirements in the CASP.  It’s undeniable that limiting the amount of space for personal vehicle storage is a proven way to reduce congestion and vehicle miles traveled while encouraging a more healthy lifestyle.  Bowen herself argues that there is way too much car parking in Los Angeles.  ”We waste so much space holding space just waiting for a car to show up.”

Special thanks to Allison Mannos who reported on this weekend’s community meeting.

The impact of the Gold Line Eastside Extension on local bus options is one thing that Eastsiders have complained about at recent meetings.

Recall the language in the 1st amendment to the U.S. Constitution about “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances?” Keep it in mind as you read this overview of the recent interaction of Metro, a group of disgruntled riders, and a local politico. If nothing else it illustrates what American Democracy in action looks like.

When I wrote about Metro’s February 1st ‘all regions’ public hearing for the June service change proposals, I mentioned that among the attendees were “a vocal contingent from East L.A. Their message was to reverse the truncation of lines 30/31 by instead having them again extended to Atlantic Ave.”

By April the residents with the aid of the Bus Rider’s Union held a rally to press their case that the changes had left many residents stranded and was causing hardship.

When I spoke to some of the eastsiders attending the February meeting they shared frustration about their concerns receiving a lack of attention from L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina and her staff. By May the Eastside Sun was reporting that Molina’s staff had gotten the message and attempting to assuage constituents’ complaints by proposing a re-routing of the El Sol community shuttle to address access issues along 1st Street.

By August Metro’s San Gabriel Valley Service Council was holding a public workshop “to listen to the concerns of East Los Angeles Metro bus patrons”along with presenting proposals to address the complaints.

Transit activist Ken Ruben attended the Workshop and afterward reported about 80 people attended with about 16 of them making comments. Besides asking for Metro’s route 30 to resume operating east of Indiana, a few of the speakers also expressed displeasure with the Gold Line eastside extension that opened in 2009.

Taking the input received at the workshop Metro staff have come up with what they term “Proposed New Service on East 1st Street” to be presented at a Special Meeting of the Council being held Monday, October 17th, 5:00 p.m. at the East Los Angeles Public Library, 4837 E. Third St. (adjacent to East L.A. Civic Center Gold Line station).

If anyone has a chance to attend the meeting please post in the comments what reception the proposal gets from the attendees–whether they feel their concerns are being addressed or that what Metro is offering falls short.

Map of proposed quarter-mile Arroyo Seco Bike Path from Avenue 26 to San Fernando Road - click image for 9-page pdf containing more detailed version of this image. Image from L.A. County Thanks, Creek Freak

The confluence of the Los Angeles River and the Arroyo Seco, is one of the most historic places in Los Angeles.  In 1769, Spanish explorers Colonel Gaspar de Portola, Father Juan Crespi and Michael Costanso “discovered” Los Angeles.  It also, in the words of the Arroyo Seco Foundation, “provides the key linkage of the Los Angeles River to vital habitat and wildlife corridor, joining the San Gabriel Mountains to the Santa Monica Mountains.”

There are ongoing efforts to preserve the area surrounding the Confluence, for reasons of historical significance and the ecological value.  Earlier this week those plans received a boost.

As recently as 2009, it seemed unlikely that an extension of the Arroyo Seco Bike Trail would occur anytime in the near future.  But times have changed, thanks in part to the process creating the LA County Bike Plan and political pressure brought by Councilman Ed Reyes and County Supervisor Gloria Molina.  Earlier this week the City Council Transportation Committee quickly and unanimously passed a motion by Councilmen Bill Rosendahl and Reyes allowing the city to begin construction of a quarter mile portion of a bicycle and pedestrian path extending from Avenue 26 to San Fernando Road.  The path provides direct access to the future Confluence Gateway Project from Metro Rail.  The Avenue 26 Metro Gold Line station, known as the “Lincoln/Cypress Station” is within a stone’s throw of the trail entrance.

The Arroyo Seco Foundation explains the route of the path:

The 1280 trail will travel along the south rim of the Arroyo through the area directly beneath the Golden State Freeway.  The path replaces a maintenance yard for the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation. A massive concrete trash transfer structure will be removed to make room for the trail to reach San Fernando Road. From there, bicyclists will be able to connect to the Los Angeles River Bike Trail on the west side of the river. Gates will be installed at each end of the trail.

The land for the new trail is owned by both Caltrans and Los Angeles.  The costs of the project will be borne by Caltrans and the County of Los Angeles. The County will design and administer the construction of the trail and the City, by contract with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, will maintain the project upon completion.  Activists hope this project will be the beginning of a project to connect the L.A. River Trail with the Arroyo Seco Trail and the beginning of an investment in completing the River Confluence Gateway, a  larger park that would protect that open mouth of the River/Arroyo Confluence, would restore wetlands, and open up more space to the public.

A new Colorado Boulevard? Rendering by SALT Landscape Architects via bipediality

Calls for a Road Diet on Colorado Boulevard are growing, and beginning to become too loud to ignore.  For those not familiar with the layout of the road, it currently spans six car travel lanes, provides on-street car parking, and features a seventeen foot median that occasionally features live grass.  Eagle Rock residents have been puzzled about a road configuration that is designed for many more cars than actually use it.  The result is that the traffic that does use the street, tends to drive above the speed limit.

However, recently the idea of putting Colorado on a diet has begun to gain more traction, thanks in large part to Scott Wilson, who formally drove on Colorado daily for almost six decades but now travels on an electronic tricycle.  Wilson proposes a diet that would reduce auto capacity from six lanes to four, create a rainwater cistern to support greenery, slow traffic and even add some bike lanes.  Wilson’s proposal began to gain notoriety after articles in the Eagle Rock Patch and Bipediality.

As it exists now. Rendering by SALT Landscape Architects via bipediality

Traffic counts for Colorado, provided by the LADOT but laid out by Josef Bray Ali and viewable here, show that outside of the areas immediately surrounding freeway entrances that Colorado is actually a tremendously underutilized road.  For example, at the intersection with Eagle Rock Boulevard, less than 10,000 cars travel through the intersection over the course of a day, or roughly one and a third car every minute.  However, near the intersection with the Golden State Freeway, that number is five times as high.  Of course, during peak hours those numbers are much higher.

If you believe that there are other factors in determining whether a street is successful than just how many cars can be flushed through, then Bray-Ali shows how Colorado is a complete disaster for Eagle Rock in addition to how much space it wastes:

There is absolutely no measurement made as to the effects this has on the social fabric, local commerce, noise pollution, etc. – suffice it to say that these streets are generally detrimental to traditional human contact and social ties, they degrade local commerce (auto parts, repair, nail salon, discount store, auto parts, repair, nail salon, fast food discount store, etc.), and they are really, really, loud.

Despite placing Wilbur Avenue in the Valley and James M. Wood Blvd. in the Downtown on diets, the LADOT seems disinterested in fulfilling Wilson’s vision.  Colorado is listed as a Bike Route currently, despite its reputation as a dangerous place for cyclists because of the speeding car traffic, and is a “potential” street to receive bike lanes in the current Draft Bike Plan.  However, Councilman Jose Huizar tells the Patch that there is no interest in putting Colorado on a Diet:

The Department of Transportation, given that Colorado Boulevard is a major thoroughfare between Glendale and Pasadena, is trying not to slow down traffic. Otherwise there will be bottlenecks. We have had a couple of accidents on Colorado not too long ago.

Huizar goes on to say that his office would be interested in proposals that would reduce the capacity from six lanes to four.  But its really sort of amazing to hear that LADOT doesn’t want to slow down traffic on the road when residents aren’t just asking for slow traffic, but complaining that traffic is regularly speeding.  Huizar himself explains how this can happen:

As people get off the 2 freeway and head west, they go downhill and speed naturally without stepping on the gas.

Severin Martinez, author of Walk Eagle Rock, echos Huizar’s rationale for how easy it is to speed on Colorado.  However, Martinez shows a lot less compassion for the speeders than his elected leader:

Slowing is exactly what we want. While I don’t drive, I have traveled on Colorado with several different people behind the steering wheel, all exceed the 35mph speed limit. Usually drivers unconsciously and unconcerned reach 40mph. Forget about cars yielding at the one unsignalized crossing for pedestrians at Hermosa Ave.

But despite the community outcry, and the strong case that Colorado is crying for a diet, it doesn’t appear to be in the cards anytime soon.  The possibility of even adding a bike lane would require removal of a car travel lane which the city would study endlessly before implementing.  And has the city begun to study that possibility?  Nope.

With the LADOT absent on the issue, the next best hope for change would seem to be Huizar’s office.  However, Huizar sent mixed messages in his interview in the Patch.  On one hand, he seems to believe that “striking a balance” between the needs of the community and commuters is accomplished through off-peak light de-synchronization.  On the other hand, he seemed open to at least talking about a diet.

If LADOT won’t step up as it did in other parts of the city, it’s time for the Councilman to show some leadership.  Your community is waiting.

This photo and more like it, by Carter Rubin

This past Saturday the northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock played host to its eponymous music festival for the twelfth consecutive year.  With five blocks of Colorado Boulevard closed off to cars, the six-lane roadway was reborn as a gallery for local artists, a market for local venders, and a venue for the sun-drenched tunes of over 50 local bands.  A grassy median, normally a refuge for traffic-braving pedestrians, became the setting of picnics and mini dance parties.

With an assist from the LA City Councilmember José Huizar, event host Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock has expanded the festival greatly in a short time.  In 2007, the street fair first cracked ten thousand attendees and hasn’t looked back, now approaching six-figures.  By 6PM, a bustling hoard was making its way here and there – people of all sorts enjoying themselves – boldly idling where traffic otherwise would, between rows of shops and a small armada of gourmet food trucks.  The afternoon carnival bled into an evening of eclectic subculture with music to suit the tastes of alt rockers and club goers alike.

L.A. Weekly also has some pics from the event available here. But this one is from Carter again.

If you didn’t get a chance to check it out this year, whet your appetite on these photos and mark your calendar for a year from now.  This Streetsblogger gives the Eagle Rock Music Festival seven thumbs up!

(Note: Rating may be revised without notice upon adoption of more rigorous rating system.)

On Facebook, Morales promotes the events and explains why two rides:

We will have two bike rides starting at the same time: One ride is geared for newer riders and kids, the second Ride will travel thru the Hollenbeck Community of El Sereno, Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights. After riding the Bike Ride we will have our BBQ Fundraiser, raffles, and be entertained by bands and DJ’s.

Morales also encourages people to dress for a party and in a show of a little pre-4th of July merriment to decorate your bikes in red, white and blue.  If you're not a Facebook member, you can read the party announcement after the jump.

SAVE THE DATE EASTSIDE BIKE CLUB 2nd Anniversary is coming this weekend,
JUNE 26th 2010 from 2pm - 9pm.

Come out and support our 2nd GEAR as our club turns TWO YEARS OLD!

Invite your family, friends and neighbors to celebrate with us. Decorate your BIKES in RED, WHITE AND BLUE, Bring BELLS, WHISTLES and HORNS!

We will have two bike rides starting at the same time: One ride is geared for newer riders and kids, the second Ride will travel thru the Hollenbeck Community of El Sereno, Boyle Heights and Lincoln Heights. After riding the Bike Ride we will have our BBQ Fundraiser, raffles, and be entertained by bands and DJ’s.

At dusk there is a FIREWORKS SHOW!

Also during the evet we will be presenting our first GOLDEN CRANK AWARDS to LAPD Sergeant Krumer and to Long Time Cycling Activist Stephen Box for their efforts in making cycling in Los Angeles safe and protecting the rights of cyclist. Come out and give thanks to these important individuals who have created change in how cyclist are viewed in the city.

We will also be fundraising by selling raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes including a BRAND NEW BIKE!

Please call to RSVP to help us estimate on how many people we are going to cook for.

Please pass this on to your cycling networks! For more info contact Carlos Morales “Chapulin” at 323/221.7400 or bikesinla@yahoo.com

Facebook: eastside bike club Los Angeles

Myspace.com/eastsidebikes

Twitter.com/eastsidebikes

Yesterday, I finally had the time to take my wounded Flying Pigeon Bucket Bike back to its nest to get repaired and retrofitted for baby carrying.  As you might expect, Josef "ubrayj02" Bray-Ali was fantastic, the bike is great, and baby has already had his first fun, and safe, bike ride.  You can view a couple of pictures of us here.  But, this is not our story.

Because my bucket bike needed some repairs, I took a less-than-capacity trip on the Gold Line to the Heritage Square station before biking up 37th Avenue to Figueroa Street and then it's just a half a block to the Flying Pigeon Bike Shop.  On 37th, I was treated to riding on the only street inside of city limits with Sharrows.  True, they're not official, but when you're on the street, they're just as good.

Whoever put these down knew what they were doing.  The Sharrows place cyclists outside the door zone, are on a street with street parking, and are on a street with a fair amount of traffic.  It's nothing like the traffic on Figueroa, but with the transit station right there, it also sees slightly more than your everyday residential street.  It's amazing to me as an activist that these paint markings have been to D.I.Y. project that roared.  Councilmen Garcetti and LaBonge have talked about them during City Council hearings.  The LADOT has responded to their placement and bike activists have pleaded with the city to not remove them.  Given how the "D.I.Y. Bike Lanes" on Fletcher Bridge are still visible even after Streets Services "removed" them, it will be interesting to see how the city deals with these street markings.  It will be equally interesting to see if they just "reappear" after they're taken out.

When the Sharrows first appeared, the conversation was about how the D.I.Y. team was showing up LADOT, who has spent years studying and balking on whether or not to put Sharrows on L.A.'s streets or about how our bike culture is so sick of waiting that they're just painting they're own streets.  Given that it's almost two months since the Sharrows went down, it doesn't seem like time that was poorly spent.

Riding on the Sharrowed street was empowering.  The paint on the ground didn't cause me to slip or lose my balance and it was a clear statement that bikes belong.  Also, the Sharrows were correctly designed and placed on the road, a credit to the DIY team, which is more than what we can say about the "legitimate" Sharrows that appeared in Westwood in 2008.  And for a closing thought, when Sammy grows up and we're looking at all the great strides that Los Angeles has made in encouraging "people powered transportation,"  I'll be able to tell him his first trip in a bicycle was on the fabled Sharrowed 37th Avenue, done by the community for the community, while our city was too mired in red tape to get the job done themselves.

Atlantic Station. Photo: LA Streetsblog/Flickr

There have been a fair number of folks making comments on this site and
elsewhere on the internet about the recently opened Gold Line Eastside
Extension and safety. This coming week the advisory committee that
provides input to Metro on such issues is holding a meeting near the
Indiana Street station (Alma is the next street east of Indiana, and
the School is midway between 1st and 3rd Streets) in the evening.
Certainly worth checking out if you want to share such comments directly .

Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension Review Advisory Committee
Thursday
Jan. 14, 2010
6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Ramona Opportunity High School
231 S. Alma Ave.
Los Angeles CA

The opening up of the Eastside Gold Line Light Rail afforded twenty-four students from Mujeres y Hombres Nobles Continuation High School in East Los Angeles and I the opportunity to explore urban planning and transportation options together. As part of the HeArt Project (www.theheartproject.org), I taught a 10-week art course that used the rail line and urban planning as the subject.

Many of the students come from low-income families that use daily public transportation so this was very relevant to their lives. They witnessed the construction of the light rail in their community for the past couple of years. In fact one student now uses the existing Pasadena Gold Line to the Eastside to get to school.

I developed a curriculum that used their built environment and included presentations, discussions and model building to engage the high energy students on this topic. Each session focused on a variety of topics such as mobility, open space, architecture, and geography. Class activities included mapping their community, designing buildings, examining open space, constructing the rail line, and writing their thoughts on urban planning.

During the course students were tasked to re-imagine and create a model of the Gold Line taking into consideration land use and accessibility in their community.

The first exercise was to place the Gold Line right-a-way on the board, than map and draw out the streets and landmarks adjacent to the rail line. Next they identified land uses which led to the creation of landscape, buildings, and structures. The students constructed their destinations from the stations, such as where they lived, McDonalds, churches, their friend's homes and many more. Issues such as gang territory, busy streets, lack of parks, came up. Some students created what they would like to see such as parks, and entertainment areas around the stations. Each groups board were placed next to each other to create a vibrant 12 foot model of the Eastside Gold line.

The class culminated in a field trip to Chinatown via the new Eastside Gold Line. The students were very excited about what they learned about planning and witnessed these elements by using the train. As a planner, I learned a great deal from the students about their individual and community perceptions, and mobility patterns.

In the process, they seized the meanings of urban planning, architecture, and transportation and commanded a greater understanding of how they participate in it.

The finished 12 foot model of the Eastside Gold line and other student artwork will be on display at Washington Adams Gallery at the Pacific Design Center from Dec. 17, 2009 to Jan. 8, 2010.

Earlier today the Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved the light rail alternative for the Crenshaw Corridor and agreed to study making the light rail run underground for a dozen blocks between 48th and 59th street over the plans of the Metro staff. According to a press release, "The light rail alternative will be 8.5 miles in length from the Metro Green Line Aviation Station to the Expo Line, now under construction, at Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards, with a travel time estimated at 20 minutes. There will be seven new stations plus an option for one more. The final Environment Impact Study/Environment Impact Report could be ready by the end of 2010, with the line scheduled to open in 2018."

The vote today followed a mobilization of the community activists for the light rail option, as opposed to the BRT option, since alternatives for the line were first being discussed. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas has been actively pushing for the light rail option since his election last year and today’s vote can only be construed as a victory for his efforts. However, just because the underground alignment is being studied doesn’t mean that it will be in the final design, but it would head off another prolonged battle between Metro and the South L.A. Community over a light rail line.

The Crenshaw Corridor Light Rail line wasn’t the only rail line to move forward. The Board also voted to move forward with an extension of Metro Green Line rail service to the proposed Torrance Regional Transit Center in the South Bay area of the region. The study of bringing transit to the twenty six mile freight rail corridor is in a much earlier phase than the Crenshaw Corridor. At this point there is no "opening" date for the project.

The Board also voted to move forward on quad gates for segments of the Gold Line Eastside Extension. After Metro staff and Board members swore up and down that the line was safe when it opened last month, a car was hit by a light rail car over Thanksgiving weekend and two girls walked into cars claiming they were confused by the crossing signals.

After listening to a parade of speakers berate the Board for pushing the Gold Line Eastside Extension’s opening before all safety precautions could be taken, Mayor Villaraigosa chimed in wondering why a full Environmental Impact Review was necessary just to install barrier gates. It turns out the quad gates would cause several intersections to get a failing grade because of the traffic congestion that it would create.

However, Villaraigosa, Councilman Jose Huizar and Supervisor Gloria Molina devised a plan to work on a declaration of "no significant impact" for the gate installation that could take less time than an EIR. Just in case the environmental researchers reach the conclusion that there is a significant impact, Metro will be moving forward with an environmental review at the same time.

Noting that even a finding of "no significant impact" would still take a lot of time, Molina joked that they should just find a billionaire in the City of Industry to get the legislature to pass a law allowing Metro to do whatever they want. When Board Chair Ara Najarian asked her if she knew any, she joked that she heard the Mayor had some contacts.

Briefly, the Board also voted to approve the "hybrid" option for the Route 2 Terminus Project, support minority businesses in the Crenshaw Corridor and the Mayor’s vision to move and empowered the staff to reach an agreement with Caltrans to widen the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass.

Last week, LA Eastside decided to take a poke at Metro and posted a series of fake signs in "local lingo" to help keep Eastsiders safe from the Gold Line Extension trains.  One look at the above example, and you can probably guess that the signs at LA Eastside are a parody.  However, not everyone got the joke, as evidenced by commenters at LA Eastside and the lecture posted today at The Source.

After explaining the situation, and before showing what real Metro safety signs look like, Fred Camino delivers Metro's stance:

Here’s the thing, Metro actually does takes safety very seriously and safety signage is there to inform and educate people about the risks around train tracks. You’ll find safety signage everywhere on the system, from the street running Gold Line to the underground Red Line.

The bloggers over at L.A. Eastside would do right by their readers and community by informing them that the signs are indeed a hoax. No one at Metro thinks we’re above criticism — but we would like to be criticized for things we’ve actually done.

Personally, I can see Metro's point if they're getting complaints about these fake signs.  But LA Eastside's point, that Metro didn't take every precaution for the communities through which the train now runs, is certainly fair game.

Yesterday, C.I.C.L.E. announced that they are ready to take the next steps in advocacy when they announced their "North East L.A. Campaign."  Generally, C.I.C.L.E. has focused their advocacy efforts on helping people get, and stay, on their bikes by providing classes, workshops and social rides.  However, the group hasn't spent a lot of energy on traditional advocacy concerning engineering and enforcement issues.

At least in N.E.L.A., that is going to change.  While C.I.C.L.E. hasn't announced the goals or platform for the campaign, that is going to wait until after meetings with members and other cyclists in the community, the potential campaigns the Ciclists list are all engineering treatments.  Many of those treatments would be "first ever" for the City of Los Angeles if they were to come to pass:

- Bike Boulevard: implement a bicycle boulevard in NELA.

- Bike Parking: implement innovative bike parking in NELA, possibly bike corrals (proposed in this council motion.)

- Colorado: implement bike lanes on Colorado (east of Figueroa approved in 1996 bike plan,  interest in additional stretches from TERA  and others)

- Eagle Rock: extend the Eagle Rock Blvd bike lanes (in the draft 2009 bike plan)

- Figueroa: implement bike lanes on Figueroa (north of Ave 60 approved in 1996 bike plan)

- Fletcher: implement bike lanes on Fletcher Drive (approved in 1996 bike plan)

- Sharrows: implement sharrows in NELA, in appropriate places, possibly including the Eagle Rock Blvd bike lane gaps for right turns at York and Avenue 36.

- York: implement bike lanes on York Boulevard (approved in the 1996 bike plan)

If you have any ideas for C.I.C.L.E., feel free to leave them in the comments section.  However, if you want to commit to helping with the project, you should leave a note for C.I.C.L.E. at their blog.

During our ride on Friday, Steven Frien wondered a couple of times why there wasn't talk of having a bicycle lane on 1st Street running parallel to the Gold Line on First Street .  Later in the day, during The Source's review of our review of the Gold Line, Steve Hymon upped the score by asking why there wasn't better bike planning along the entire route.  After all, we know how much bike parking there is at every station, wouldn't it be nice to have a bike network to keep those racks full?

A look at the Draft Bike Plan shows a lot of opportunities for the area around the lane.  Those yellow dotted lines are "potential bike lanes," the purple one is a "proposed bike route," and the blue dotted lines are for "potential bicycle friendly routes."  However, dotted lines on a map are just dotted lines on a map.  LADOT confirms there are no timelines for any of these street improvements in East, L.A.  Now, we can rely on LADOT to work with Metro to do the right thing, or we can put some pressure on the agencies ourselves.

The first thing we can do is to use the public comment function at the Official or Unofficial Bike Plan websites to let the city know that East L.A. deserves a transportation system that is truly multi-modal and that the plan should move from paper to pavement quickly surrounding the extension.  However, just sending comments to city staff isn't going to get the job done.

Fortunately, the Gold Line has two representatives on the Metro Board of Directors, Councilman Jose Huizar and Supervisor Gloria Molina.  A little pressure on their offices will lead to a little pressure on Metro to get more involved in providing funding for a bike network for the Eastside Extension.  You can find contact information for Huizar and Molina at their official websites.

Of course, L.A. County has its own Bike Plan and public process.  We'll be back with a look at that plan and what the next steps for the Eastside Extension should be.

The reviews are in on yesterday's opening of the Gold Line: the day was a rousing success.  Press accounts were universally positive.  Sometimes they focused on what a glorious and succesful day yesterday was by itself.  Other times they took a more universal view.  I wasn't at the opening, I'll make a point to ride the line during business hours sometime in the next two weeks, but I know you were so feel free to fill the comments section with your stories and opinions from yesterday's Golden party.

If you were like me and skipped the party, here's a sampling of the press coverage from yesterday.

• After Decades of Waiting, Their Train Has Arrived (Times)
• Video of Different Sites from Yesterday (The Source)
• Photoes of Different Sites from Yesterday (The Source)
  
• A Golden Reality (LA Opinion) 
• Why Are People Still Talking Subways (Human Transit)
  
• Workday Commuters Piling on Gold Line (LA Now)
  
• Times Editorial Takes a Shot at Molina Before Going Into Celebration Mode