Streetsblog Los Angeles

Yucca Street, L.A.'s first "Bicycle Friendly Street."

“Bicycle Friendly Street.”

Yucca and Wilcox, facing north. For more images fro Yucca Street, visit LA Streetsblog/Flickr

The term first appeared in the City of Los Angeles’ Draft Bike Plan in 2009. Despite its nice sounding name, advocates groaned. Instead of the universally approved “Bicycle Boulevard,” LADOT, City Planning and their consultants had coined their own phrase. At the time, it was widely assumed that whenever the City tried to innovate, disappointment would soon follow.

Today in Hollywood, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, the LADOT has christened their first “Bicycle Friendly Street”. On Friday, I had a chance to ride on all .8 miles of the “Bicycle Friendly” Yucca Street. Back and forth, back and forth. I rode the length between Vine and Highlands four times, following the Sharrows.

I admit it. I liked it. And I wasn’t alone.

“Designing the Yucca project was a collaborative process with the city and local residents and it’s been a win-win for the community, explains Council Member Eric Garcetti. “It reduces cut-through traffic and creates a safer environment for bicyclists as well as pedestrians.

To earn the “Bicycle Friendly” designation, a street needs to undergo three treatments that make the street a friendlier place for cyclists to ride. The side effects of the new design and infrastructure are lower car speeds, fewer cars and a more pedestrian friendly environment. On Yucca, Sharrows direct cyclists across the .8 mile stretch with ease. Learning from past mistakes, the Sharrows direct cyclists away from turning lanes when necessary. Following a change in state guidelines, some of the Sharrows are even in travel lanes where there are no parked cars with the point four feet from the curb.

Stay out of the turn lane! This Sharrow approaching Cahuenga Boulevard directs cyclists into the through travel lane.

The Yucca Street bike signs have earned LADOT some positive press in social media after they were unveiled on the LADOT Bike Blog. Instead of the traditional “bike route” signs that even some members of LADOT Bikeways admitted were close to useless, these signs place the bicycle image next to the street name. It sends a clearer message that these streets are safe ones for bicycles more than the uniquitous and vague “Bike Route” signs that can be found nearly everywhere.

But the really exciting part is the third treatment.

The really exciting part. Cherokee and Yucca, facing west.

Last year we wrote about an effort by Council Members Garcetti and Tom LaBonge to restrict car access to Yucca Street. The residential portions of the street were being used every day by commuters tired of the congestion on Hollywood Boulevard. To that end, pedestrian islands and signs forbid left turns and through traffic onto Yucca making it nigh impossible for use as a cut through. As a result, cars accessing the streets are almost uniformly cars making local trips.

“The bollards were originally put in to mitigate some negative impacts in the neighborhood,” adds LaBonge. “This new route has turned a negative into a positive. This is another great addition to our bike infrastructure, though we have more work to do.”

I didn’t have my notebook or voice recorder with me, but I did stop to talk to some residents of the apartment buildings to ask about the changes to their street. To a person, they said there was less traffic at rush hour and the street was a better place to walk. The two cyclists I chatted with agreed, Yucca is one of L.A.’s best .8 miles of bikeways.

Of course, some communities have proven resistent to changes that make their streets more livable. While advocates point to the beautiful Vista Street Bike Boulevard in Long Beach, Yucca provides a case study closer to home. There’s three major differences between Yucca and Vista.

First, Vista Street is entirely residential in its Boulevard while Yucca stretches east through some shopping areas. Second, while Vista uses traffic circles to slow cars, Yucca outright stops certain turns and through traffic, making a cut-through not difficult and slow, but impossible. Last, Vista Street is a mostly upper-class area of Long Beach where most people are homeowners. Despite the Lowes mixed-use development at its easter end and its proximation to Hollywood, Yucca is mostly middle-income rental properties.

All in all, Yucca provides a great first start to the Bicycle Friendly Street Program. In some ways, this “Friendly” street is even superior to Long Beach’s boulevards. It will be interesting to see going forward if Yucca is an outlier of the program, or an example of what can and will be done.

One step closer to reality. Rendering from the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park

Friends of the Hollywood Central Park (FHCP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a 44-acre street-level park over the Hollywood Freeway in a densely populated and park-poor area of the city, accepted a $1.2 million gift today from the Aileen Getty Foundation. The donation, combined $825,000  from the city fully funds the park’s environmental study, a study needed before fundraising can truly begin for design and construction.

Hollywood is changing.

People traveling along La Brea Avenue have probably noticed there’s a lot of construction happening. Considering that the area has been stagnant for a while, new construction is immediately noticed by anyone familiar with the corridor. And it’s no wonder; many abandoned buildings, parking lots, and blighted areas have been neglected for years.

But now, revitalization is finally upon us. La Brea is gradually transforming from a dull car corridor to a pedestrian-friendly street.

In addition to the “Wilshire / La Brea” project (also under construction) in the mid-Wilshire district, the largest developments are happening in the Hollywood / West Hollywood area, within a 5-block radius, or exactly 0.5-mile span. Thanks to the developers, as well as City of West Hollywood and City of L.A., the projects are moving ahead full-speed. Please see renderings with information below to learn what awaits La Brea within the next two years!

Project #1. La Brea and Fountain

FORMERLY: Jons supermarket with a large parking lot.

FUTURE: Mixed-use project, with luxury apartments, underground parking, ground-floor retail, and pedestrian space.

Note: While many of us were saddened to part with Jons Marketplace, the area was uninviting for most transportation uses. Utilitarian parking, no landscaping, and a nondescript supermarket served few users who are without cars. The new project will make the intersection a welcoming site, with plenty of outdoor activities, and will bring the community closer together. According to the developer and City of West Hollywood, this project will be the largest mixed-use development in West Hollywood’s history. Read more…

Secretary LaHood and Congressman Schiff (seated) talk about the proposed Cap Park for the Hollywood Freeway. Photo: Office of Representative Dan Schiff

Advocates for more open space for the park-starved community of Hollywood had a moment to shine yesterday.  Congressman Adam Schiff, members of the Hollywood Central Park Committee and other neighborhood advocates had a meeting with USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss their proposal to place a 44-acre street level park “on top” of the 101 Hollywood Freeway.

One unintended consequence of Los Angeles’ spaghetti-bowl of freeways is that many communities end up either divided from other communities or from themselves by giant asphalt walls.  The concept of reconnecting communities by “capping” a freeway with a park is not a new one.  The Freeway Park in Seattle is one popular example, but a cap park also exists locally in La Canada.

The proposed project would cap the 101 Freeway between Hollywood and Santa Monica Boulevards, and create a 44-acre street level park over the capped Freeway.  There’s no details for the plan yet, but advocates and the Congressman talk excitedly about baseball and soccer fields, an amphitheatre, and just a place for Hollywood residents and visitors to be outside away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood’s congested streets.

“It’s my hope that the Hollywood Central Park will one day have the iconic status of Griffith Park, and become a place for local residents to enjoy as well as a destination for visitors from all over the country,” said Schiff after the meeting.

Hollywood is one of the most park poor parts of California with just .005 acres of open space for each resident  For comparison’s sake throughout the City of Los Angeles there is  0.12 acres of open space per resident, which is still less than half the .30 acres per resident for San Diego.

As for the results of the meeting, Schiff gives a big thumbs up.   Read more…

Turning This...

Its no secret that outside of Griffith Park, Los Angeles is a city starving for open space.  There is nowhere this is more true than Hollywood, where even a weekly farmer’s market is under attack because it blocks access to a parking lot.  Thus, while Hollywood waits for projects such as the Hollywood Freeway Central Park, it’s important to try and create pockets of places where people can be outside in a safe and welcoming environment.

To that end, yesterday the embattled Community Redevelopment Agency, City Council President Eric Garcetti and Hollywood-area business leaders gathered to break ground on the “Cahuenga Alley” project which will turn the currently hideous alley into a clean, protected, pedestrian walkway.  The first-of-its-kind project is a sort of public-private partnership where the city will create the pedestrian plaza and local businesses will will install landscaping and decorative lighting, set up outdoor dining and patio space.  Maintenance and security will be maintained by the businesses.

...Into this. Image one: Office of Eric Garcetti. Image two: CRA

“Today we begin the Cahuenga alley’s transformation into a thriving pedestrian environment where locals and tourists alike can come to relax and enjoy our beautiful weather.  It’s going to be great for business and great for Hollywood,” said Council President Garcetti through a press release.

This project is reminiscent of outdoor mall projects such as The Grove or The Promenade in Santa Monica, but the here the alley itself will remain a publicly owned street.  Businesses will create the atmosphere, but the street will be open for public use and as a thoroughfare regardless of people’s dinner plans. Read more…

The Hollywood Farmer's Market last February. Photo:Alex de Cordoba/Flickr

The uncertain future of the Hollywood Farmers Market has inspired much energy and advocacy that food and street advocates in Los Angeles can be proud of. Market operator See-LA rallied allies and supporters. Farmers’ market patrons flooded City Councilperson Eric Garcetti with messages of support for the market. Garcetti in turn helped extend the permit and is trying to negotiate a solution that preserves most of the markets’ existing footprint and access. But the controversy also raises a question that in turn suggests a way to save the market and others like it.

Who owns the streets?

Or, in this situation, why in the @#*^ can a single adjacent business veto the continuation of a farmers market that is one of the cornerstones of social life, healthy food access, and community supported agriculture in Los Angeles?

To be even more specific, why is the Board of Public Works giving residents and business owners adjacent to proposed farmers markets, street fairs and other special events a quasi-property right in the streets that lets them veto temporary closures of public streets? Read more…

If Downtowners want to see a Regional Connector Station at 5th and Flower, they're going to have to find the money themselves. Photo:Clovis Bouhier/PBase

Here’s a quick rundown of the major votes by today’s Metro Board. Each of these five motions were discussed at Streetsblog over the last couple of weeks, and links to those stories can be found at the end of each summary.  Streetsblog will have links to all news reports on today’s meeting tomorrow.

Westside Subway Locally Preferred Alternative/Environmental Studies
As expected, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the Westside Subway “Locally Preferred Alternative” as the 9 1/2-mile route to the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Brentwood from the current end of the Purple Line at Wilshire/Western in Koreatown.  Despite over an hour of public comment from the Beverly Hills’ NUMBY’s, there was no decision made on whether the subway should have a stop on Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City or Constellation Avenue.

Yaroslavsky’s motion, which seemed to place the concerns of Beverly Hills regarding the Constellation Avenue/Santa Monica Boulevard debate ahead of those of other communities, was amended by the author to urge the staff to provide a detailed account of the impacts of both alternatives through the Westside.  This would have happened regardless under the Final Environmental Impact Statement that the Board approved funding for today.  For background on this motion, read yesterday’s Streetsblog story or an update on today’s vote from LA_Now.

Regional Connector Locally Preferred Alternative/Environmental Studies
The Metro Board also approved the “Locally Preferred Alternative” and funding for the environmental studies needed for the Regional Connector.  The debate was dominated by Little Tokyo business groups concerned that “cut and cover” subway construction would disrupt the community and cost them business. Downtown interests and LA City Councilwoman Jan Perry also expressed concerns about the exclusion of the 5th and Flower stop from the LPA.  The Board narrowly voted to exclude the 5th and Flower for now, but left the door open to include it in the environmental studies, if local businesses raise the roughly $2 million needed for that part of the study.  For more background, read this story at Streetsblog or an update on today’s vote from Blog Downtown.

“BikeWood” Hub at Hollywood and Vine Read more…

A 3D Rendering of a Future Bike Room in the Hollywood and Vine Development

When Legacy Partners’ Metro-Certified “Transit-Oriented Development” opened on Hollywood and Vine earlier this year, advocates weren’t able to contain their disappointment with several aspects of the project.  Among the complaints was that the development was too focused on providing space for cars and not access for cyclists and pedestrians.  However, that disappointment has led to opportunity.  As the months passed, activists were frustrated as developers, elected officials and even staff at the Metro Bicycle Roundtable Meetings were explaining why the Bike Room wouldn’t happen, not how to make it happen.

But things change and now The Hollywood Bike Hub appears to be on its way, and Metro is poised to make better bike facilities a part of its Transit Oriented Development standards.  Activists and Metro Board Members are lauding each other for making the Hollywood Bike Hub happen and Metro staff is talking about what they can do to make the Hollywood Bike Hub a major part of the Hollywood Community.

Not willing to take “no” for an answer, a coalition of bicycle, transit and community activists kept working and lobbying on behalf of a true Bike Hub at Hollywood and Vine.  Now their work has paid off, and a proposal to create such a space is on its way to the Metro Board of Directors.  At a meeting of the Metro Planning and Programming Sub Committee, Board Member Richard Katz added language to the proposal that would require the Metro staff to create formal T.O.D. standards which could have gigantic ramifications around the county as Transit Oriented Development is viewed as the key for Los Angeles real estate to rebound and for the county to grow.

The Hollywood Bike Hub proposed for Hollywood and Vine would offer secure parking, maintenance facilities similar to what exists at the co-ops, showers for commuters, information for tourists and new Metro users and perhaps even a bike-share and rental program.  Perhaps best of all,  Legacy Partners has given space to the HUB for a street-level, high visibility storefront property.  There won’t be a rental fee for Metro to maintain and staff the facilities. Read more…

At the Huffington Post, Joel Epstein, who has done a heck of a job pushing 30/10, wrote a piece pondering the absolute lack of Hollywood star power in promoting transit as opposed to promoting things like electric-powered cars. Of course, that Hollywood movies present heroes driving muscle cars, saving the universe with cars that turn into robots, and motorcycles as the key to freedom doesn't help.  And when a comet is about to crash into the earth, who is going to save us?  Oil drillers.  Jeesh.

Now if I'm going to assign weekend homework, I would prefer to tell you to find a Hollywood Star who wants to lend their name (and wallet) to promoting transportation options; but I thought I would go easy on you since L.A. Streetsblog is in transition mode itself.  But if you are a Hollywood Star and are interested in being the spokesperson for transit, drop me an email at damien@streetsblog.org.

So your homework is to outline the plot and cast your L.A. Transit Movie.  Leave your work in the comments section.  I'll post mine a little later this weekend, and the best movie will get a "Best of Streetfilms" DVD.