No Streetsie Left Behind: Even More Awards for 2009

(I have no idea how I missed these, nevertheless…)

Best Community Plan

Panel’s Pick: East Hollywood Declares Itself Ped. Friendly District
My Pick: Pasadena Considers Removing Traffic Lane for Bike/Ped

What do all of these plans have in common?  They all reduce car dependency to increase capacity for other users.  I’m in love with the idea of increasing space for cyclists and pedestrians around the Rose Bowl because of the magical “Car-Free Rose Bowl” event in 2008.

Honorable Mention: Arroyo-Seco Plan, New Bike/Ped. Friendly Design for Downtown, The D.I.Y. Sharrows Plan in N.E.L.A.

Best One-Day Event

Panel’s Pick: Park(ing) Day
My Pick: Eco-Village Street Closure, Street Party, Street Painting

I know what you’re thinking.  How in the world could I pick an unauthorized street closure sponsored by a small group of people over an event that featured hundreds of people setting up pocket parks around the city, two different group rides to all the spaces, and even an after party watching films outdoors?

I ended up going with the Eco-Village event for a couple of reasons.  First, it was an event that was unique to 2009 and unique to Los Angeles.  Second, it involved a lot of people from the surrounding community in an event that was both educational and fun.

Honorable Mention: Bike Summit, Transit People Transit Race, and River Ride

Best L.A. Streetfilm

Panel’s Pick: Art Cycle
My Pick: Art Cycle

ArtCycle was one of the best rides I’ve ever been on, as tour guide Elson Trinidad lead a group of cyclists through the streets of East Hollywood.  Advocacy was mixed with education, and Streetfilms’ top camera, Clarence Eckerson, grabbed it all.  Afterward, at the block party, Eric Garcetti fired up the troops and then there was dancing.

Honorable Mention: Clean Living at the Eco-Village, L.A. Watches Traffic Through ATSAC, Orange Line Combines BRT with Bike Path

New Group of the Year:

Panel’s Pick: LACBC’s City of Lights
My Pick: LACBC’s City of Lights

The City of Lights program is all about bike safety education and creating new advocates with a community that has a lot of bike riders, but not a lot of political clout of visibility with decision-makers, Los Angeles’ immigrant community.  Since arriving in Los Angeles, I’ve complaiend that the city does a poor job recognizing how many people travel without using personal automobile, but City of Lights is an attempt to really do something about it.

Honorable Mention: I Will Ride, The Source, CicLAvia, Greensters

Best Guest Story of the Year

Panel’s Pick: Freedom to Be Inclusive
My Pick: A Woman’s Comfort on Our Streets

When I first went through the guest stories and picked the nominees, I thought for sure I would be picking between Browne’s Freedom to Be Inclusive and Enci’s A Woman’s Comfort on Our Streets.  Both deal with issues essential (yet under discussed) to the Livable Streets agenda, both are extremely well-written, and both brought an impassioned response from the community.  The panel made my choice easy for me…they picked one, so I picked the other.  If you haven’t read either you should take a second to do so.

Honorable Mention:Bike Plan Enters “Civic Enragement” Stage, Bike Plan Justifies DIY Project on Fletcher Bridge, Long Beach’s Leap Towards Livability, Good News for L.A., More Congestion and Higher Parking Fees