Month: November 2010

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

*The basics of riding transit, biking, and other alternative transportation*

After two nearly sold out screenings this summer, Riding Bikes with the Dutch is back at the Art Theatre in Long Beach! By doing a home exchange with another family in Amsterdam, Michael his wife and young son are able to document the bicycle-centered lifestyle of the Dutch through the eyes of residents actually living in the city. When Bauch returns home to Long Beach with his family he begins to see the amazing transformation of his own city - has the biking lifestyle followed them home? Is Long Beach the next Amsterdam? Come along for the ride!

Angeles Plaza at 255 S. Hill St., near Pershing Square Room 422 Red Line Station. Los Angeles, CA

AIA/Los Angeles Urban Design Committee Wednesday, NOVEMBER 10, 7PM Green Streets/ Great Streets- one in a series Green Streets + Complete Streets = Living Streets Location: AIA/LA Offices Wiltern Building 3780 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 800 Space is limited!! RSVP to will@aialosangeles.org There is a great deal of discussion regarding Green Streets, and Complete Streets. As part of our Green Streets/Great Streets series, we have gathered some of the local experts on designing and implementing livable streets so we can focus on some basic concepts and implementation tools for making great streets. The issues of Green Streets and Complete streets are often looked at as separate issues, however they cannot be separated. As our panelists have already passionately stated, it’s imperative that we look at the broad concept of Livable or Living Streets and what we should do to advocate and implement them in our cities. Please join us for a lively discussion. Panelists: Emily Gabel-Luddy, AICP, (retired) Chief Urban Designer. Urban Design Studio, City of LA Planning Department Deborah Murphy, Principal Deborah Murphy Urban Design + Planning Patricia L. Smith, Principal, Landscape Architect, Urban Designer Calvin Abe, Principal, Ahbe Landscape Architects Ken Husting, Acting Principal Transportation Engineer, Bureau of Capital Programming, LADOT

Bring your lunch!

In a marathon meeting yesterday, the City Planning Commission sided with an unusually cohesive pack of Los Angeles bike advocates and decided not to approve the city's draft bike plan. The commission voted to continue (delay) the bike plan decision until their December 16th meeting, directing staff to work with commissioners to continue to improve the plan.

Last week, Streetsblog warned that car drivers who use Verdugo Avenue were organizing a petition to fight the Avenue's Road Diet.  However, when the City Council gathered to decide whether or not to continue the diet, the opposition to the traffic calmed street was in the minority in the room and on the dais.  Instead of a packed room of car drivers presenting their petition, it was dozen of community and bicycle activists presenting 450 signatures in support of the diet that ruled the evening Tuesday night.

The Segundo-based Fresh & Easy grocery store chain has earned high marks from environmental advocates for their LEED certified green building designs and hybrid-diesel trucking fleet.  However, the issue of where they place their parking lots and the impact that placement has on urban walkability may trip the green giant's plan to open a store on Crenshaw Avenue.