Day: July 21, 2011

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was in Washington, D.C. today to support the dramatic increase in the TIFIA loan program to $1  billion that is proposed in both the House and Senate draft reauthorization bills and is the center plank of the America Fast Forward plan to accelerate transit construction.  By the time he flew out of town, he also through his hat in the ring to be the most popular man about town.  This is Villaraigosa's 7th trip to the Capital to lobby for and promote portions of the America Fast Forward program.

When Streetsblog first began publishing in Los Angeles, there would be Transportation Committee hearings where I was literally the only-person in the room that wasn't either city staff or a lobbyist.  The scene at City Hall couldn't be more different these days as advocates for cyclists rights and infrastructure are a common site in the halls (and steps) of City Hall.  Yesterday's victory for cyclists, the final passage of Councilman Bill Rosendahl's "Bicyclist Anti-Harassment Ordinance" would have been similarly unthinkable.

The summary of the House Transportation Committee’s reauthorization bill – no legislative text has been released yet – includes several provisions for “streamlining” project delivery. While on its face, a little streamlining could help reduce excessive delays and bring costs in line, environmentalists are concerned that underlying the “streamlining” provision is a desire to gut environmental review processes and stifle public input.

Goodmon: Double Talk on Crenshaw Line Could Endanger All 30/10 (City Watch) Bicycling Anti-Harassment Ordinance Flies Through Council (LAT) Rosendahl Adds Two More Videos from Harassed Cyclists (YouTube) Senate Staff: Our Bill Does Too Have Funds for Bike/Ped (DC Streetsblog) Benefits Bill for Non-Driving Commuters Becomes Partisan, Moves to Brown’s Desk (EcoVote) Disabled Parking Placards … Continued