Month: August 2012

After a delay that had left many Expo Line Bicycle Advisory Committee members uncomfortable, given the pace that major elements of bridge construction are, the committee final met again this Tuesday with Expo project representatives. Damien covered some of the concerns going into this meeting in a post last week. Given the significance of this project and the narrowing scope of possibilities with every passing week and month as railway design and construction lock in constraints, it’s important to keep the dialogue going about the Expo bikeway.

Yesterday, Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa formally announced that the city's "50 Parks Initiative" is underway. The city's Recreation and Parks Department is acquiring land for fifty new parks, predominantly in park-poor population-dense neighborhoods.

The Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) is a joint powers consisting of various rail operating agencies and stakeholders who (as stated in their outreach material) seek to increase ridership, revenue, capacity, reliability, and safety on the coastal rail corridor from San Diego to Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner along with the Coaster and Metrolink.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney unveiled his energy plan today [PDF]. The idea is to break our addiction to foreign oil -- by increasing our addiction to domestic oil. If by "domestic" we mean Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

What's the difference between a sleepy, sprawling place and a vibrant, compact one? According to a fascinating theory from Patrick Kennedy at Network blog Walkable Dallas Fort Worth, the primary factor is the street pattern.

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Over the next week, you've got four opportunities to participate in promoting more livable streets in South L.A.

(Public meetings for the connector continue today at the Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St.; 1 to 3 p.m., Aug. 28, at the Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave.; and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 29, at the Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. First St. Project information is at metro.net/projects/connector.)

A state bill that would require drivers to give three feet of leeway when passing bicyclists in California is headed to the State Assembly for a vote this Friday.