It’s Complete Streets Day!
Complete Streets Day has yet to catch on with the kids.
Assuming the City Council doesn’t miss perhaps the easiest public relations win since nearly all of them managed to avoid having their pictures taken with Toronto’s crack-smoking, bike hating, misogynistic, homophobic mayor earlier this week, today will be the first official Complete Streets Day in Los Angeles.
UPDATE: HERE IT IS!
The motion declaring Complete Streets Day, which is still awaiting Council approval was introduced by Councilmember Jose Huizar. And to make sure it passes, the Councilmember is bringing in some of the biggest lobbying guns he can: Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Los Angeles Walks, East L.A. Community Corporation, CicLAvia, neighborhood associations from throughout his district and not one, but two Streetsblog daddies with Streetsblog babies in tow. And there’s one reason we’re going to be there: the free cake to celebrate the progress the city is making on re-thinking the city’s streets as more than just places for cars.
But here’s the thing: on holidays I expect presents. On Christmas, I got a personalized Streetsblog phone case. On Valentine’s Day I got a new bike helmet (a week after my dooring…subtle!). On CicLAvia, I get CicLAvia. Heck, on Park(ing) Day I even got a present: a painted rock from an eight-year-old at Pacoima Beautiful’s space up in the San Fernando Valley.
So what do I get on Complete Streets Day? What should we get on Complete Streets Day? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Personally, I’m asking for a smooth path for L.A.’s first truly complete street plan, let’s have an announcement that the protests against MyFigueroa! are being dropped. That would make the merriest Complete Streets day ever.
(Of course this is a tongue-in-cheek article, but we don’t mean to sound as though we’re mocking Councilmember Huizar. His district is home to L.A.’s parklets, one of our two sorta-green buffered bike lanes, and the “dressed rehearsal” project on Broadway. If a lesser Councilmember were pushing the same p.r. event, it would take more than free cake to get me on the Expo Line with a baby.)
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
