Pledge Drive Special Today! Support Streetsblog Los Angeles!

I want to make a personal appeal to Angelenos to support Streetsblog Los Angeles.

It's pledge drive time. If you haven’t stepped up already, please make a donation today. Contribute today and you'll be entered in our special sweepstakes - see details below.

I've been doing bicycle advocacy in Los Angeles for more than 15 years. In the mid-1990s it seemed like I personally knew most cyclists I encountered on L.A. streets, because there weren't too many of us. Today, there are many more cyclists: young and old, native and immigrant, fast and slow. Greater Los Angeles is seeing an unprecedented increase in bike facilities.

Bicycling, walking and transit are taken more seriously. These modes are up locally and statewide. There are frequent national stories about how, overall, driving mileage is declining.

But there's still a long way to go.

The overwhelming majority of transportation dollars still go to automobile facilities. Many governmental agency planners and engineers, broadcast media, many elected officials, and others, still see L.A. as a place where cars are the only way to get around. Halfway-ambitious street projects and plans still get bogged down. Crashes, many of them hit and run, are still killing and maiming dire numbers of Angelenos.

Streetsblog Los Angeles is the go-to source for news on these issues.

It's not just L.A. - there's an entire network. When you give to Streetsblog you’re helping to set the agenda for streets and transportation policy at the national level and in cities across the country. Federal officials pay close attention to Streetsblog's reporting. Capitol Hill staffers use our analysis to brief members of Congress. Metro boardmembers, city councilmembers, and advocates bring back to their cities best practices they first read about on Streetsblog. Small-scale struggles for better cities catch fire when they get national attention on this site.

I am happy that past reader support of Streetsblog Los Angeles enables me to work here and track and report on issues that you and I care about. Your support has helped us to expand coverage, into Long Beach, Santa Monica, and now statewide. If you appreciate the work that I and my colleagues do, please donate today. Keep Streetsblog strong, healthy, and independent.

Like many media outlets, Streetsblog is grappling with how to survive and thrive financially. We believe our readers value the impact of our reporting and will contribute to keep it going. If you agree, don’t assume other people will take care of it. Please make a secure, tax-deductible donation today. 

This week, bike apparel maker Velocio has generously put up a $200 gift certificate for their goods, to be awarded to one lucky donor who gives before midnight tonight -  Tuesday May 27th.

Thank you Velocio, and thank you to everyone who’s pitched in to the pledge drive. Keep it going this week and help us finish strong.