Cedillo Kills Approved North Figueroa Bike Lanes Citing “Safety” Reasons
As a candidate, Gil Cedillo pledged his support for the approved road diet bike lanes on North Figueroa Street. Once elected, Los Angeles City Councilmember Cedillo maintained that he was listening to community concerns, while he and his staff phone-banked and canvassed to rally opposition to the bike lanes.
Cedillo hosted two disgraceful community meetings on the North Figueroa Street bike lanes, both of which turned out greater numbers of bike lane supporters than opponents.
Yesterday, Cedillo made his flip-flop official.
Councilmember Cedillo wrote that he will be "deferring the implementation of any bike lanes on Figueroa until [he] can ensure all residents who travel along this corridor will be safe."
It is a topsy-turvy Orwellian statement justifying his opposition to safety improvement on the grounds of safety--a bit like a smoker saying that he won't quit smoking until everyone around him is healthy.
The full text of Cedillo's statement follows the jump.
July 10, 2014
Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for attending our community meetings on the proposed Bike Lane’s [sic] on Figueroa held on May 8th at Nightingale Middle School and on June 12th at Franklin High School. I too share this concern, and I am committed to ensuring the safety for all those who travel along this corridor – pedestrians, bikers, and drivers.
Last year I was humbled and honored to be elected to serve the communities of Council District One, and as such, it is my job to balance the diverse needs of the entire community. With that said, I will be deferring the implementation of any bike lanes on Figueroa until I can ensure all residents who travel along this corridor will be safe.
Mayor Eric Garcetti has included North Figueroa in his Great Streets initiative, which is part of a neighborhood revitalization strategy to increase public safety, enhance local culture, and build great communities. This is an opportunity to take a comprehensive and holistic approach to address all of the safety concerns raised during our community meetings.
Some of the improvements we will be looking at will include, but are not exclusive of:
•Reconfiguring existing traffic signals
•Installation of pedestrian/bicyclist-activated hybrid beacons at uncontrolled crossings Figueroa [sic]
•Curb ramps to provide access for folks using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, crutches, handcarts, bicycles, or who have other mobility restrictions
•Pedestrian lighting, with an emphasis on luminating pedestrian crosswalks
•Highly visible Continental Crosswalks at intersections
•Curb Extensions in order to shorten the distance that pedestrians have to cross on Figueroa
•Street Furniture, Bicycle Racks, Corrals, and Fix-it Stations
•Landscaping, Street Trees, & ParkletsThank you again for your time and I hope you will continue to partner with my office as we continue to promote safety on Figueroa.
Sincerely,
Gilbert A. Cedillo
Councilmember, First District
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