Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Bicycling

Friday L.A. Round-Up: Traffic Deaths Spike, COVID-19 Slow Streets, and 7th Street Lanes

5:00 PM PDT on May 15, 2020

Bike Coalition Executive Director Eli Kaufman speaking at yesterdays LAPD, L.A. Walks, SAFE, LACBC press briefing. Photo via LACBC

LongBeachize_Ad_Concepts
This article supported by Los Angeles Bicycle Attorney as part of a general sponsorship package. All opinions in the article are that of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of LABA. Click on the ad for more information.

Three brief updates:

After COVID-19 Lull, Car Traffic Increasing and Traffic Fatalities Spiking

The LAPD, Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE), Los Angeles Walks and the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition hosted a press event yesterday to draw attention to a surge in traffic deaths since early April. The event took place at the intersection of Compton Boulevard and Imperial Highway in South L.A., where on May 1 a speeding driver crashed into two other cars killing three people. LAPD reports that there is a large increase in traffic fatalities in recent weeks. For 2019 to date, LAPD reported that L.A. has seen 86 traffic fatalities, including 50 pedestrians and three bicyclists.

See additional excellent coverage on this traffic fatalities story at the L.A. TimesLAist, and Daily News.

L.A. City Opening COVID-19 Slow Streets Today

On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that L.A. City will be implementing "Slow Streets." Many cities around the U.S. and the world have implemented quick-build pedestrian and bike safety improvements during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.

Two initial pilot slow streets programs are already open in West L.A. today.

Apply for a Slow Street in your neighborhood via this LADOT webpage.

Protected Bike Lanes Coming to 7th Street in Downtown L.A.

Preliminary striping is done for protected bike lanes on 7th Street in downtown L.A. See earlier SBLA coverage for details on the Seventh Street Forward project.

7th20May15
Preliminary protected bike lane striping on 7th Street in downtown L.A. Photo by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
Preliminary protected bike lane striping on 7th Street in downtown L.A. Photo by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
More preliminary striping on 7th Street in downtown L.A. today. Photo by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
More preliminary striping on 7th Street in downtown L.A. today. Photo by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.
More preliminary striping on 7th Street in downtown L.A. today. Photo by Joe Linton/Streetsblog L.A.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Rundown of New Federal Reconnecting Communities Grants for L.A. County

There are seven L.A. County Reconnecting Communities grants totaling $162 million - about 90% of that goes to Metro's Removing Barriers project, which includes new bus lanes, first/last mile walk/bike facilities, bike-share, and more.

March 19, 2024

Where L.A. City Will Add New Bus-Only Lanes

New bus lanes are coming to Broadway, Colorado Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd, Lincoln Blvd., Los Feliz Blvd., Santa Monica Blvd., Valley Blvd., Vermont Avenue, Westwood Blvd., Whittier Blvd. and many more city streets!

March 15, 2024
See all posts