Streetsblog

One of the three complaints I hear most often about L.A. Streetsblog's coverage is that we "don't cover High Speed Rail" enough. Truth be told, there's so many issues and projects happening locally that I haven't had time to really dive into the issue, look at all the complexities impacting California's project, and have anything really new to say outside of what is in the newspapers, radio, etc...

During the next three days, I'm on extensive baby duty and there's no guest articles in the hopper that I know of.  Since I don't like leaving readers who have grown accustomed to two longer stories everyday with less than their usual fare, each of the next three days I'm going to spotlight original reporting issues within our usual coverage sphere.

Back in February, we wrote about the battle to save hundreds of stone sculptures constructed by John Nielsen along the lower part of Ballona Creek in the Marina area. Yesterday, a reader asked what happened to the statues, so I wrote to Bobbi Gold of Ballona Creek Renaissance to see what happened. She writes:

(The following is a press advisory from the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority.  We usually don't reprint press releases, or even talk about this rail extension out to the SGV, but I wanted to pass on the news that construction work on the Foothill Extension is well underway.  And, I wanted to see what you thought of the bridge design. - DN)

Transit Coalition's monthly meeting has a heavyweight speaker...

These remarks were given last week by is Samuel Gresham Jr. at a Town Hall on Transportation Disparities Among Disadvantaged Communities in Columbus, Ohio. The event engaged state and national civil rights groups and elected officials in a discussion about how federal transportation investments can better advance social and economic equity in Ohio. These remarks were reprinted with permission of the author.

(The following article is by Ruben Cantu, the program director for the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network.  This month, they're holding a series of community convenings throughout California to discuss the public health impacts of our transportation decisions on our communities.  Los Angeles' convening will be at the California Endowment Building one week from today from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.  To register, click here. - DN)

Yesterday, we showed some of the possible designs for the Westwood/Exposition station of the Expo Line and called the decision "what's next for the Expo Construction Authority."  However, there's a lot more on the table than just the station design for one station.  Karen Leonard, one of the Chairs of Light Rail for Cheviot, checked in with Expo staff on the community outreach process for Phase II including an "Urban Design Committee" and "Bicycle Advisory Committee."  Her letter to community leaders can be found below. - DN

We just wanted all of you to be aware of the up coming community meetings regarding the Figueroa Corridor Living Streets project. you will be amazed at what our design team (Gehl architects from Denmark, Melendrez and Troller Meyer) is proposing for Figueroa street from 7th st to MLK, 11st st from Fig. to Broadway and MLK from Fig to Vermont.

Streetsblog Capitol Hill is pleased to publish this guest post from Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director for NRDC.