Long Beach

First there were fire hydrants and now there are trees and plants--simple yet beautiful trees and plants.

For readers and Long Beachers alike, they have known of my dream to bring a ciclovía to our city, my dream of shutting down a large stretch of street to make way for cyclists and skaters, walkers and runners.

In a show of solidarity for the city's choice to formally appeal the proposed Southern California International (SCIG) railyard, the Port of Long Beach (POLB) Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously voted to back the appeal despite holding a large amount of business benefits should the project move forward.

I have often spoke of the simple art of beautification. From simple streetscaping to large park overhauls, the actual complexity of the projects doesn't interfere with the fact that it's a simple idea that sparks it all: beautifying our neighborhoods.

(The 2002 River Link Report is available off our Scribd Account after the jump.)

This week, the Long Beach City Council--acting as the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency in Long Beach--voted unanimously 6-0 to implement a ballot process to possibly establish the Uptown Business Improvement District (UPBID).

In an attempt to not only clear traffic between the Port of Long Beach (POLB) and the Alameda Corridor rail line but also clear the air of pollutants, the Green Port Gateway--after years of discussion--is finally underway with a ten-month later-than-expected completion date.

After the controversial project's FEIR was unanimously approved by the Port of L.A.'s Board of Harbor Commissioners--and subsequently formally appealed by the city of Long Beach and multiple community groups--many within the Long Beach communities near the project felt dejected. For despite thousands of comments raising concerns about air quality, noise pollution, increased traffic, and a decrease in living standards, along with a host of evidence from opposing groups pointing out multiple holes in the EIR, it still sailed through with flying colors.

Long Beach Transit (LBT) is considering two common, albeit game-changing RFPs (depending on their decisions): to purchase new buses that fit within the so-called alternative fuel sectors--that is, hybrid, CNG, or electric.