Long Beach

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.

City Fabrick, the nonprofit urba-nerd group in Long Beach, has officially launched. And this, Long Beachers, is a good thing.

Last night, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to (once again) approved a motion to pursue a grant in order to further a study on the removal of the northern portion of the Terminal Island Freeway (I-103) that sits above Pacific Coast Highway in West Long Beach.

After a long and arduous battle that pitted neighborhood fears of wandering homeless folk against the acquirement of an Army-owned property that the city hoped to turn into a new police substation, it seems that the city plans for Schroeder Hall are moving forward as planned. Instead of building the federally-mandated homeless facility near Schroeder (and, for some, much too close to Stearns Park), the Mental Health America (MHA)-operated facility will be located at 1955 Long Beach Boulevard.

In what is undoubtedly one of the strangest campaigns yet, Councilmember Suja Lowenthal wants you to name the already-named Transit Mall Station per the MTA.

In what is undoubtedly a controversial decision--not to mention an utterly disheartening one as well for the multitude of community groups and leaders who opposed the project--the Harbor Board of Commissioners for the Port of Los Angeles voted unanimously to approve the building of the $500 million Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) rail yard. It will now go before the Los Angeles City Council for final approval.

Many feel the Broadway corridor--extending from Roswell all the way west to Cerritos--has continually lacked not just a cohesiveness that brings together other areas of Long Beach such as 4th Street and Pine, but also simple streetscape elements that increase accessibility, beautify the strip, and make it safer.