This is for those of you who didn’t catch Pigeon Master Josef’s Tweets about it last week, but the City of Los Angeles, formerly notorious for giving the wishes of LA’s residents the brush-off when it comes to transportation policies, is lowering the drawbridge and asking new ideas to come marching right in to the halls of power!
Through a new program called LA/2B City Planning, LADOT, and the Mayor’s office are asking you to comment on the state of transportation in the city, and to submit your own ideas for making it better.
Okay, temper your cynicism now, that little voice that snarls,”They won’t listen to us anyhow, it’s just a way to let us blow off steam.” Because if nothing else, this program will forever crush the excuse that “no one ever said” we didn’t want a freeway in every back yard and a pothole in front of every driveway. Your requests will all be on record now…that is, if you actually submit them.
You’ll recall that when Planning asked the public to submit agenda items for the last BPIT meeting, I publicized it on Twitter and two blogs heavily read by LA bike advocates…and only two people submitted anything. I posted it again, with a bit of sarcastic indignation at the low response–and all of two more folks submitted agenda items.
It worked out for me, as almost the entire agenda comprised my suggestions, but that isn’t so good for the overall community.
So get with it, folks! The city is asking you what you like, what you don’t like, and what you want to see in the future.
And they have been listening. Look at just some of what’s happened in the last few months:
- The 7th Street Road Diet
- The Spring Street road diet, with a buffered bike lane!
- The First Street bike lanes
- Expo bike lanes
- Bike lanes in the Valley and South LA
- Bike paths in the North Valley and Elysian Valley
- Sharrows all over town
Furthermore, I was just called to meet with an LADOT employee and give him a tour of where I think the new Elysian Valley segment of the LA River bike path needs wayfinding signs (another new program just starting up). That meeting took place yesterday–on our bikes, by the way.
Why’d they ask me? Because I’ve been flapping my lips about wayfinding, and about that particular stretch of bikekway, for months.
Now they’re asking you to flap your (virtual) lips too. Here’s you chance to influence city policy for the better. You don’t have to take them up on it. But if you don’t even try, then do us all the favor of not complaining about it in the future.
Sign up and start flapping at LA/2B.
And if you’d like to spread the word locally, download the printable PDFs here:
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