No cycle paths? Transit defenders say Metro ignores mobility plans

When the residents of Los Angeles voted last year to implement the city’s almost decade mobility plan, the defenders of transport security qualified this victory for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists in Los Angeles. The sidewalks would improve, the congestion of traffic would slow down and the cycle paths and the bus routes would be improved and built.

But the scope of the HLA measure – the city level initiative to follow what the Los Angeles Municipal Council had adopted in 2015 – was at the center of a recent debate between defenders and the metro after the public transport agency has advanced on a project for the busiest bus route in the county without plans provided for the new bicycle routes.

The defenders of public transport argue that the exclusion of the Vermont Avenue project ignores the mandate of the voters to follow the mobility plan, which calls for improving cycle paths on this street; Metro and city officials replied that the measure applied only to the city of Los Angeles – not at the county’s public transport agency.

“We do not think it’s legal,” said Michael Schneider, who heads the streets for all, the defense group behind the measure of the ballot. “HLA is a measure of the city, and Metro is a county agency, but the Vermont belongs to the city of Los Angeles, and the city works with Metro. They allow it, they provide technical expertise, they spend staff and money. This fact under HLA, which requires a bicycle path on Vermont. ”

Last week, the agency’s board of directors voted to approve the plans of the Vermont Transit corridor – a project that will add dedicated bus routes and 26 stations to 13 locations along a section of 12.4 miles on Avenue Vermont between 120th Street and Sunset Boulevard. According to Metro, the route sees 38,000 daily buses, and this should increase to 66,000 by 2045.

The project should in particular improve access to public transport for disadvantaged communities and a high number of residents who identify as black, natives and people of color, according to Metro. The corridor includes a majority of low -income households, including residents without access to a car.

The project is included in the M measuring expenditure plan, which allocated $ 425 million for construction.

“Metro supports HLA’s goals and objectives, in particular we have worked – and will continue to work – with all local jurisdictions to provide better quality transits and safer streets for the whole County of Los Angeles,” the agency said in a statement. “However, HLA does not apply to metro projects.”

The vote of the board of directors did not include discussion and ignored the pleas of public commentators who asked Metro to reconsider his plans to include improved cycle paths.

The project has been studied for almost a decade. According to Metro, the addition of new cycle paths would delay the project up to five years, increase the cost and force the metro to acquire properties.

In a letter to Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins last month Schneider challenged Metro’s claims and said that the addition of cycle paths would not cause delays or would not affect properties if parking was not hierarchical on upgrades. He warned that the plan without cycle paths would further compromise security on the route for cyclists and pedestrians. The Vermont Avenue sees one of the greatest counts of death and wounds of the city’s pedestrians, according to Metro and Streets for all.

Metro maintained its position. In a letter sent to the president of the municipal council Marquece Harris-Dawson last month, a Metro lawyer said that the agency would have a legal action if the city was forced to comply with HLA measurement. The lawyer cited a letter that the city prosecutor sent streets for all in November which said that the agency did not need to comply with the measure, a point which was reiterated at a meeting of the City Transport Committee in February.

The lawyer also underlined an agreement between the city and the metro, which recognizes “the authority of self-government” of the agency.

“The agreement (the agreement) simply does not transform metro projects into city projects,” said the letter.

Schneider and others said that the agency’s plan rejects the needs of residents.

“We have an epidemic of death and traffic injuries,” said Eli Lipmen, Executive Director of the Public Transport Defense Group Move the “There is to do with the way people drive and reckless driving, but many things have to do with the lack of good infrastructure”.

Lipmen said that more people will be injured if Metro does not allow new cycle paths protected in his plans and hopes there is still time for the conversation.

“Vermont must occur and must occur as soon as possible. We cannot delay this project for another second,” said Lipmen.

The project should be completed by the 2028 Olympic Games.