Advocates and citizens in Boyle Heights, a historic and predominantly Latino neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles, are hoping for more than economic development from the city's Great Streets initiative.
"The 'Great Streets' initiative Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti launched last month is designed to boost the economy and local culture in the neighborhoods around 15 of the city's major boulevards. But residents and neighborhood advocates who live near one of those streets -- Cesar Chavez Avenue in Boyle Heights -- say an emphasis on promoting safe, healthy activity is just as important."
The article includes interviews with a wide-range of users who experience difficulties in safe access to the public right of way in Boyle Heights.
"Broken sidewalks are a persistent part of life in Los Angeles. But in Boyle Heights, where about a quarter of households have no car and therefore walk to school, stores, or bus stops, the need to fix them seems more acute. Many of Boyle Heights’ Latino residents also suffer from chronic diseases like diabetes, and a recent afternoon on Cesar Chavez Avenue illustrated how…the challenges that come with poor health are often made worse by deficient street infrastructure."
FULL STORY: Could 'Great Streets' lead to a healthier Boyle Heights?
Complete Streets Policies Still Seeking Equity
Though the quick expansion of complete streets policies is worth celebrating, minority and low-income communities are still being left behind, and killed at a disproportionate rate.
LADOT Releases 'Great Streets for Los Angeles' Strategic Plan, Sets Vision Zero Goal
Following a year when 80 pedestrians were killed by cars in the city, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has proposed a new strategic plan that sets Vision Zero goals for pedestrian fatalities and reflects new priorities for the city.
Great Streets Initiative is L.A. Mayor's First Executive Directive
In a keynote speech at the Urban Land Institute’s “Transit Oriented Los Angeles” conference, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the launch of a "Great Streets" program to coordinate work on, and investment in, "the City’s largest public space asset."
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants
The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research