Reorienting a DOT Around Livable Streets

In July, Los Angeles City Council approved Mayor Eric Garcetti’s pick for General Manager of the LADOT: Seleta Reynolds. Moving south from her current position at San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Authority, Reynolds is preparing to prioritize biking and walking in a metropolis historically resistant to such efforts:

"Social interactions that strengthen neighborhoods and even can strengthen the resiliency of a community to recover after a disaster are improved if you offer people the opportunity to walk or bike to get around. Making those modes a real option for trips that are less than a mile for walking or one-to-three miles for biking is important for a huge variety of reasons."

With the new GM assuming her role this month, The Planning Report introduces Reynolds to readers—from her background working toward livable streets in San Francisco to her stint at Fehr & Peers. Acknowledging the large-scale challenges facing LADOT, she expresses eagerness to take on the job just as Los Angeles embarks on its Great Streets initiative. She notes, "This felt like a place and a time that really aligned with the kinds of projects that interest me the most."