By many estimates, a city known for its pedestrian unfriendliness is developing pockets of local walkability. Minor disputes over pedestrian rights may add up to something bigger.
In a CityLab article, Laura Bliss writes about the "growing pains" Los Angeles may feel as its auto-friendly institutions learn to accommodate walkers. From the article: "with the city's continued expansion of rail service, development around new transit stations, and blossoming 'suburban downtowns' like Long Beach and Pasadena, Los Angeles is projected to rank 11th among 30 U.S. metros in walkability in the near future."
This ongoing transitions has sparked local disputes. They include:
- In a repopulating downtown, pedestrians have received jaywalking tickets for crossing after the red hand begins to flash.
- During this month's Big Parade, urban hikers exchanged heated words with a man who fenced off a public staircase out of concerns about crime.
FULL STORY: What 2 Battles Over Pedestrian Rights Say About L.A.'s Walkability
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research