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April 21, 2008
At Least Wilshire Blvd. is Closing Tomorrow
Taken near Olvera St. and Union Station | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
If all goes well, Assemblyman Mike Feuer's bill, AB 2321, will let Metro and local officials "go to the ballot in November to ask voters to consider a half-penny sales tax hike. That would raise at least $720 million annually in a county with a long, long list of needs," according to LA Times' Road Sage Steve Hymon wrote today.
It would help fund various projects including the Subway to the Sea, which may run down Wilshire Blvd. And speaking of the famous clogged artery, tomorrow, the City is allowing it to be shut down all day long between Western and Harvard for a festival. It's Earth Day after all... or as the city declares it, tomorrow is Car Free Day.
For those who are using cars, gas prices continue to rise. On Friday, oil hit over $117, but today it dipped down to above $116. Recent reports from Detroit are saying that hybrid sales went up 38% in 2007. But some say it wasn't because of gas, but because of more choice in brands to buy from.
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So what are you supposed to do if you use public transportation (ie, the Metro Rapid) down Wilshire tomorrow?
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I have trouble seeing how shutting down Wilshire and increasing traffic on neighboring streets (and undoubtedly increasing engine idling time) is helping the Earth. I would think something like this would make people resent the festival (and it's point) instead of encouraging people to rethink their commute.
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They're closing 4 blocks of Wilshire.
Metro Lines 20, 720 and 920 will be rerouted to 8th street between Western and Vermont (see MTA press release).
Wouldn't it be cool if it was a mandatory federal holiday, they closed ALL of Wilshire, and had bicycles available free for use all up and down the Boulevard. Many people would realize just how fun/easy it is to commute on two wheels.
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I agree with Charmon.
The increased gridlock will have an enormously negative effect on the environment as cars idle, spewing emissions. The added angst in the air will alienate more people than the festival will convert.
Especially considering most people have been given no warning about this - the first I heard about it was in this post!
(thanks for the bad news, LAist!)
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yes but wilsihre has so many potholes everyone would fall and hurt themselves.