Voters said yes to Measure HLA, which will require Los Angeles to implement certain street improvements at a faster pace.
L.A.'s Mobility Plan outlines where the city should add street safety features — like bus lanes, bike lanes and crosswalks — with a goal to make these improvements by 2035.
Measure HLA requires the city to implement a modification outlined in this plan whenever it makes an improvement of at least one-eighth of a mile in length to a stretch of road or sidewalk. The city will also have to create a public data portal with information on its progress, and residents could sue the city for non-compliance.
The measure was billed by proponents as a way to make L.A.’s streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists and help reduce traffic fatalities, which last year outpaced homicides in the city. Opponents have said it will cause traffic issues.
A note on the results
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The California Secretary of State's Office certified the final vote tallies on April 12, marking an official end to the March 5, 2024 Primary Election.
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Voter Game Plan will be back in the fall to help you prepare for the Nov. 5 General Election.
How we got here
Both the city and county have action plans for what is known as Vision Zero, with the goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities by 2025.
But the L.A. area is far from reaching that goal: In a recent report the LAPD cited a “new and disturbing trend” saying for the first time in a decade, L.A. saw more deaths due to traffic crashes than homicides. There was also a 13% jump in fatalities involving pedestrians struck by a vehicle over 2022.
As traffic deaths have continued, critics have been pushing the city for greater accountability.
Follow the money
Measure HLA’s main proponent, the advocacy group Streets for All, argued that the measure is necessary to ensure the city implements the changes outlined in the Mobility Plan in a timely manner, and that the city be held accountable for implementing the plan.
Opponents, which include the advocacy group Keep LA Moving and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (the city firefighters’ union), argued that Measure HLA would worsen traffic congestion and slow down emergency responders.
