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Proposal: All City Transportation Improvements Should be Reviewed by the Public
Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
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Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
This is what happens when you lack transparency. Spurred from a bicycle lane that suddenly appeared on a Northridge street that exasperated the neighbors and commuters, Councilmember Greig Smith earlier this month called for all bicycle projects to be reviewed by Neighborhood Councils. But that wasn't enough for the community. "Since then, stakeholders from all sides have expressed an overwhelming desire to be informed of and have input on many other types of transportation improvements that affect their quality of life on a daily basis," Smith wrote in a new motion this week. Damien Newton at Streetsblog said some of the reaction was actually "pretty harsh."
Whatever the case may have been, Smith thankfully heard the concerns and followed through.
"Since transportation affects all of us daily, it is critical that DOT adopt a policy of engaging the public, and it is evident from the recent response that community stakeholders want their voices heard when these types of decisions are being made," continued Smith, who concluded by pushing for "full dialogue with stakeholders prior to the implementation of any new transportation improvements in the community."
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Co-author of the motion, Paul Krekorian said the motion “is a step toward creating an expanded community outreach process that gives a voice to neighborhood leaders throughout our city on transportation issues and in creating a future L.A. where bicycles and cars peacefully share the road."
Neighborhood Councils are official city of Los Angeles bodies made up of volunteer community members elected to represent their neighborhood.
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