One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Opponents Of Controversial 'Road Diets' Start Campaign To Recall Councilman Mike Bonin
Mike Bonin (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Critics of Councilman Mike Bonin's "road diets" (removing traffic lanes in an effort to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities) have officially launched a campaign to remove Bonin from office. These infrastructure changes stem from Vision Zero and Mobility Plan 2035, two city plans meant to eliminate traffic deaths.
Bonin implemented the plans in his district by removing traffic lanes, adding a buffer between the sidewalk and street, and moving parking to the beach side of the street so pedestrians don't have to walk across traffic. The "road diet" has affected Vista del Mar, Pershing Drive, and Culver, Jefferson, and Venice boulevards. The Vista del Mar project in particular has prompted intense public outcry because the beach-adjacent road is a popular north-south thoroughfare connecting the Beach Cities to the West Side. Slimming the road led to an increase in traffic times and subsequent usage of residential side streets. As a result, two separate groups filed lawsuits and Bonin eventually decided to reverse the Vista del Mar diet.
The L.A. Times points out recall efforts cannot begin within the first three months of a councilman's term, so Bonin's critics have held off on formally campaigning for a recall. They must wait until October to submit the official paperwork, according to the Daily Breeze.
The critics announced their recall efforts in a press conference outside Venice Grind Coffee Co. in Mar Vista. Sporting "Got Traffic?" t-shirts, the organizers criticized Bonin's plans and described him as a hypocrite, saying "Mike Bonin would like to make you think this is actually about safety." Demetrios Mavromichalis, the owner of Venice Grind and a former Bonin supporter, said "You betrayed me, you betrayed your whole community, you betrayed everybody that voted for you," according to the Breeze.
In response to the recall efforts, Councilman Bonin said in a statement how, a few months ago, he "won re-election with 71 percent of the vote, earning more votes than any council candidate in Los Angeles." He feels "confident the vast majority of my constituents approve of what we have done together to move Los Angeles forward."
To formally recall the councilman, critics must collect more than 26,000 signatures. The group plans to distribute a petition in November.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
