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Kavish Harjai
What I cover
I use data analysis and investigative reporting techniques to cover public transportation, street infrastructure and the government agencies that are tasked with making it easier and safer to get around the greater L.A. area.
My background
I was born in New Orleans but mostly grew up in Binghamton, N.Y. I moved to New York City for college and worked as a video producer after I graduated. I made my way to California in 2021 for my master’s degree. Before joining LAist in 2025, I was a data reporter for the Associated Press. I was based out of the downtown L.A. bureau and collaborated with my colleagues across the country to report on trends in state policy.
My goals
Generally, my journalism will explore the varying and sometimes competing visions for the future of transportation in L.A., as well as the powerful interests that influence what policy choices are made. I will also regularly provide updates on major transportation projects and help empower our audience to participate in the local decision-making process.
How to contact me
I love to hear from readers and listeners who have feedback on stories or ideas for what I should cover. I especially love tips that help me do important accountability journalism that unearths stories hidden behind closed doors or deep within spreadsheets. Feel free to hit up my email at kharjai@scpr.org. If you prefer, you can find me on Signal, where my user name is @kharjai.61. You can also follow this link to reach me there. For instructions on getting started with Signal, see the app's support page.
Stories by Kavish Harjai
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Lack of political will and poor coordination hamper LA goal to eliminate traffic deaths, audit findsWhen Los Angeles established Vision Zero in 2015, the goal was to eliminate traffic deaths by this year. Instead, fatalities in L.A. grew faster than the national average.
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The lawsuit alleges the city didn’t include street enhancements on Vermont Avenue mandated by the voter-approved initiative.
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An online map that launched this week shows transit, pedestrian and bike projects throughout the city.
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Two thousand people in L.A. County are still waiting for the first tranche of money, $900, they’ve been expecting since November.
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City officials point to a fee that's stayed stagnant for almost 30 years for why estimated repair times are now creeping up to a year or more.
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New automated cameras on just two routes along Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue generated $1.6 million in fines for cars parked in bus lanes.
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A big debate in this project is whether Metro, a countywide transportation agency, is required to comply with Measure HLA, a city-level initiative, which requires more safety measures for pedestrians and bicyclists.
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The Metro Board of Directors is set to vote Thursday on the Vermont Transit Corridor — one of the most dangerous traffic areas in Los Angeles. Measure HLA advocates say plans disregard voter mandate.
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The closure between Crescent Drive and El Camino Drive will last until April 7.
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This is the first time Californians have seen this level of transparency about Caltrans projects. Statewide, 13 projects completed between 2018 and 2023 resulted in more than 620 home and business needing to be relocated.
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The downtown protest begins at Pershing Square at 10 a.m. Saturday. More than 10,000 people have registered.
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The neighborhoods with the highest number of complaints were downtown L.A. and Boyle Heights, according to an LAist review.
