Ryan Fonseca

Look past the headlines and you’ll find a new public space Angelenos are making their own. Here are some of their stories.

Residents of Angelino Heights say that "The Fast and The Furious" movies contribute to a dangerous car culture.

The city set a goal to start prioritizing safe space for people walking, biking and taking transit. But the city has so far failed to implement it.

That means more space for people to walk and roll over the L.A. River. City leaders are also considering a “bridge maintenance charge” for the many film and TV shoots expected in the viaduct’s future.

Compared to the vast road network in L.A., the short span of asphalt that’s closed to cars is pretty minor. But safety advocates are celebrating it as a big win in car-centric L.A., where reclaiming space for people has been an uphill battle.

Safety advocates say the new viaduct, which police have closed four of the past five nights, needs a serious redesign that prioritizes people, not cars.

One driver demonstrated just how easily cars can enter the “protected” bike lanes on the new viaduct.

Safety advocates say plastic posts and rubber strips won’t keep cyclists safe from dangerous drivers. They’re also concerned about the lack of bike connections to and from the bridge, especially in Boyle Heights.

The 5.5-mile route will provide car-free mobility options and access to transit along the way.

The free event will close off three miles of Western Avenue to car traffic, allowing people to explore South L.A. neighborhoods on their bikes, on foot, with skateboards or using other “people-powered vehicles.”

That's because while the city adopted an ambitious mobility plan in 2015, it has barely followed it.

Drivers frequently use Griffith Park Drive to avoid freeway traffic. Their cut-through route is now closed to cars, but open for people to walk, bike and ride horses.