Los Angeles Great Streets

[andy3175]

http://la.streetsblog.org/2013/10/10/day-102-garcetti-launches-great-streets-initiative/

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced an executive order called the "Great Streets Program"  which is focused on bringing order to the chaos that sometimes mars the cities efforts to create a coherent transportation strategy.

"Today, I issued my first Executive Directive — establishing the City of Los Angeles "˜Great Streets' program — creating jobs and making city government work better. We are taking another big step towards a fundamental change in how we perceive, interact, and build around us. A great neighborhood needs a great street as its backbone, and, as city leaders, we need the backbone to make the bold changes necessary to build great streets,"  said Garcetti.

Part of the program sounds similar to his predecessor's "Transit Corridors Cabinet"  calling for interdepartmental cooperation between LADOT, Engineering, Planning, Cultural Affairs, Public Works, and Street Services to work together to create a unified calendar for street planning and programs. A working group between the departments is created to coordinate these efforts. While he doesn't have direct control over these agencies, the working group is expected to closely coordinate with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as well as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

"Their first priority will be to make sure streets projects are coordinated.  No more Bureau of Street Services paving a street on Monday, DWP digging it up on Tuesday,"  said Mayor Garcetti.  " Let's also combine a DWP pipe project with some street furniture funds and with a sidewalk repair project all at the same time."

http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/04/11/mayor-garcettis-state-of-the-city-six-great-streets-announced/

1. Crenshaw Boulevard — Crenshaw extends north-south from Wilshire Blvd through South Los Angeles. Construction is underway on Metro's Crenshaw/LAX rail line, expected to open in 2019. The boulevard is also the subject of future plans that could soon move into implementation phases: the Crenshaw Boulevard Streetscape Plan and possible connections with the Slauson corridor's Rail to River.
2. Figueroa Street — Figueroa is one of L.A.'s longest streets, extending all the way from Eagle Rock to the Harbor. Bike lanes planned to revitalize North Figueroa have been contentious; advocates are already organizing for community meetings coming up in May. Further south, the MyFigueroa complete streets makeover has stumbled, but appears to be poised to proceed to construction later this year. The mayor's speech took place on Figueroa — at the California Science Center, one of MyFigueroa's vocal opponents.
3. Gaffey Street — Gaffey is a main north-south artery for San Pedro. Though it's a commercial corridor, much of it a historic main street, stretches of it suffer from being treated more or less as an on-ramp to the 110-Freeway, especially during rush hours.
4. Reseda Boulevard — Reseda is a main north-south street for the San Fernando Valley, connecting with Cal State Northridge. Though its implementation was contentious, the boulevard now features a continuous 10+mile bikeway, mostly bike lanes — including a couple blocks where parking was removed — with a few short stretches of sharrows.
5. Van Nuys Boulevard — Van Nuys is another great north-south San Fernando Valley artery. It's currently the subject of Metro's East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor study.
6. Westwood Boulevard — Westwood Blvd extends north-south from UCLA to National Blvd. At times, the Westwood neighborhood has been a thriving commercial district, but parking, arguably mismanaged, has long been contentious. Westwood Blvd will see a new Expo Line Station open in 2015, but Councilmember Koretz, caving to shortsighted neighborhood opposition, put planned Westwood Blvd bike lanes on hold.

[mrsman]

http://la.streetsblog.org/2014/04/11/mayor-garcettis-state-of-the-city-six-great-streets-announced/

1. Crenshaw Boulevard — Crenshaw extends north-south from Wilshire Blvd through South Los Angeles. Construction is underway on Metro's Crenshaw/LAX rail line, expected to open in 2019. The boulevard is also the subject of future plans that could soon move into implementation phases: the Crenshaw Boulevard Streetscape Plan and possible connections with the Slauson corridor's Rail to River.
2. Figueroa Street — Figueroa is one of L.A.'s longest streets, extending all the way from Eagle Rock to the Harbor. Bike lanes planned to revitalize North Figueroa have been contentious; advocates are already organizing for community meetings coming up in May. Further south, the MyFigueroa complete streets makeover has stumbled, but appears to be poised to proceed to construction later this year. The mayor's speech took place on Figueroa — at the California Science Center, one of MyFigueroa's vocal opponents.
3. Gaffey Street — Gaffey is a main north-south artery for San Pedro. Though it's a commercial corridor, much of it a historic main street, stretches of it suffer from being treated more or less as an on-ramp to the 110-Freeway, especially during rush hours.
4. Reseda Boulevard — Reseda is a main north-south street for the San Fernando Valley, connecting with Cal State Northridge. Though its implementation was contentious, the boulevard now features a continuous 10+mile bikeway, mostly bike lanes — including a couple blocks where parking was removed — with a few short stretches of sharrows.
5. Van Nuys Boulevard — Van Nuys is another great north-south San Fernando Valley artery. It's currently the subject of Metro's East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor study.
6. Westwood Boulevard — Westwood Blvd extends north-south from UCLA to National Blvd. At times, the Westwood neighborhood has been a thriving commercial district, but parking, arguably mismanaged, has long been contentious. Westwood Blvd will see a new Expo Line Station open in 2015, but Councilmember Koretz, caving to shortsighted neighborhood opposition, put planned Westwood Blvd bike lanes on hold.

It's interesting that all of these candidates are north-south streets.  Why not east-west streets?

Ventura Blvd., Wilshire Blvd., Venice Blvd., Sunset Blvd., and Santa Monica Blvd. are all great streets in their own right.  Why arent't they under consideration?

[cpzilliacus]

It's interesting that all of these candidates are north-south streets.  Why not east-west streets?

Ventura Blvd., Wilshire Blvd., Venice Blvd., Sunset Blvd., and Santa Monica Blvd. are all great streets in their own right.  Why arent't they under consideration?

Agreed.  But - several of those are not contiguous within the corporate limits of the City of Los Angeles. 

Ventura Boulevard might be.

Wilshire Boulevard goes through Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

Venice Boulevard "brushes" Culver City (not sure if it actually enters or not).

Sunset Boulevard goes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Santa Monica Boulevard also goes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. 

[DTComposer]

Ventura Boulevard might be.

Ventura Boulevard definitely is, from Valley Circle Boulevard to Lankershim Boulevard.

Venice Boulevard "brushes" Culver City (not sure if it actually enters or not).

Culver City touches the southern side of Venice Boulevard for about 1¼ miles, but technically I don't think the street enters Culver City.

[cpzilliacus]

Ventura Boulevard might be.

Ventura Boulevard definitely is, from Valley Circle Boulevard to Lankershim Boulevard.

Thanks, that is why I hedged my words above.

Venice Boulevard "brushes" Culver City (not sure if it actually enters or not).

Culver City touches the southern side of Venice Boulevard for about 1¼ miles, but technically I don't think the street enters Culver City.

Yeah, hard enough to figure this stuff out for areas near where I live in Md. and Va. and in a few cases, D.C.

The shape of Culver City is strange (about as strange as the City of Los Angeles itself). Especially the parts that are west of I-405.