Planning better ways to get around the city? Sign us up! Los Angeles transportation policies have not been updated since 1999. It’s time—and we’re in support of Mobility Plan 2035. The plan has been approved by the planning commission and next comes Los Angeles City Council consideration. We’re joining other organizations in rallying support for the plan by reaching out to city council members.
Here are some key observations about the plan and how it can help Los Angeles:
- Transportation accounts for more than 40% of our GHG emissions — reshaping it has to be part of the equation to meet reduction targets.
- The City Mobility Plan 2035 lays the groundwork for an integrated, multimodal transportation network — we salute it for that! Having alternative options encourages people to shift their transportation behavior away from cars and towards public transit, walking, and biking.
- The plan’s Complete Streets Design Guide is a comprehensive approach to achieve multiple benefits (environmental, mobility, quality of life). We especially like its dedicated bike lanes and peak-hour transit lanes.
- The plan’s Environmental Impact Report (EIR) indicates that the implementation will bring about a 2% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and a “less-than-significant” reduction in GHG emissions. While this is better than an increase, we’d like to see even more progress being made in this direction.
- To help combat the urban heat island (UHI) effect and adapt to temperature increases resulting from climate change, we would like to see bus stops shaded by tree cover, especially in those areas with the greatest UHI effect and the most socially vulnerable populations. Also, we urge the City to include cool surfaces (high
albedo
Join us in supporting the plan by reaching out to your council member. You can email your council member by consulting the Council District directory and/or tweet him/her with the handles below.
- CD1: @gilcedillocd1
- CD2: @PaulKrekorian
- CD3: @BobBlumenfield
- CD4: @TomLaBonge
- CD5: @PaulKoretzCD5
- CD6: @CD6Nury
- CD7: @Fuentes4LA
- CD8: @BernardCParks
- CD9: @CurrenDPriceJr
- CD10: @HerbJWesson
- CD11: @mikebonin
- CD12: @Mitch_Englander
- CD13: @MitchOFarrell
- CD14: @josehuizar
- CD15: @JoeBuscaino
Sample Email
To: (find your councilmember here)@lacity.org
Subj: Support Mobility Plan 2035 for safe & sustainable streets!
Dear Councilmember _________,
I support adopting the Mobility Plan 2035, including all of its proposed networks. As a ___________ (e.g. bike rider, pedestrian, transit user, driver, business owner, student, parent, etc.), I strongly support this Plan because I believe that it will help make L.A. streets better for all of us walking, biking, taking transit and driving.
A well-connected network of protected bike lanes and other complete streets improvements the Plan includes will give people healthier options to get around our neighborhoods and our whole city. Calmer traffic and safer streets are critical to protect and enhance our quality of life. We need this plan to build on the progress made by the 2010 Bicycle Plan and make all modes of transportation work together for our city. The modal networks in the Plan were carefully crafted to balance the needs of all who will use them. We can't afford to piecemeal them to appease local naysayers without undermining their citywide utility.
This Plan also supports LADOT's goal of eliminating all traffic deaths by 2025. Right now, a pedestrian or bicyclist is killed on L.A. streets every three days. We know that good design, along with education and enforcement, is essential to meeting this goal. This Plan gives all city agencies the tools and the direction to work together toward making L.A. a safe city to move around in.
(Personal comments)
Please support the Mobility Plan 2035 so that we can all travel safely on the streets of L.A.
Sincerely,
(Your name)
(Your address)
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