LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles City Council today passed a motion instructing the city's Department of Transportation to make recommendations for a permanent Slow Streets Program, which was established during the pandemic as a temporary program.
LADOT began temporarily closing portions of residential streets in May to give pedestrians and cyclists more room to travel and be protected from motorists during the pandemic.
Residents are able to apply online to have their neighborhoods included in the program to reduce automobile traffic and allow more people to maintain social distancing and enjoy the outdoors.
The legislation seeking to make the program permanent comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 773, which was introduced by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, D-Van Nuys, and authorized Los Angeles -- and other local governments in counties with more than 6 million people -- to make Slow Streets programs permanent.
The City Council's motion -- introduced by Councilmen Mike Bonin and Paul Krekorian -- instructs LADOT to report with a proposed permanent Slow Streets Program that includes:
-- an application process open to all interested and eligible community sponsors;
-- criteria for identifying priority neighborhoods;
-- a tool kit of available Slow Streets treatments, including signage, gateway elements, mini traffic circles, turn restrictions and traffic diverters;
-- an approval process consistent with AB773;
-- a process for coordinating community-requested Slow Streets locations with existing city plans and programs that aim to increase neighborhood connections;
-- staff and budget needs to implement a permanent program; and
-- a transition plan for existing program participants.
During the Slow Streets program, the city closed more than 50 miles of streets across 30 neighborhoods in Los Angeles for recreation, according to the motion.