Wilbur Ave. – Unfair Representation on Committee
November 11, 2010 at 5:47 pm | Posted in Bike News | 4 CommentsTags: LADOT, Northridge, Wilbur Avenue
photo credit Rebecca Joyce @sevenphoto
The Northridge West Neighborhood City Council passed a motion to form an ad-hoc committee to discuss the Wilbur Road Diet.
Unbeknownst to anyone, including the Mayor’s office, LADOT had already put together a plan to reconfigure Wilbur Ave. Prior to Tuesday’s meeting LADOT met in private with CD12, Council member Smith’s office, to approve this plan. CD 12 suggested that they set up a committee in order to provide input. Apparently, there will then be a public meeting in January.
There are two problems with what we see going on.
First off, what is this reconfiguration plan? Why was no-one notified about it? What changes will we be seeing on Wilbur? Will the bike lanes be removed?
Secondly, Northridge West neighborhood Council has appointed 3 representatives from NWNC to this ad-hoc committee only one of which, Paul Kirk, is known to support the Wilbur Road Diet. None of the committee members are actual residents or homeowners on Wilbur Ave. or local cyclists.
If an ad-hoc committee is to be formed to discuss the Wilbur road-diet, we would like to see this committee become more fairly represented to include local residents, homeowners and cyclists.
TAKE ACTION
Write to the Northridge West Neighborhood Council members and Councilmember Smith to demand that this committee be fairly staffed with residents, homeowners as well as local cyclists.
Local residents, be sure to include your zip code.
councilmember.smith@lacity.org,MITCH.ENGLANDER@lacity.org,
heidi.sickler@lacity.org
gmalais@northridgewest.org,president@northridgewest.org, secretary@northridgewest.org,vpoutreach@northridgewest.org, vpadmin@northridgewest.org, treasurer@northridgewest.org, kfuternik@northridgewest.org,cmichayluk@northridgewest.org,
jbloom@northridgewest.org,tjohnson@northridgewest.org,gwilson@northridgewest.org
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I want to share my experiences with the ‘road diet’ on Myra. I drive a car or ride a bike daily on Myra to take my son to and from school. In the morning, this is at 8:02 AM, and in the evening around 5:00 PM; peak hours. I noticed when the bike lanes went in, because we were already biking there, and the lanes definitely give a sense of protection from the otherwise oblivious auto traffic. But I never noticed the loss of a car lane at all, until I read about the ‘problems’ with Wilber, which received the same treatment.
Myra is definitely a busy utility street for commuters and continues to be, and I rely on it to be so for me both in car and by bike. Again, the effect of the road diet on traffic flow has been completely unnoticeable to me, a daily driver. If anything, the loss of a lane reduced the conflict from cars in the left lane crossing to turn right, and cars in the right lane crossing lanes to turn left, which makes it faster and safer. What exactly makes Wilber so different?
Comment by Aaron Kuehn— November 11, 2010 #
Looks like we may need to come up with a stencil for a ‘ghost’ bike lane. Maybe grey paint instead of white, and a bit fuzzy instead of crisp. Unlike the plastic stuff, it will fade in use – a suitable memorial perhaps to the eclipse of hope for a balanced Wilbur to serve all road users.
Comment by PlebisPower— November 17, 2010 #
In response to Aaron’s question… It seems that alot of people have been using Wilbur as a cut through in order to get to adjacent neighborhoods. Those people have been the most vocal in apposing the lane reduction becasue the Road Diet reduces travel speeds for motorists. The local residents living on the street have actually been very supportive of the lane since it does make their street safer and more live-able.
Comment by lacbc— November 23, 2010 #
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