Transportation Committees and Projects
The BCC is committed to reducing overall traffic and car trips on local roads and improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists and others who share our streets.
The Transportation Committee, guided by its Policies, Principles and Practices (link), makes recommendations to the full BCC regarding transportation issues.
The committee defines its subject matter broadly, to include walkability, bikeability, travel by automobiles, trucks and other vehicles, and all forms of mass transit. Transportation also includes use of taxis, ride-share services and shared mobility—such as scooters, bike share services and others still to come.
The Transportation Committee also considers the design, operation and maintenance of the streetscape and connections between modes of transportation, such as first/last mile solutions and transportation hubs.
Chair—Doris Goldstein
Alternate Chair—Lauren Deaderick
Amy Abel
Michele Aronson
Avinoam Baral
Cori Solomon
Thelma Waxman
CURRENT PROJECTS
The Transportation Committee is actively monitoring and providing input into several major projects, including the following:
San Vicente Walkability Project
San Vicente Boulevard between Bringham and Bundy is Brentwood’s central business district, with a wealth of restaurants, shops and services in easy walking distance to the surrounding condominiums, apartments and single-family homes. Many residents choose to live near San Vicente Boulevard because of the appeal and convenience.
Although the street attracts many pedestrians, its sidewalks, crosswalks and medians can be difficult to navigate, particularly for the disabled or anyone pushing a stroller. Long, diagonal intersections are hard to cross in one turn of the light. The wide medians, where coral trees are planted in the space once occupied by streetcars, are lacking curb cuts in many places, forcing disabled pedestrians into traffic.
The BCC’s transportation committee has drawn attention to these issues and advocated for improvements. Through the work of Councilmember Bonin and his staff, $2.5 million in Measure M funding has been awarded for pedestrian improvements on San Vicente Boulevard between Bringham and Bundy. This money is expected to be used for curb ramps, to upgrade medians for ADA accessibility, to add curb extensions at the Gorham and Montana crossings without reducing traffic lanes, and to upgrade crosswalks and signals. Other projects may be added with community support.
StreetsLA will perform the design work with public input. Sessions involving the public are expected to begin in the second half of 2022.
Metro Purple Line Extension
The VA Hospital Station, part of the extension of the Metro Purple Line, is expected to open in 2027, connecting Brentwood to downtown LA, with stops to significant destinations in between.
The new VA Station is within walking distance for some Brentwood residents, and would be easily accessible to many others with a circulator or other local transit option. The Transportation Committee is advocating for walkable connections to the stop and other First/Last Mile solutions to make sure the station is accessible to Brentwood residents.
Sepulveda Transit Corridor
The I-405 between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside is one of the most congested corridors in the country. The Metro has two projects underway to attempt to alleviate traffic.
A rail transit project would provide an alternative to automobile travel. After considering various options, the Metro has narrowed the choice to either through an aerial monorail, or a combination of heavy rail tunnel and aerial rail. Two competing teams are currently working on design proposals for this massive undertaking. Still under consideration is where and how the project will connect to the Purple Line.
A shorter-term project is the Metro’s proposal to convert existing HOV lanes to ExpressLanes, with various different approaches under consideration. The BCC adopted the Transportation Committee’s recommendation in its comment letter to LA Metro on September 13, 2021.
City Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP)
StreetsLA is reviewing contracts to replace its existing street furniture contract. STAP includes transit shelters, litter receptacles, public amenity kiosks and vending kiosks, and may include new types of service, including charging and cooling stations and public wi-fi. Wireless interactive information, including transit real-time information and wayfinding, is expected to be part of the program. Costs will be supported by advertising.
Concerns about the program include digital displays, the potential for digital tracking and sensitivity to neighborhood aesthetics.