Del Rey resident Matt Wersinger says he tries to walk around the block with his wife and daughter daily.
It’s a simple activity, but one that can be tricky and stressful to accomplish while obeying orders from public health officials to keep at least six feet apart from others when venturing outside.
“We walk around our neighborhood and we see there’s not enough room for people to pass each other,” Wersinger says.
Wersinger, who chairs the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, suggests a simple solution to this problem: Close certain streets to cars, and open them up to pedestrians and cyclists.
In a virtual meeting last week, the neighborhood council approved a motion authored by board member Eric DeSobe calling on the city’s transportation department to “pilot a temporary emergency safe streets network” in the area, “redistributing” lanes of traffic on portions of some streets, and closing off others to cars entirely (except for local traffic).
On Monday, City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents the area and chairs the city council’s transportation committee, sent a letter to transportation officials supporting the proposal.
“During the past month, we have all experienced the ways in which our neighborhood infrastructure does not support new patterns of local essential travel, and does not provide sufficient space for local recreation,” he wrote in the letter.
Other cities, including Oakland and Minneapolis, have already opened up street space for pedestrian use, Bonin pointed out.
“I would like to work with you to bring these ideas to the city of Los Angeles... starting in Del Rey and West Los Angeles,” he wrote.
With thousands of Angelenos now unemployed, and many others working from home, traffic within the city has all but disappeared over the last six weeks. According to transportation data analyst Inrix, rush hour vehicle speeds were up to 63 percent faster than average in mid March.
Cars are moving so quickly through the city, in fact, that the transportation department has adjusted daytime traffic signals to prevent drivers from reaching dangerous speeds.
Meanwhile, local officials have closed beaches, trails, and many parks, significantly limiting space available for outdoor recreation.
Given the lack of traffic, Wersinger says restricting traffic on certain streets would be unlikely to disrupt drivers making essential trips. He also says he’s not worried that opening streets could simply draw more people to the area, further complicating physical distancing efforts.
“I think giving people a little more room to breathe doesn’t mean people are going to be coming there looking for a place to play,” he says.
Jessica Meaney, director of transportation advocacy group Investing in Place, says she supports efforts to create more spaces in Los Angeles for those who aren’t driving, but she says local officials need to carefully consider how and where these projects are implemented.
“Right now our message is stay at home,” she says. “So anything that’s not stay at home needs to be really well thought out.”
Meaney says transportation and public health officials should be focusing first and foremost on ensuring that those without cars are able to access goods and services they depend on.
“If we’re going to think about improving ways for people to get around, how are we listening to what communities need?” she says. “Right now, communication and transparency are essential.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the neighborhood council requested closure of three specific streets. The motion was amended and does not include any specific street names.
Comments
sure why not.
By LAoneWay on 04.15.20 2:58pm
LA streets are so wide… you could just do a bunch of temporary road diets with plastic bollards so everyone can spread out on foot (and cars can still pass through as needed.)
By corner soul on 04.15.20 3:26pm
This is bottom on the list of things we need to be focusing on at this time. If you and someone else are walking past each other on the side walk, one person should just walk around the parked cars and then go back on the sidewalk. Since there aren’t many cars around, it’s not really an issue anyway. This is another example of activists engaging in opportunism because of the pandemic.
By LADude on 04.15.20 4:03pm
I’m sorry but what about the differently abled? They might not have the ability to detour into the street to walk around parked cars. We should think about our children as well.
Personally I think this is a fantastic idea. It would be a great way to keep neighborhoods "locals only" for the time being.
By lady who lunches on 04.15.20 4:35pm
Nonsense, and please stop with the euphemisms. It’s not helpful.
By cottenhampark on 04.15.20 6:29pm
"what about the differently abled" The fact that you used differently abled instead of disabled tells us that you are the exact type of activist I am talking about. The USDC just ruled that the City is not allowed to remove bulky items stored by the homeless on sidewalks. The homeless encampments fully blocking sidewalks is a bigger issue – for both "differently abled" people and all of us who are trying to not get coronavirus – than someone having to go out in the street for a second to walk around someone. And if you are approaching a "differently abled" person, then you can be the one to walk out in the street. Stop engaging in opportunism, it is deplorable.
By LADude on 04.16.20 9:35am
I’m sorry LADude, the fact is we all have different physical abilities. Someday even you might have mobility difficulties. That being said, if you don’t care for "differently abled" I would be happy to use handi-capable. I suspect you want me to use "handicapped" which I will not do.
By lady who lunches on 04.16.20 3:58pm
Handicapped or disabled is fine. Thanks.
By cottenhampark on 04.16.20 8:40pm
Locals? In Silver Lake? That’s rich. A little more than ironic since most people in Silver Lake are transplants from out of state these days
By Entitlement Society on 04.18.20 4:06am
Differently abled? Is that what we call them this hour? Anyway, the "duh" answer to your question would be that the non-differently abled would be the one to make the detour.
As for the proposal, my gawd, can people stop trying to control our lives for 10 minutes please???
By Cream Of Toast on 04.18.20 9:16am
Easier said than done on major thoroughfares when you’re walking with small children, for seniors, or people with disabilities.
It’s temporary and there’s virtually zero traffic right now… don’t be so bullheaded in your views.
By corner soul on 04.15.20 4:39pm
"It’s temporary " Lies and bull shit. When the time comes to remove them, all of the activists are going to say how amazing it is and demand that the city keep them. Just like the homeless that took over Echo Park and when the city tried to remove them from the public park the activists said that the city was "evicting" the homeless so the city let them stay. Give an inch and they will take a mile.
By LADude on 04.16.20 9:37am
I’m talking plastic cones… not even paint.
If neighborhoods want to make it more permanent with paint after, that’s a discussion for a later date (though given how little progress — or regress I suppose in your view — LA has made on complete streets in recent years, I’m not holding my breath that any of this will last once we’ve returned to "normal", whatever that looks like.)
By corner soul on 04.16.20 12:10pm
Agreed. This is not the time to push separate agendas. The war on streets needs to end. People need to avoid congregating, but experts have said that casual and brief contact is not the main concern in transferring the virus. The real concern is crowd gatherings for sustained periods such as sport games, movie theatres, dining out, etc. That behaviour should be avoided. Streets will be necessary for essential workers (and others as we slowly open the country) to get about. Car drives alone or with household members might be one of the safest places anyway. In the meantime, there are far fewer cars on the road anyway. It’s great.
By cottenhampark on 04.15.20 6:36pm
Seriously? People should just cut between parked cars so they can walk into oncoming traffic? That’s your advice?
I’m hoping this was mean as sarcasm.
By TheMarketSoftener on 04.16.20 8:37am
What oncoming traffic? There is no traffic which is why they are saying to close the streets. Or is there traffic that needs to use the streets? Please pick a narrative and stick with it, you are making my head spin.
By LADude on 04.16.20 9:38am
There is much less traffic, making it possible for some streets to be closed, redirecting all traffic down fewer streets.
But as long as cars are allowed to go down a street, it is asinine to suggest that people just cut between cars into the road. Don’t be purposefully dense. If your head is spinning it’s because you’re choosing not to engage your critical thinking skills.
By TheMarketSoftener on 04.16.20 9:48am
Who is suggesting people cut in front of cars or oncoming traffic? Rather, people should continue to walk down sidewalks as normal, and cars should continue down streets as normal. Experts are less concerned with brief and incidental contact between people. That is addressed with face coverings. Sustained contact is the concern (crowds and other gatherings like stadiums, theatres, and dining at restaurants). If you need to dramatically step into oncoming traffic to avoid passing someone on a sidewalk, then you should probably remain in lockdown and have things delivered whilst the rest of us slowly acquire antibodies.
By cottenhampark on 04.16.20 11:40am
All it takes is one sneeze or cough, dude!
By corner soul on 04.16.20 12:13pm
LADude suggested it above: "If you and someone else are walking past each other on the side walk, one person should just walk around the parked cars and then go back on the sidewalk."
That’s why my comment was posted as a response to his.
By TheMarketSoftener on 04.16.20 4:23pm
Yep that is what I said. I’m not sure what people in your neighborhoods have been doing but here when people are approaching other people on he sidewalk, one person will walk to the outside of the parked cars while the other person walks by on the sidewalk, then the other walks back onto the sidewalk. There is minimal traffic and it really isn’t an issue at all. But of course the livable streets activists are making it an issue because they are engaging in opportunism to push their agenda.
By LADude on 04.20.20 10:26am
Because in this pandemic people can’t take any personal responsibility and do something like look before they step out into "traffic".
By Mildred Fillmore on 04.16.20 11:41am
Some people are oblivious and don’t wear a mask, will cough and sneeze freely, walk right past you within inches, etc.
By corner soul on 04.16.20 12:15pm
Yes, I walk into the street so I don’t scare the fraidy cats. I cross to the other side sidewalk too. Crisscrossing and zigzagging gives me a more exercise. There is already plenty of walking room available and plenty of sidewalks for those who need them.
By LastFirst on 04.16.20 4:02pm
If traffic is so much lighter on major streets, why aren’t cyclists taking advantage of that and using the bike/bus lanes they already have? You’d think they’d be in heaven right now.
If they do this it should be for pedestrians only, not for every entitled a-hole special interest group on wheels.
By MMVic on 04.15.20 8:55pm