Cycle Tracks and Bus Only Lanes Coming to Downtown L.A.

"It seems like just yesterday a team of Los Angeles’ most progressive planners and international planning rock stars from Gehl Architects unveiled some planning images showing how the rather bleak South Figueroa Corridor could be transformed into a complete street," writes Damien Newton. "While the public was 'mostly positive,' it seemed a stretch that such a project would ever take place in Los Angeles."

"In truth, it wasn’t yesterday. It was over two years ago. But despite some major hurdles, such as the minor issue of the dissolution of the Community Redevelopment Agency responsible for the project, the $20 million project should be completed on-time before the end of 2014."

"The newly released images don’t look quite as dramatic as the ones shown a in 2011, but still promise bus only lanes, new transit waiting areas, fixed sidewalks, zebra crosswalks and the minor issue of separated bike lanes, proudly marked as “cycletracks” in MyFigueroa’s promotional materials."

"Despite the advanced design and secured funding, the project isn’t finalized yet," adds Newton. "LADOT, the lead agency with the city, is completing and environmental study on the traffic impacts of the study. Under new legislation passed into law last year, the city does not need to complete a full CEQA review."