Los Angeles Looking at Major Changes to the Roads
Los Angeles is a city filled with traffic that results in frequent traffic jams, wrecks, and congestion. The town has maintained roadways by paving through canyons, flattening hillsides to expand roads, and downed trees. This upgrade has also helped improve traffic flow, but it has not been a long-term plan for fixing L.A.’s traffic problems.
No faster are roadways widened or added, filled with vehicles, rather than easing the problem. City planners have been working on a solution they have been pushing, claiming new ideas need to get put into action.
Despite new traffic laws in California, LA is still a traffic nightmare on many surface streets. Consequently, the old ones have proven ineffective. The viable options have been brought up enough by city planners that the state legislature is now beginning to discuss the alternatives suggested.
Comprehensive Traffic Problem Approach
One of the suggestions is to endorse a comprehensive policy to approach traffic issues from a different strategy. Instead of making motor vehicles, the priority one alternative is to improve convenience and safety for public transportation, pedestrians, and bicyclists, with the object being to reduce traffic. Given other safe and convenient options, many believe some people who are now driving would use these alternatives.
What is Mobility Plan 2035?
This alternative that legislatures discuss is Mobility Plan 2035, which includes bus-only lanes, reducing some car lanes on some of the most massive boulevards. It has significant new road designs and hundreds of miles of new bicycle lanes. Consequently, this is a twenty-year plan that also reduces the traffic accident fatality rate to zero.
There are some changes on L.A. roadways in this direction, such as safer bicycle lanes throughout the county. However, this plan is much more extensive and will touch every section of Los Angeles, including Downtown, Hollywood, South Los Angeles, the Westside, and the San Fernando Valley.
- Pitfalls and Holdups
There are opponents to this alternative Mobility Plan 2035. Opponents believe that taking these measures to improve traffic congestion and reduce fatalities will only intensify traffic congestion. Hence, it may increase problems. The other thing mentioned is that it could contribute to emergency vehicle delays if it worsens traffic conditions.
Los Angeles City’s Mobility Plan is downloadable here https://la2b.org/documents/ to find the plan’s complete information and form an educated opinion. L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin backed the project. Bonin said that the document enacts safety measures for bicycling and moving about without a vehicle to prevent injury and death. The Councilman went with statistics. He said that 5% of these people die when a car travels 20 miles per hour. Also, at a 40 mph rate, the fatality rate is over 80%.
Ehline Law Firm is watching this legislation closely. If you or a loved one has become damaged, contact the law firm to consult with our accomplished traffic accident attorneys.
