SGV Connect

Welcome to the penultimate episode of SGV Connect for 2019. Today, we look at the road projects funded by Metro replacing the shelved 710 tunnel project and welcome new Bike SGV Executive Director David Diaz. Diaz, who was already something of a regular on SGV Connect, will be guiding the organization as it widens its umbrella under a new brand "Active SGV" in the New Year.

For the discussion on Metro's road follies in the east San Gabriel Valley we interview Bryn Lindblad, the Deputy Director at Climate Resolve and a member of Metro's Sustainability Committee. As one might expect, Lindblad is not happy with a project list that encourages more driving, even if it is better than digging a giant freeway tunnel.

As mentioned above, we have one more episode left before the New Year, but we appreciate everything listen, comment, like and retweet. If you're not with us next week, we wanted to wish you all a happy new year.

#SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Catch past episodes of SGV Connect and #DamienTalks on LibSyn, iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast.

This week's SGV Connect features an update on construction plans for Phase II of the Gold Line Foothill Extension and a discussion of two recent reports on Global Warming. 

First, Kris Fortin interviews Habib Balian, the executive director of the Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority. Recently, the Authority has been in the news because of changes to their construction plans and schedules. You can read more about the changes at the Inland Valley Bulletin or Bloomberg News.

Then Damien Newton interviews Streetsblog California editor Melanie Curry. Last week, Curry wrote about a state report that illustrates how California is failing to meet its own Greenhouse Gas emission goals. The primary culprit? Too much driving. Newton and Curry discuss the state of climate advocacy in California and what individual choices everyone can make to help reduce the impacts of the global climate crisis.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.” 

Wow. November went by quickly.

Welcome to another episode of SGV Connect. This week we're looking at both new bike infrastructure on the way in Arcadia and recapping some local changes in Alhambra's City Council that could lead to some progressive change.

First, Kris interviews Phil Wray, the Deputy  Development Services Director / City Engineer for the City of Arcadia. The City of Arcadia is working on a grant funded, citywide Bicycle Facility Improvements project which includes bike lanes, routes, bicycle friendly intersections, and bike racks throughout the City. The bulk of the nearly $1.5 million project is coming from the state's Active Transportation Program, with about a third coming from Metro and a local match.

Then, Damien talks to Ron Sahu, an environmental engineer tht has been a key part of the movement to open up the City of Alhambra's government to make it more transparent and responsive. The group was able to win two of the three City Council elections because of its grassroots efforts.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.” 

If you haven't voted yet, be sure to check out this week's edition of SGV Connect. Our usual co-hosts, Damien and Kris, are joined by Joe Linton and Estuardo Mazariegos to discuss Measure W and ballot Propositions 6 and 10.

Proposition 6 would repeal a portion of the gas tax passed a couple of years ago. The tax mostly funds repairs to the state's transportation infrastructure, with a portion going to transit operations as well. Streetsblog LA urges voters to oppose the proposition and support transportation funding.

Measure W is a parcel tax that would raise $300 million for projects to detain and clean runoff water; projects would emphasize green, nature-based, multi-benefit projects. Full disclosure, Streetsblog LA is urging voters to Vote Yes on W.

Proposition 10 revokes the "Costa Hawkins" Act which restricts municipalities' ability to impose rent control regulations. Streetsblog has no official position on this, although as you can tell from the interview, much of our staff support the proposition.

If you didn't apply for a "vote by mail" ballot, Kris discusses some of the ways that agencies and businesses are providing free trips on election day, from ride-share companies to L.A. Metro.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.” 

Foothill Transit is not responsible, nor were they consulted, for the content of this podcast.

This week's SGV Connect features and interview by Kris Fortin of Bike SGV director Wes Reutimann. The two discuss the progress the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments have made implementing their plan for a series of connected Greenways, a sort of "bicycle freeway system" in the SGV. A couple of years back, I talked with the executive director of the COG, but now some of the projects are moving from paper to reality.

Then, Damien talks with Misch Anderson of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition (PCSC). PCSC has compiled a calendar of walking events to celebrate Walktober 2018 featuring partnerships with the Jaycees, the City of Pasadena, local schools and more. We talk about some of the highlights of the week, including a rare walking tour of the Glenarm Power Plant.

SGV Connect will be back in a couple of weeks with an election preview. Until then, you can send any thoughts, concerns or questions to me at [email protected].

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Welcome back to SGV Connect.

In this episode, we discuss some of the proposals for the North Hollywood to Pasadena transit corridor, a sixteen mile proposed bus rapid transit connector. Metro is beginning outreach to solicit feedback before the design process kicks off for this important connection between the SFV and the SGV. Click here for information on next week's meetings in Glendale (Oct. 1) and Pasadena (Oct. 3)

After that, we discuss Proposition 10 with Estuardo Mazariegos, a community activist who is part of the team working to make housing more affordable and plentiful in California. Mazariegos explains why he's been working to support Prop. 10, on the ballot in next month's state elections. For more on Proposition 10, visit the official Yes on 10 and No on 10 websites.

We're also trying to make our podcast a little more interesting to people who might not be interested in whatever topics we have for our interviews for a given podcast. Be sure to check download for a brief review of this week's CicLAvia in Downtown Los Angeles with a reminder about impacts on Foothill Transit service. Kris also previews an upcoming story on the end of the Metro Bikes bikeshare program in Pasadena.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Welcome to a special podcast from Streetsblog California. Former SBLA and SBCAL editor Damien Newton interviews Elise Roy. Roy will be the opening speaker at this year's PEDS COUNT 2018 summit by California Walks.

Roy is the founder of a consulting firm by the same name that specializes in helping designers understand how people with disabilities and other excluded communities experience the world. This process leads to better design of streets, better design of buildings buildings and, well, better design of everything else.

PEDS COUNT is the fifth summit programmed by California Walks and attracts advocates, academics and civil servants to two day event that is part conference and part call to action. This year's summit will be in San Jose on October 18-19. If you want more information, or to register, please visit the summit website at the California Walks homepage.

If you'd like to hear more about Elise Roy, she's also been featured on a TED Talk, that you can watch by clicking here.

This Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pride of the Valley Open Streets presented by Metro Los Angeles will open up 5 miles of streets for the public to enjoy on foot, skate, bike, or other mode of active transportation inBaldwin Park and Irwindale. The open streets party will link Morgan Park to the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area, and will feature a range of activities including live music, arts activations, and family-friendly games.

This week, Kris Fortin talks to Vanessa Carbajal, the Program Coordinator at City of Baldwin Park. Carbajal goes into the challenges of planning a multi-jurisdictional open streets event and previews the attractions and programs that will make Pride of the Valley a memorable Sunday.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

In Monterey Park, the city council narrowly passed a plan to improve bicycle and pedestrian access throughout the city. In this week's SGV Connect, Kris Fortin talks to Henry Low about the state of play for bicycle advocacy in the city and its next steps. Low, a member of the Monterey Park Unified School District Board, also discusses what role schools can take in creating healthier communities with improved access to public space.   Later, Damien Newton talks to Streetsblog California editor Melanie Curry about the ballot proposition that would repeal a recently enacted state gas tax. The funds raised would be used to repair roads and highways as well as improve transit throughout the state. However, the tax has become a political football, and Republicans are hoping to use it to score some electoral wins in November.   Coming Next Month: a preview of Pride of the Valley Open Streets event.   SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”  

Catch past episodes of SGV Connect and #DamienTalks on LibSyn, iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast.

Welcome back to SGV Connect. In today's episode, our co-hosts conduct two interviews on the expansion of the Foothill Transit bus fleet and the arrival of open space funds in L.A. County.   First, Kris Fortin follows up on the news (LAT, SGV Tribune) that Foothill Transit is adding double-decker buses to their commuter fleet. Foothill Transit continues to diversify its fleet and is on track to meet their goal of having an entirely electric e-bus fleet by 2030.   Then Damien Newton talk with Scott Chan, a community activist and director with the Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement about Measure A, passed by voters in 2016 to bring more funding for open space to L.A. County communities. The money raised by the tax is beginning to flow to communities, and Chan tells us how you can get involved in making sure those funds are spent properly.   SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”