SGV Connect

This week, #DamienTalks with Damian Kevitt, the man who went from hit and run victim to survivor to hero.

In the wake of his crash, Kevitt dedicated himself to using his story to create a new movement to fix California's mess of hit and run laws. First came Finish the Ride, an event spearheaded by Kevitt and his friends to raise funds for organizations fighting for policy change and helping crash victims rehabilitate. Then Kevitt was the force behind Streets Are for Everyone (SAFE) which pushes to change policy at the state level.

Following the successful passage and signing of Assembly Bill 8 last week, SAFE is weighing its own next steps.

Finish the Ride's next event will be a "ride, walk and roll" in the San Fernando Valley this December. For more information, click here.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, Damien talks with Romel Pascual, the new executive director of CicLAvia, the non-profit that programs arguably the most popular Open Streets program in America.

Pascual comes to the new position with a strong background in Los Angeles' Open Streets Movement. He served as Deputy Mayor to Antonio Villaraigosa when the first CicLAvia was planned five years ago and has served on its Board of Directors.

For people that believe in the power of Ciclovía-style events to bring change, this is the interview for you.Pascual discusses how CicLAvia helped change the complexion of the streets in Downtown Los Angeles and other communities  from both the perspective of an advocate and the perspective of a former high-ranking city official.

Pascual also answers the growing urban legend that "we got CicLAvia because Mayor Villaraigosa got bike religion after he was forced off his bike."

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, #DamienTalks with Melanie Curry, the editor of a boutique news website known as Streetsblog California. Melanie has been covering the legislature for two full sessions, with a focus on transportation, urban design, and public health. 

Not surprisingly, we're talking about the just completed legislative session, the legislation passed, and the inability of the legislature to come together over a funding plan to fix the state's transportation funding crisis.

We also have a couple of side bars. Some are goofy. Some are serious. It is a fun and informative interview, what you would expect when two friends get together to talk politics.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

This week, with the legislative session moving faster than my ability to cover them in a podcast, we're taking a little break from the legislative sessions.

#DamienTalks with Chris and Melissa Bruntlett of Modacity. Modacity is a Vancouver based consulting team run by this husband and wife team push back against Bikelash in their home city and throughout North America. They do this by telling the stories of how road safety projects have improved communities, business receipts, travel to school and more.

Chris even tells teh story of a restaurant owner who was scared that a road diet project would cost him his business. Now, with bike lanes replacing car parking in front of his establishment, he has more customers than ever.

Modacity will be presenting what they've learned during a trip to Los Angeles in October. On October 8, they'll be at the Echo Park Film Center. On October 11, they'll be at Santa Monica. You can get more information for these events here: Los Angeles, Santa Monica.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Maybe you've seen the mailers, or the insanse websites or have heard a rant on talk radio. The petroleum industry is coming for S.B. 350, legislation that would set standards to help the State of California reduce its petroleum use by 50% in the coming decades.

Today, #DamienTalks with Tim O'Connor, an analyst with Environmental Defense, who explains how reducing dependency on petroleum isn't just good for the environment, but will be great for the state's economy. Despite the scare tactics of opponents of the legislation, S.B. 350 is a win for California, for the environment and for pretty much anyone reading these words.

The legislation has been moving quickly, but only has a week left to pass the Assembly before it can head to the Governor's desk for a final signature. It has already passed the Senate and all needed Assembly committees.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, #DamienTalks with Seleta Reynolds, the General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation about the City of Los Angeles' recent announcement that L.A. will be a Vision Zero City.

In short, that means that all planning, construction and enforcement decisions that impact the transportation grid will be based on whether or not it helps the city reach a goal of zero traffic deaths.

In addition to being one of the city's leaders and organizers on this issue, Reynolds has some experience with Vision Zero from her time in the Bay area. We ask her about this experience, what L.A.'s plans are, and the uncomfortable question about law enforcement's role.

If you're looking for more, here's some of Joe Linton's recent coverage of Vision Zero in Streetsblog Los Angeles: City Announces Vision Zero Strategy, Council Passes Mobility Plan Including Vision Zero, Sustainable City PLAn Includes Vision Zero, LADOT Focuses on Vision Zero in 2014 Annual Report.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, #DamienTalks with Asssemblymember Richard Bloom who represents western Los Angeles County in the State Assembly. Bloom is on the Finance Special Session Committee in the State Assembly, meaning that for the next two and a half weeks, the Assemblymember will have a chance to weigh in on any transportation bills before they come to the full Assembly for a vote.

Our discussion ends up being pretty far ranging, covering Bloom's proposed diesel fees, to the state funding crisis, to the need for more sub-regional transportation options to Santa Monica's nascent bike share program, to tying all transportation investments to the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals.. This isn't the first time I've had the chance to interview Bloom, although it's the first time for this podcast, and it will doubtless not be the last.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, #DamienTalks with Jennifer D'Onofrio and Bryan Michaelson of the City of Davis about the new protected bike intersection in Davis, California. The newly-redesigned intersection is the first-of-its-kind in America, and receiving warm reviews from both cars and bicyclists in Davis and advocates around the country.

As you'll see in the middle of the episode, it gets a little complicated trying to explain how the intersection works. D'Onofrio and Michaelson assure me that it's pretty simple when you're actually riding in the street...an opinion shared by my colleague Michael Anderson who wrote of the intersection, "hard to explain, simple to use."

If you have trouble following it, check out Anderson's post, and pictures, at Streetsblog USA.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today #DamienTalks with Yvonne Burke, former LA County Supervisor and current commissioner for the California Transportation Commission, about transportation funding issues in California. With the legislature due to come back soon to discuss the ongoing transportation funding crisis gripping the state, Burke lays out the case that California needs to find a way to raise more funds for transportation.

It’s hardly a secret that California has been retreating from meeting its transportation needs, leaving cities and counties struggling to raise funds to fill the void. The question: is how does understanding that translate to building public support for a funding increase, be it a new tax, a fee, or some other unexplored funding mechanism?

On a personal note, it’s pretty amazing to have a Civil Rights figure such as Burke on our podcast. For anyone that doesn’t know, in addition to being a local political leader, Burke was the first African-American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.

Today, #DamienTalks with Brian Addison, the former editor of the Long Beach Post and LongBeachize. Addison was recently named the "Best Online Journalist" by the Southern California Press Club for, in Addison's own words, "writing about the city I love."

Placed between the shadow of the Los Angeles Megalopolis and the Orange Curtain, Long Beach is often overlooked, despite having a population of nearly half a million people and being the 7th largest city by population in the state...larger than Oakland. Long Beach has made great strides towards becoming a more livable city with better bicycle infrastructure and a rising Downtown. The city even bills itself as the "most bike friendly city in America."

Addison and I talk about how the city is doing under its new progressive mayor and how Long Beach is trying to expand its most-bike-friendly infrastructure from high-visibility areas into residential areas.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or onFacebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the Damien Talks homepage on Libsyn.