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 damien@streetsblog.org, 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 damien@streetsblog.org, 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 damien@streetsblog.org, 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 damien@streetsblog.org, 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.