This week, #DamienTalks with Claremont Mayor and Foothill Transit Board Member Sam Pedroza and Bike SGV Education Director Jose Jimenez.
The conversation with Mayor Pedroza is pretty wide ranging, but covers three major areas: teh expansion of Livable Streets in Claremont, the flexibility of Foothill Transit as it seeks to maximize the value of its service and this fall's transportation sales tax ballot measure, Measure M.
Much of the discussion of Claremont focuses on a complete streets plan for Claremont's portion of the iconic Route 66. Doug Lewis wrote an in-depth story on the plan for Streetsblog earlier this summer. That story can be found, here.
You can give feedback to Mayor Padroza on his Twitter Feed at @CouncilmanSam.
Next, we talk with Jose Jimenez, the education director for Bike SGV. Jimenez provides an update the Bike Education Center in El Monte and some of the classes its offering this fall and winter. For more on the Education Center, visit Bike SGV's website.
#DamienTalks 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 foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”
This week, Damien Talks with Wes Reutimann, the executive director of Bike SGV. The nearly-twenty minute interview covers a wide-range of topics from the Union Street protected bikeways plan, to an update on the 626 to, of course, Pokemon Go.
Union Street in Pasadena runs parallel to the more famous Colorado Avenue in Pasadena. The city decided not to put protected bike lanes on Colorado for fears it would create problems during the world-famous Rose Parade. Now, opposition is rising to the lanes on the still much-used parallel street.
As for the 626, the super open streets event will finally hit the street in 2017, after a postponement caused by the wildfires in June. A date hasn't been announced yet, but there is hope for February. Keep your calendar open.
To listen to the interview, click below. If you have any story ideas for us going forward, please contact me at damien@streetsblog.org or on twitter @damientypes
#DamienTalks 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 foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”
Today #DamienTalks with Metro Board Chair and Duarte City Councilmember John Fasana. Actually, it's more like #DougTalks, as Doug Lewis completes his internship with us by conducting the majority of our interview with the Metro boss.
Earlier this week, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors took the last step in placing Measure M on the ballot this November. If it receives two-thirds support from L.A. County voters, the current half-cent transportation sales tax passed by voters in 2008 will be extended until 2050 and a new half-cent tax will be added.
Fasana, who is known for being something of a transportation wonk, can barely contain his excitement for how Metro will be able to expand transportation options and improving the quantity and quality of Metro's services.
Doug and the Metro Chair also discuss access to parks and other public spaces. Yes, of course there's a discussion of the first-mile last-mile issues the agency is continually trying to figure out; but there is more the agency can do to provide access to our open spaces.
#DamienTalks 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 foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”