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This is a thread about bureaucracy in the city of Los Angeles.
In 2006-2007, there were some very high-profile car crashes in a quiet residential neighborhood. Death; destruction. Cars crashing into houses because of excessive speed on small, two-lane residential street. @lacbc @hoffbeatenpath
In 2008, locals formed a non-profit for street safety and beautification.
One idea was to put a traffic circle
(roundabout) at the intersection that causes the most problems.
Refreshingly, the locals didn’t want to ask the city for $$. They would raise the funds themselves.
One idea was to put a traffic circle
(roundabout) at the intersection that causes the most problems.Refreshingly, the locals didn’t want to ask the city for $$. They would raise the funds themselves.
The area runs the gamut on income. Many people of means; many people on government assistance.
Bake sales ensued. Fund drive after fund drive.
Bake sales ensued. Fund drive after fund drive.
After a long slog, the area had the funds to put up traffic-calming devices (that the city should have done itself, remember).
Now it needed permits.
Now it needed permits.
A local veteran City Hall lobbyist told the earnest group, “you might as well just build the traffic circle in the dark of the night sometime, because if you do it right, you’ll just be punished with FIVE YEARS of bureaucracy.”
He was wrong.
TEN YEARS later, the simple roundabout still wasn’t built.
TEN YEARS later, the simple roundabout still wasn’t built.
Needless to say, the bureaucratic red tape was stifling. Ridiculous at times. You can read @LATstevelopez’s excellent piece on the saga here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-lopez-traffic-circle-20170913-story.html%3f_amp=true
Well, 12 years later, ground is finally being broken.
I’m happy. I was the one who incorporated the non-profit for the neighborhood. My own family had a near miss at that intersection a few years ago. I’ve fought for better road safety my entire adult life. @schneider
But I also haven’t lost my sense of nonsense when I see it.
But I also haven’t lost my sense of nonsense when I see it.
Should a little project like this take that long?
Can anyone justify why?
Is the city sustainable; is it serving its people well, when stuff takes this long?
Can anyone justify why?
Is the city sustainable; is it serving its people well, when stuff takes this long?
