The complicated money trail behind the Fountain bike lane project

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West Hollywood City Council on Monday will decide whether to accept an $8.2 million grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as part of its Sustainable Transportation and Equity Project (STEP). The grant will fund transportation initiatives focused on pedestrian, bicycle, and electric transit fleet improvements throughout the city, primarily benefiting the eastside neighborhoods classified as low-income and disadvantaged communities under CARB’s criteria.

The grant specifically amounts to $8,214,840, while the city’s required local match is $4,388,160. This brings the total project budget to $12,603,000.

City staff recommend the City Council adopt the resolution authorizing receipt of the grant and empower the City Manager, or a designee, to execute the necessary agreements with CARB. This approval would allow the city to begin implementing the projects included in its STEP program, which are designed to enhance mobility, safety, and accessibility.

The grant will fund multiple projects, including Vision Zero pedestrian and bike safety infrastructure, Fountain Avenue streetscape upgrades, new electric vehicles (EVs) for the city’s transit fleet, commuter shuttle service expansion, and outreach for paratransit services. These projects aim to improve transportation safety and accessibility, in line with the city’s goals for safe and sustainable streets.

The Pedestrian and Bike Mobility Plan, adopted in 2017, set the groundwork for enhancing streetscapes and improving safety for all users. Key priorities include Willoughby Avenue, Fountain Avenue, and Gardner/Vista Streets, where improvements aim to transform these corridors into safer, more accessible routes. The WeHo Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2021, targets carbon neutrality by 2035 with a focus on reducing transportation emissions, expanding clean mobility options, and improving quality of life.

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The WeHo Target Vision Zero Action Plan, adopted in 2023, seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries by focusing on high-risk corridors such as Santa Monica Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and La Cienega Boulevard. In compliance with California’s Innovative Clean Transit regulation, the city also adopted a Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan in 2023 to transition to a fully electric bus fleet by 2040, with interim targets set for 2025 to 2032.

The Willoughby, Vista/Gardner, Kings – Street Design Concept Plan, introduced in 2024, outlines enhancements to improve pedestrian and bike access while reducing cut-through traffic. The plan aims to connect residential and commercial areas with key east-west routes like Santa Monica Boulevard and Fountain Avenue.

CARB’s STEP program, launched in 2019, funds projects designed to overcome transportation barriers in disadvantaged communities. It provides grants for active transportation infrastructure, transit services, and educational outreach, with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing access to services.

In July 2023, CARB issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for STEP grants, offering $14.85 million. West Hollywood identified three eastside census tracts that met eligibility criteria and submitted a concept application in September 2023. The city advanced to the full application phase in November 2023 and secured approval for its $8.2 million grant in March 2024.

The Vision Zero Pedestrian and Bike Safety Infrastructure project is designed to enhance safety measures throughout the city, addressing high-risk intersections and corridors. The Fountain Avenue Streetscape Project will reconfigure a 1.9-mile stretch from La Brea Avenue to La Cienega Boulevard by reducing auto capacity, adding protected bike lanes, and widening sidewalks.

The breakdown of funding and local match contributions for the STEP projects are as follows:

– Vision Zero Pedestrian and Bike Safety Infrastructure: $166,000 in grant funds with a $854,000 local match.
– Fountain Avenue Sidewalk and Bike Lane Project: $4,923,840 in grant funds with a $1,925,160 local match.
– EV Transit Fleet: $2,160,000 in grant funds with a $1,575,000 local match.
– Outreach and Engagement: $165,000 in grant funds with a $34,000 local match.

The total local match of $4,388,160 includes contributions from secured grants, staff time, and Capital Improvement Project budgets.

To meet its zero-emission transit goals, the city will use STEP funds to purchase or lease six electric vehicles and install three EV chargers. The grant will also cover a one-year pilot expansion of the Cityline Commuter shuttle service, which connects residents to employment centers in Hollywood. The expansion is intended to improve transit access for working-class residents.

The city will conduct outreach to paratransit riders to assess their service needs and implement feasible improvements, focusing on enhancing mobility options for older adults and people with disabilities. Collaboration with community-based organizations like Bike LA and the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition will be key to public engagement and project implementation.

The projects are expected to improve transportation infrastructure on the eastside, addressing challenges related to traffic safety, limited options, and aging infrastructure. The enhancements are designed to promote greater mobility and accessibility for all residents while supporting the city’s revitalization efforts.

The Vision Zero infrastructure upgrades directly support the city’s goal of reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities by addressing key safety issues. The Fountain Avenue reconfiguration is designed to reduce traffic congestion, encourage biking and walking, and improve the streetscape’s aesthetic appeal.

The Cityline Commuter service expansion aims to benefit residents who work in nearby communities by providing more reliable access to employment hubs. The addition of electric vehicles and charging stations positions West Hollywood as a leader in sustainable urban transportation while improving air quality.

The outreach and feasibility studies for paratransit services are essential components of the STEP program’s equity focus. The city will engage with paratransit users to identify service gaps and explore ways to enhance accessibility for older adults and people with disabilities.

Community engagement is central to the STEP program’s implementation strategy. Public input will be gathered through pop-up events, open houses, and workshops to shape the projects that impact neighborhoods. Outreach efforts will include collaboration with the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition to promote awareness and safety around the Vision Zero infrastructure upgrades.

The improvements align with the city’s long-term strategic goals outlined in Vision 2020 and the General Plan, including transportation system upgrades, eastside revitalization, and expanded disability access. These initiatives are expected to have a lasting impact on the quality of life for eastside residents by providing safer streets, more reliable transit options, and better access for people with disabilities.

The shift toward walking, biking, and electric transit is central to the city’s climate action goals, supporting carbon neutrality by 2035. The City Council’s approval of the STEP grant resolution would be a significant milestone in addressing transportation equity and environmental sustainability.

Once the grant agreement is executed, city staff will begin detailed planning, design work, and phased implementation over the next several years. Regular updates will be provided to the City Council and the public as the projects progress.

Residents can expect community meetings and public events designed to provide updates and gather input throughout the implementation process. The City Council is expected to approve the resolution at its Aug. 26 meeting, marking the start of a new chapter in the city’s efforts to create a safer, greener, and more connected West Hollywood.

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Fred
Fred
3 months ago

So glad I moved out of West Hollywood. The city council should be waterboarded and imprisoned.

Kyle
Kyle
3 months ago

Thanks for the detailed breakdown of these projects. I’m looking forward to seeing the city push for a new vision for weho besides a car commuting thoroughfare. I don’t really understand the article’s headline… the projects are funded by a combination of California Air Resources Board STEP grand $$ and local matching $$… doesn’t seem that complicated.

Joshua88
Joshua88
3 months ago

There are a lot of broad projects in this article and $12mn might just be wonderful for some things.
I look forward to the details.
Can’t stop the green revolution, so stop fighting it, people.

And another thing: this appears to be about much more than Fountain Avenue bike lanes.

Barbara Westside
Barbara Westside
3 months ago

WHAT is it going to take to have all these ideas from SEPTIC Shyne and Joke Ferret-son to stand down?? Shut up, CLOWNS, you’re incompetent and will be voted OUT. Time for the grownups to take over and put the Sesame Street City Council members to bed and restore some SANITY and LEADERSHIP to this City that will improve quality of life here, not make a disaster out of it. Time for CITIZENS to speak up and tell the Incompetents to shut up, get out of office, and leave the rest of us alone.

Joshua88
Joshua88
3 months ago

Do you actually have something positive to contribute?
No clue as to what your complaints are, except “nasty.:”

Barbara Westside
Barbara Westside
3 months ago

This is such bullshit! Spending literally millions of dollars to “reduce auto capacity“ and make a disaster gridlock out of a two-lane Fountain m Avenue, and increasing traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. and Sunset Boulevard and creating total chaos and reducing the quality of life this city and east west traffic? It is such bullshit! This is not going to help anything and it’s going to cause a disaster for the quality of life of our city. The city leaders are overpaid by hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, all from taxpayer money from residents, and they’re trying to… Read more »

John Arnold
John Arnold
3 months ago

The city’s transportation planning department is completely out of touch with residents, lacks competence, and fails to provide clear answers to questions.

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
3 months ago

People who live on the streets that end at Fountain will be competing for parking spaces with residents of Fountain. It’s going to be a nightmare!

WestHoBornRaised
WestHoBornRaised
3 months ago

This is absolutely insane. most of the efforts at cutting traffic down adding bike lines taking away parking spaces etc traffic calming adding traffic circles etc that have been tried and other cities do nothing but create chaos and more gridlock. I understand the idea behind these kinds of things but the reality is the need is not there. unfortunately the people that make the decisions don’t care. They seem to think that if you force cars into being unable to move that people will stop driving them not true They assume that if a sidewalk is bigger suddenly you’re… Read more »

Andrew Wiener
Andrew Wiener
3 months ago

Nobody I know supports this nonsense. I just participated in the “Hollywoods” CycLAvia and saw the ludicrous waste of space and urban uglification the bike lane on Hollywood Blvd has created. I am saddened that so much time and money have been spent to achieve loss of parking and traffic flow. I have lived on fountain for near 30 years, ride my bike often and see no real need for this ill conceived, backwards thinking anti-infrastructure project.

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
3 months ago

Thanks for the detailed account. Obviously we are worried about the Fountain project as the goal is to reduce traffic by reducing lanes and thus creating gridlock. Given the City’s history, we should not give ANY credit to any commitment to meaningful input by residents opposed to the project. It will simply be a series of “educational” events to inform you what the City Council and Staff have already decided. The Grant contract states that there is 15 month planning and out reach period and construction is to start in month 18; that might be as early as December, 2025… Read more »