By T.A. Hendrickson
Update (April 28):
The Board will consider the lane reductions as part of its review and potential certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report on Metro’s planned bus rapid transit (BRT) line between North Hollywood and Pasadena (NoHo-Pas) via Burbank, Glendale and Eagle Rock.
Approval by the Board is expected because the lane reductions have already been endorsed by Metro staff, the Metro Board’s Planning and Programming Committee and City Councilmember Kevin de León, who represents Eagle Rock.
This article traces the timeline and events that have culminated in the one-lane proposal now coming before the Metro Board.
In a nutshell, Eagle Rock residents were largely taken by surprise around mid-February 2021, when Metro began zeroing in on a plan for lane reductions on the boulevard. As Metro has noted, Eagle Rock residents had consistently opposed lane reductions during the agency’s public outreach on the NoHo-Pas BRT in 2019. Accordingly, none of the proposals put forward by Metro in the Draft Environmental Impact Report, released in October 2020, eliminated traffic lanes.
Metro has said that it began to consider lane reductions after receiving a slew of letters in late December 2020 in support of a one-lane proposal dubbed “Beautiful Boulevard” by its proponents — a coalition of some 40 people, including members of The Eagle Rock Association, a private civic group, and former and present members of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council. The letters were all submitted after the initial public-comment deadline of Dec. 10, which Metro had extended to Dec. 28.
There were no public comment letters in opposition to the Beautiful Boulevard plan because apparently no one other than its proponents knew about it.
Everyone knows about it now. The upshot is that Eagle Rock is a community divided.
The rationale for taking out traffic lanes is to create room on the boulevard for dedicated BRT lanes, enhanced bike lanes and the medians.
Metro has noted that lane reductions would increase traffic congestion at the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and Eagle Rock Boulevard and near the 134 Freeway ramps, where two lanes would narrow to one. Eliminating a traffic lane in each direction would also reduce travel speeds on the boulevard to single digits during the morning and evening rush hours, according to Metro.
The one-lane plan would also lose 122 curbside parking spaces, though De León recently told the Boulevard Sentinel that he would ensure Metro builds replacement parking to make up for the lost spaces.
Proponents of the lane reductions have said that the overall one-lane design would result in a safer boulevard due to slower car speeds, better crossings and new signals. They also say that reconfigurations and landscaping in the design would be good for the environment and the local economy because a more pedestrian-, cyclist-, and-transit-friendly boulevard could discourage car use and foster lingering in the boulevard’s shops, cafés and other businesses.
Here’s how to attend the Metro Board meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 10 a.m.
To watch online: http://boardagendas.metro.net
To listen by phone: 888.251.2949 / Extension: 8231160# (English) or 4544724# (Español)
To give live public comment, by telephone only, you may join the call five minutes before the 10 a.m. start of the meeting at 888.251.2949 / Extension: 8231160# (English) or 4544724# (Español). / Public comment will be taken as the Board takes up each item. To give public comment on an item, enter #2 when prompted.
Follow the money.
Exactly. Where is Kevin De Leon?
This is a disaster for ER. Time for lawsuits. DeLeon is toast. Get him outta here!
Most of the comments during the recent meetings have been in favor of the one-lane plan. I truly hope a vocal minority doesn’t pursue a scorched earth litigation strategy that will just further divide the community.
Are you crazy? The traffic is horrible. Many people cannot take a bus. You cannot carry 10 bags of groceries on a bus.
Those that attend those meetings do not have 9-5 jobs. Cutting car lanes is a HUGE mistake.
Nextdoor keeps taking this down, but it really does spell what’s ahead for Eagle Rock. ERNC and TERA had sold us out. While waving their fake banner of progressivism they’ve inadvertantly opened the neighborhood to developments that’ll guarantee higher rents for us apartment dwellers. Nice knowing this town. https://youtu.be/XCJaTDPRzTQ
Metro has repeatedly addressed this. The BRT will not change the zoning or open up Colorado to new development.
MT please elaborate then on the purchase of the Eagle Rock Mall by Eastern Real Estate and Atlas Capital Group?
https://www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhoods/eagle_rock/changes-in-store-as-eagle-rock-plaza-is-sold-to-new-owners/article_db906238-d063-11eb-8694-d775f9e38bab.html
What will be of the businesses that will close due to the construction and implementation of the One Lane? Or the Eagle Rock Trader Joe’s since the location will definitely become inviable for them. The lot looks like it can accommodate a mixed use condo.
A scandalous waste of money when mixed flow lanes would have done the job. Only very disadvantaged people ride buses in L.A., and the minute they can afford a crappy used car, they get one, as they should.
I’m glad we’re focused on helping disadvantaged people.
We already have more than our share, let’s spread the “wealth” to more affluent L.A. neighborhoods and see how their quality of life declines.
Taking away car lanes on Colorado Blvd is insane. The traffic is already very bad. And taking away car lanes will make Colorado like the 405 freeway.
Does anyone know an attorney capable of representing the MAJORITY of Eagle Rock that oppose this asinine deal by Metro? Beautiful Blvd. likes to assume that ER residents are for this crap being force fed to us, going so far as to misrepresent comments by residents and businesses as supportive of their viewpoints. Remember all those involved with the decision making when the elections roll around. Vote out Deleon and Solis !!!
While Cheryl Weaver is a realtor by trade not an attorney, she is SMART and TENACIOUS enough to be able to represent your shared MAJORITY viewpoints should she be willing to take it on. You might reach out to her and see about recruiting Cheryl for some pro bono HEARTFELT legal work. I would have loved to hear what she had to say at today’s meeting but unfortunately with the audio levels dipping just as she spoke I couldn’t make out much of what she said.
Just the fact that our Fire Trucks will not be able to turn left (and I live east of the Fire Station) should be enough to quash this idea. What were they thinking??? Does an ER resident or business need to lose everything in a fire before Metro is sued and forced to deal with that?
Are you sure about that? I’ve looked at the plans, and the one-lane option seems to leave room for firetrucks to turn left. The two-lane option also seems to have the same medians outside the firestation as the one-lane option, so it won’t really matter which option they choose.
Yes and then some. Sadly those responsible or in support of this would gloss over it, calling out those who are suffering from it a bunch of xenophobic racists. It’s the snake that eats its own tail.
What the hell has TERA become! They used to be for the community and proper development. They used to support business and the uniqueness of Eagle Rock. I was a life long member until this and their lack of doing anything that brought the residents together. They are now no different than the tools over at ERNC. Shame the powers that be bought and paid for our two community organizations. This is what happens when money and “fresh new ideas” cloud good common sense. Vote out those responsible for this.
Tons of businesses and residents support the one-lane option. If you’ve tuned in to any recent meetings, the comments are primarily in favor of it.
Name the businesses plz
I love the one-lane plan. I can’t wait for Colorado to once again be a safe, walkable downtown area that actually matches the character of Eagle Rock. I’m sick of people bypassing the 134 just to speed down Colorado at 50 mph, making it unsafe for me and my kids.
It’s walkable now! You don’t feel safe on the sidewalks btw. ER Blvd. and Townsend? That’s the area with any density of destinations. It’s impossible to drive 40+ mph on that stretch during the day. Don’t be hysterical.
It’s walkable now! You don’t feel safe on the sidewalks btw. ER Blvd. and Townsend? That’s the area with any density of destinations. It’s impossible to drive 40+ mph on that stretch during the day. Don’t be hysterical.
I’m all for improved safety on this road improvement. There has to be a place to cycle without colliding with cars. And having a busline makes a big improvement. This is a good idea.
Where has the Sentinel been in the hours of meetings? There’s been plenty of time for input. Bad reporting herer!
There’s literally no one in the bike lanes on Colorado. Are people taking their bikes to Target, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts? No.
I exclusively ride my bike to Sprouts and Trader Joe’s, and frequently ride it to Target. I avoid riding on Colorado, however, because it feels incredibly unsafe. Cars go 45+ mph, which is incredibly nerve-racking when you’re in an unprotected bike lane. Instead, I tend to stick to residential side streets. I can’t wait for the protected bike lanes on Colorado and Eagle Rock, as it will make my ride much quicker, flatter, and (most importantly) safer.
That’s great. You’re one of two to three people. Congrats!!!
No need to congratulate me, but I’ll take it 🙂
I have a car, and I take the bus. Colorado Blvd. is already congested, especially by Target around 5pm. Reducing traffic to one lane will jam it up more. I take the bus for convenience when it makes sense. Forcing residents to take the bus because the car lanes are jammed is not a solution.
They’re keeping the car lanes as is near Target. The reduction starts once you get to Eagle Rock Blvd., which rarely gets backed up.
ERB rarely is backed up now, but it will turn into a parking lot when cars are merging from two lanes to one on Colorado during commute times.
Does MT stand for Metro Transit? This robo responder seems to have a canned and talking pointed response for the majority of us who are opposed. Time to quiz MT on which squares have the mailbox and then check off the I’m not a robot box!
Hey C.D. I own a house in Eagle Rock and have no affiliation with Metro. I was also born from human parents and have no metal in my body, aside from some fillings. Hope you have a good day 🙂
Ok ok I believe you. Just wanted to be certain as I saw a lot of structured boilerplated answers that appeared like they were written by Don Draper and not a stakeholder in our community. I applaud you foresight into how this will all turnout and hope that we all get some benefits from this proposal.
No one has yet mentioned what a nightmare it will be on Harvey Dr. getting on or off the 134 fwy. It’s already bad. It will be much worse when the “rapid“ buses start appearing. I’m surprised the mayor of Glendale would approve of it, but I’m sure he’s getting some kind of money cut (as well as others) from this atrocity.
Glendale isn’t losing any traffic lanes, as far as I know. They don’t care about Eagle Rock’s problems, whether it’s the Scholl Canyon dump and gas-fired energy plant, escorting their homeless across their city limits to ours, or anything else.
Yay! This is great news. Big thanks to everyone who made their voice’s heard in this process. If you are surprised this went through you should talk to more people who live, work, and transit through Eagle Rock because this is widely popular. If everyone you know is against it, you are in the minority and should branch out a bit more. These hysterical comments about the doom and gloom this will supposedly produce are unhinged. Please let the adults handled how your city is managed because you are clueless as to the needs of Eagle Rock and it’s place in the city of Los Angeles.
So you think it’s great that Colorado is now turned into a transit corridor for commuters?
Much of ER has a topography that is not conducive to biking for daily tasks and errands. One would need an electric bike to get up most of the hills unless you’re an elite athlete. It’s a fact. Folks in the hills are really gonna walk about a mile, cause parking will be gone, to get on a bus at Townsend to take them into Old Town Pasadena, which takes 12 min. by car??? It’s a delusional fantasy. It is not practical.
One of the main issues no one seems to address is that Colorado is the only two lane street running east-west from ER blvd to Figueroa. Yosemite is already one lane, with stop signs/traffic lights at every intersection and two major schools on it. There is literally no way for ER residents to go E/W in a timely fashion or access the 134 other than Colorado. This bus only lane project will mess that up, for two stops only in ER. It will turn Colorado into a parking lot, destroy businesses and inconvenience Eagle Rockers every single day.
I agree! We live on a hill and would need to drive to the nearest station and find parking before we could even begin to wait for the bus. How much time would that add to our commute before we even got on the bus? When I was growing up here in ER, the same people parked in front of our home everyday and walked a block to the bus–and that was a long time ago. When I worked in ER, I parked on the street and sometimes the homeowners complained–especially on trash day–and then there was (and still is) Street-Cleaning Day. Good luck to the ER commuters, and I doubt the riders who pass through ER will ever look up from their phones and even glance at the lovely little town that once was Eagle Rock.
This project is not for the benefit of the Eagle Rock residents. They added some “beautiful boulevard” elements to appease residents, which might turn out nice, but the real question is why spend millions of dollars to create bus-only lanes when buses already run along that stretch, without heavy traffic? What’s the point in saving 2 minutes at the cost of millions and millions of dollars? Who is actually benefitting?
In any case ER BUSINESSES should be guaranteed more parking lots 4 businesses & customers. This has been ignored for years. Perhaps businesses won’t leave due to this. I want a “beautiful blvd”, but this needs MORE study & work.
Oh well…did you really think this was not going to happen? You don’t control the government. If you’re in a hurry, jump in the bus lane… it’s just an infraction… if you stop. LAPD can’t chase for infractions only thanks to the Police Commission instituting a policy of pre stop requirements. Just flood the lanes w/cars & use it for your own expressway. Lmao🤣 Good luck ER
Oh well…did you really think this was not going to happen? You don’t control the government. If you’re in a hurry, jump in the bus lane… it’s just an infraction… if you stop. LAPD can’t chase for infractions only thanks to the Police Commission instituting a policy of pre stop requirements. Just flood the lanes w/cars & use it for your own expressway. Lmao🤣 Good luck ER
Hilda Soliz told me to my face that she was not in favor of the bus lane taking away a car lane. Kevin de Leon said publicly that he was not in favor of that
either, then changed his mind when he decided to run for mayor. Remember the liars in the upcoming elections and vote them OUT!