Rosendahl pushes to cut BRT project down to 5.4 miles  

Chair of the city Transportation Committee, Councilmember Rosendahl is proposing to eliminate the rest of the Westside (both the Condo Canyon and the district 11 W. LA portion) from the project, cutting what was 8.7 mile project to a 5.4 mile project --from Parkview to San Vincente (east of Beverly Hills) only.   

Read what happened on last Wednesday Transportation Committee meeting via LA Streetsblog: Rosendahl Continues Process of Removing Westside from Wilshire Bus-Only Project [4]

Rosendahl reverses position, caves to Brentwood and WestLA

Instead of pushing forward the full 8.7 mile project and posing an alternative to MTA Board's shortsighted decision to exempt the Condo Canyon area [5], councilmember Rosendahl is also caving into the pressures of Brentwood and West LA residents that are now using the Condo Canyon exemption [6] to justify their opposition to the 1 mile in district 11 (Federal-Centinela).

This is in direct contradiction to what Councilmember Rosendahl has promised for the last 6 years advocating the implementation of a comprehensive bus lane project-Mid-City, Koreatown, Westlake/MacArthur Park neighborhoods are still in the project and the Westside can't compromise the project for the entire city because of their narrow self interest to priviledge their tailpipes over our lungs.

Shortsighted proposal puts entire 6 year project at risk

This is a further chipping away of the gains that were made in the last 6 years. This new proposal can compromise the entire funding ($23.5 million) from the FTA-they were generous with the Condo Canyon exemption [7] but most likely this will bring other repercussions---in the best case scenario for funding they would reduce the amount to reflect the miles that are implemented and worst completely take out the funding because it no longer meets the criteria for funding.

We don't want a project set up for failure as its chipped away mile by mile and its benefits compromised by excluding West LA where the lane is needed the most. We're demanding strong and insightful leadership not one that collapses with every sway of the wind, every NIMBY interest and complaints, from councilmember Rosendahl and the LA City Council.

We've seen in the past Councilmember Rosendahl's environmental leadership in this project and this is the critical time for him to stand by it.

Urge Rosendahl to show leadership and withdraw proposal!

We're asking folks to to urge for his bold leadership by withdrawing the proposal to exempt all of Westside from the project and keep his commitment to implement the full 8.7 miles of the Wilshire Bus-Only Lanes Project (that includes West LA and Condo Canyon).