Our August 25th Safer, Kinder Silver Lake community event was a success! In partnership with the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council (SLNC), LA Walks hosted a design charrette and meet-the-candidates event in anticipation of the upcoming SLNC election. Residents of Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Los Feliz participated in the event, highlighting the many connections between our city’s neighborhoods. Community members split into four groups based on geographic area and identified specific pedestrian safety challenges and opportunities in their neighborhoods.
Pedestrian Safety Challenges Identified
- Lack of crosswalks
- Unsignallized crosswalks
- Lack of sidewalks
- Blind turns for motor vehicles around corners, down hills, and coming out of driveways
- Motor vehicles making high-speed right turns
- Lack of disabled ramps
- Sidewalks in disrepair
- Not enough time given to cross major streets
- High motor vehicle speeds
- Vendors take up sidewalk space
- Utility poles and signs are placed in the middle of the sidewalk
Pedestrian Safety Opportunities Identified
- Plant shade trees along streets
- Add street furniture such as benches
- Create a park-like atmosphere along the reservoir perimeter
- Add pedestrian wayfinding signage
- Create an Adpot-A-Stairway program
- Add high-visibility and signallized crosswalks
- Reduce motor vehicle speeds
- Add curb cuts to ensure accessibility for all users
- Add bicycle lanes to reduce pedestrian/cyclist conflicts on the sidewalk
Next Steps
- Support Walk A Child to School Day on October 3, 2012, potentially by adopting one or more local schools and hosting specific programs
- Target Glendale Blvd, Hyperion Ave, Rowena Ave, and Silver Lake Blvd as key neighborhood streets for pedestrian safety improvements
LA Walks thanks all of the community members who participated in the design charrette. We also thank the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council and our host, the Silver Lake Library, for helping to make the event such a great success.
If you are interested in getting involved with these efforts in Silver Lake—or in other neighborhoods within the city of Los Angeles—please let us know! Sign up for our mailing list here, and “like” us on Facebook for regular updates.
—Rachel Bennett
