LA Department of Transportation officials have agreed to meet with Hancock Park residents about a proposal for bike lights and restricted turns at two local intersections. Word of the meeting agreement came from Hancock Park Homeowners Association president Cindy Chvatal-Keane, who told the Buzz that Jay Kim, Assistant General Manager of the LADOT Mobility Department, spoke with her this morning and said he would arrange a meeting with the neighborhood residents, separate from a wider meeting scheduled for this evening with the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council’s Transportation Committee.
“Assistant General Manager LADOT Mobility Jay Kim agreed that our neighborhood deserved a separate, well noticed meeting to discuss the issues and concerns surrounding 4th Street intersections at Rossmore and Highland,” wrote Chvatal-Keane in an email to residents that she shared with the Buzz.
The date for the new neighborhood meeting has not yet been set, but because of the controversial nature of the issue, Chvatal-Keane said it will “acknowledge the years’ long opposition by a large majority of stakeholders, to the installation of Bike Signal Lights and Restricted turns. We promise this meeting time and date will be well noticed!”
As we reported yesterday, Hancock Park leaders were frustrated that the GWNC’s special meeting on this issue, scheduled for this evening at 5:30 p.m., was called by the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council with relatively short notice and no consultation with the neighborhood.
Patricia, I would ask again that you please use more specific language, that is more honest, when you describe who is represented by the Hancock Park HOA: homeowners. If city officials meet with the HOA, they are not meeting with “residents,” but homeowners. In an area with many many residents who are not homeowners, the use of the term residents is somewhat dishonest, and tarnishes the value of this post as journalism — indeed, it feels more like advocacy of homeowner interests above all others. Recent comments on this site have noted that renters are represented by the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council, but not by the HOA, and a more honest journalistic approach would be to note this for your readers.
Hancock Park homeowner here. These lights seem like such a great idea! 4th street is full of people walking, jogging and biking at all hours of the day, and there’s no safe way for them to cross Highland or Rossmore. It’s bonkers these two intersections have gone this long without at least a flashing-lights crosswalk for bikes/pedestrians. I hope this gets done yesterday!