Eagle Rock BRT Update: Videos, Meetings, and Keep L.A. Moving Conspiracy Trolls

It is a big week in Metro’s work to refine its North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit project. Again the focus is the northeast Los Angeles City community of Eagle Rock. As reported earlier, a handful of disruptive, dishonest Eagle Rock residents are clamoring to block much-needed bus improvements.

Metro is nearing the end of its scoping comment period for the planned North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor project. The ~18-mile $267 million BRT line is planned to run mostly on streets in four cities – Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and Los Angeles – as well as partially on the 134 Freeway. Many BRT features are under consideration, though the most beneficial and most contentious aspect of the project is up to nine miles of dedicated bus-only lanes.

To access Eagle Rock, Metro plans to run the BRT on Colorado Boulevard, the main street of the community. Though Metro already worked with community stakeholders to determine the Colorado Boulevard alignment, Eagle Rock BRT opponents are pushing for Metro to re-open its alignment decision and instead run BRT on the 134 Freeway, where it would effectively bypass their community.

Below are new project videos, newly revealed opposition ties to Keep L.A. Moving, and a listing of this week’s meetings.

New Metro Videos

Metro has a series of new videos featuring interviews with stakeholders:

Eagle Rock resident Adalia Vidarte supports BRT and wants to make sure Colorado Boulevard bike lanes remain.

Eagle Rock homeowner Michael MacDonald, co-founder of Bike the Vote L.A., wants more connections and better transit.

Eagle Rock resident and Occidental College employee Darren Hall supports BRT for revitalizing Colorado Boulevard.

Eagle Rock businessman Mark Arnot expresses concerns about BRT’s impacts on small businesses.

Glendale resident Matt is interested in better transit, but is concerned about impacts on trees, businesses, and parking.

Eagle Rock 411 Anti-BRT Nimbys Show Their Ties to ‘Keep L.A. Moving’ Traffic Safety Deniers

In July, Eagle Rock 411 representatives briefly hung a chamber of commerce anti-BRT banner over Colorado Boulevard. The banner included the slogan “Let’s Keep Our Town Moving” which appeared to link the anti-BRT effort to the spiteful traffic safety denial group “Keep L.A. Moving.” Redondo Beach-based KLAM has spearheaded anti-safety campaigns in Playa Del Rey, where they sued L.A. City over Vision Zero road diet improvements and disrupted a city street safety task force. Since reversing the Playa Del Rey improvements, the conspiracy-monger group has pushed to organize nationally against safer streets.

In recent weeks the ties between Eagle Rock 411 and KLAM have become clearer.

Eagle Rock 411 spokesperson Cherryl Weaver, who called Bus Rapid Transit a “third world” transportation system, has been repeating KLAM’s tired lies about Measure M funding.

The Keep L.A. Moving website has added new material about how Bus Rapid Transit will “destroy our communities.” KLAM conflates Metro’s No-Ho Pasadena and North San Fernando Valley BRT projects, stating that “Metro plans to road diet approximately 29 miles of the 36-mile route from Chatsworth to Pasadena” and that Metro plans to “manufacture traffic, congestion and gridlock.”

Added 8/6 – Yesterday KLAM spokesperson John Russo appeared on right-wing KABC talk radio speaking against BRT.

Meetings This Week

Due to disruptive and threatening behavior at Metro’s July 13 community input meeting, the agency decided to change its meeting format somewhat. Metro’s CEO Phil Washington related that the meeting was “especially difficult” for staff and members of the public, and said that he was taking steps to ensure that would not be repeated. Metro boardmember Hilda Solis called for greater civility and inclusiveness. Other boardmembers weighed in similarly, though Solis represents the Eagle Rock area where nimbys shouted down, harassed, and bullied Metro staff and BRT supporters.

Nonetheless, Eagle Rock 411 folks are rallying their forces, and still threatening BRT supporters.

I saw this posted on Nextdoor & replied that the open house was meant to promote a safer environment free of intimidation. The OP Kim Martellino responded to me: “But if you’re really that scared, maybe you should stay in for the night.” pic.twitter.com/4WZhUbRVQc — Felicia G. (@hippierunner) August 3, 2019

There are actually three meetings this week that will touch on Eagle Rock BRT plans:

Tomorrow, Tuesday August 6, the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council is considering two potential positive comment letter motions on the planned NoHo-Pasadena BRT. One motion calls for the Metro board to confirm that a 134 Freeway alignment does not meet project goals of increased ridership, VMT decreases, and GHG reductions (that alignment that would effectively bypass Eagle Rock residents – see Equitable Eagle Rock for further critique.) The other motion calls for Metro to support a broad, inclusive community vision for the project, incorporating safety, access, character, and preservation of small businesses. The ERNC board meeting will start at 7 p.m. at Eagle Rock City Hall at 2035 Colorado Boulevard.

On Wednesday August 7, Metro will host a NoHo-Pasadena BRT open house meeting from 5:30-8 p.m. at Occidental College’s Samuelson Pavilion, at 1600 Campus Road. See meeting details see The Source or Facebook event.

On Thursday August 8, the Eagle Rock Association (TERA) will host a visioning meeting for Colorado Boulevard. TERA is seeking input on how to design Colorado Boulevard to benefit all Eagle Rock residents – and how to work with Metro and the city of Los Angeles to best utilize available funding to make Colorado Blvd more walkable, green, sustainable, transit-accessible, and small-business-friendly. The meeting will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. at Eagle Rock City Hall at 2035 Colorado Blvd. TERA is requesting RSVPs via its website.