The LA Metropolitan Transportation Agency (Metro) voted this afternoon to implement 7.7 miles of bus-only lane on Wilshire Blvd. While we preferred the version of the project that was 1 mile longer (totaling 8.7 miles), this is still a great outcome.
But there is still one more step: the LA City Council has to agree. They are expected to take up the issue in June.
This victory is in large part due to the hard work and persistence of the Bus Riders Union. Lead by organizer Sunyoung Yang, the BRU has been advocating for this project for years.
One of the alternatives on the table was a 5.4 mile version of the project. There is much wrong with this alternative, including the fact that it would improve bus times the least. One of the goals of the Wilshire bus-only lane is to make the bus service on this busy corridor faster than traveling by car. The 5.4 mile version would reduce bus times by only a few minutes, while the longer versions (7.7 miles and 8.7 miles) would reduce bus times by as much as 15 minutes. NRDC applauds LA Metro for their leadership in voting for the 7.7 mile project.