I am delighted to bring you the latest TERA update. I would like to lead with what has been a lively topic of discussion for many Eagle Rockers over the last few weeks: Metro’s proposed North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and how it may affect Eagle Rock.
Metro presented to the TERA board in November 2018 on project goals and options. At that time, Metro explained that two proposals were being studied, one route primarily along the 134 freeway and one route primarily along surface streets. As far as Eagle Rock is concerned, this meant either routing the line along the 134 freeway and bypassing the neighborhood or running it along Colorado Boulevard and serving our commercial corridor.
Fast forward to June 18, 2019, Metro representatives presented to the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council’s (ERNC’s) Planning and Land Use committee where they reported having recently competed an Alternatives Analysis (AA). The AA Report concluded the 134 Freeway route would produce lower ridership, miss key connections, and not sufficiently meet project goals. As such, the AA Report recommended a primarily street route be pursued in the draft environmental impact report (EIR). Again, with respect to Eagle Rock, this means running the BRT along Colorado Boulevard. The AA Report also identified three potential stations in Eagle Rock– one at the Eagle Rock Plaza, one at Colorado/Eagle Rock, and one at Colorado/Townsend. The discarded freeway option would have provided zero stops in 90041. However, beyond this, not much is said about what this would actually look like. Attendees at the ERNC meeting asked many detailed questions but received very few answers from Metro.
Many expressed a great amount of frustration due to the lack of specifics and a lack of renderings. Would we have to give up our bike lanes? Would Metro look to the Colorado Boulevard medians where trolleys once ran to repurpose the space for dedicated bus lanes?
Given the nature of social media and speculative reporting, some mistakenly have interpreted Metro’s lack of details as the agency prescribing modifications to Colorado Boulevard and withholding key information from the public. However, Metro did not provide any definitive answers because the release of the AA Report represents the beginning, not the end, of what will be a robust and open process inviting community input. The simple truth is that Metro is only starting to prepare various specific design options that will be guided by public input. Now is not the time to raise pitchforks, but instead to raise ideas, long-term aspirations, and areas of concerns.
TERA has used its voice and exercised leadership for Eagle Rock in similarly controversial projects and developments of the past. This will be no different. TERA has every intention of actively engaging Metro, participating in the EIR process, submitting thorough comments at every stage, engaging our elected officials and leveraging our highly engaged residents, stakeholders, and businesses to ensure that Metro does right by Eagle Rock.
We find Metro’s goals of increasing transit access, improving regional mobility, reducing transportation costs, and easing commutes as not only worthy but necessary. TERA has long valued complete streets, promoting alternative transportation, environmental sustainability and supporting our local businesses. We have worked hard to not only espouse these values but to act upon them through specific improvements and projects, such as Take Back The Boulevard (TBTB). When TERA first championed TBTB, the skeptics said it would hurt business. Now, almost six years since the Phase 1 of TBTB was implement – consisting most visibly of bike lanes and new crosswalks with flashing lights – we have seen new businesses thrive alongside and neighborhood institutions.
The tremendous work and planning that went into TBTB over the many years – and what it has done to transform the boulevard – is precisely why we must insist that Metro’s BRT project is done in a manner that complements the community’s vision for Colorado Boulevard. We will hold Metro accountable, and given the agency helped fund TBTB, we are confident they have every interest in avoiding impractical or incompatible elements that run counter to our vision and what we have come to know and love about Eagle Rock’s beautiful small town feel. Consistent with our values, we will support increased transit access on Colorado Boulevard but only in a manner that works for our unique neighborhood.
Our TERA board and members are residents who walk the boulevard, run the boulevard, roll along the boulevard, bicycle on the boulevard, and yes, ride the bus on the boulevard. We are committed to the idea that boulevard is for everyone. As is often the case, the devil is in the details and we will be ready to delve into them to protect the integrity of our neighborhood and fight for a better, more sustainable Eagle Rock of tomorrow.
We look forward to collaborating further with you and look forward to sharing key updates.
Greg Merideth
President
