Date: July 1, 2020
Author(s): Jorge Canez
Abstract
The path to achieving pedestrian safety in Los Angeles is more a political battle than a technical matter. Since its implementation in 2015, LA’s Vision Zero policy has failed to reduce fatalities and severe injuries due to road crashes. The most effective way to tackle this problem is through pedestrian engineering improvements, and yet, today in LA, the political cost of implementing such measures is high. A handful of residents can stop pedestrian priority infrastructure in the name of driver convenience. In different parts of the city, these groups have sued and threatened politicians with recall campaigns. As part of Vision Zero, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) implemented a policy to build power in communities and work together for safe streets. Known as Dignity Infused Community Engagement (DICE), it served as a way for the city to respond to opposition to pedestrian safety proposals. However, the status and the results of this policy are not clear. Furthermore, the city officially ended DICE operations in April 2020. This research studies the socio-demographic profiles of pedestrian victims of traffic violence at the neighborhood level in the City of Los Angeles, and the political obstacles that prevent the redesign of the streets from the car-oriented status quo to a people-oriented built environment.
About the Project
This capstone project was completed in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Master of Urban & Regional Planning at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.