Mayor Bass Announces New Momentum to Combat Climate Change Through City Services Supported by SAFE
SAFE was thrilled to hear some climate-friendly news last week when Mayor Karen Bass announced federal and regional funding had been secured to combat the impact of climate change through city services in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and citywide. The eco-friendly measures supported by SAFE include planting additional trees, laying down cool pavement, and adding loads of new shaded bus shelters and street trees as early as 2024.
In total, $93.5 million in major funding was secured for 3,000 new high-tech shaded bus shelters with seating and 450 shade structures, in addition to the greening and cooling measures mentioned above.
Specifically, the city services will include:
A $30 million Public Works Trust Fund loan proposed by Mayor Bass and approved by the City Council to catalyze a rapid rollout of the city’s long-awaited bus shelter program, the Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP). STAP will bring 3,000 bus shelters and 450 shade structures to the city under an equity-informed deployment. SAFE was an early supporter of this motion and lent its voice at numerous city council meetings.
$53 million in Metro funding to construct bus shelters as part of Metro’s North east-west transit services with various route improvements and amenities.
$8 million in city funding that was included in Mayor Bass’s first budget and approved by the City Council to provide additional STAP support.
$2.5 million in Federal Community Project Funding from Congressman Tony Cardenas for shade structures, cool paving street segments, and other neighborhood cooling projects.
This is welcome news. According to Madeline Brozen, Deputy Director for Regional Policy Studies at the UCLA Lewis Center, only about 23% of current bus stops in Los Angeles have shade. “Extreme heat kills more people than any other natural disaster,” Brozen said. “People at risk for the negative effects of extreme heat live in neighborhoods with less tree cover and access to air conditioning because of how the neighborhoods are constructed.”
It's good to see that the work is starting now and that LA is taking transformative steps to refashion our streets. Policies that support walking, biking, and public transit, along with shadier communities and cooler streets, are a win-win for the residents of Los Angeles.