After months of debate, the City Council narrowly but unsurprisingly voted in favor of modifying the Move Culver City project at the meeting on Monday evening. The final vote was 3-2.
Action Item 3 on the agenda read, “(1) Ratification of Approval of Final Plans and Specifications for the Modified MOVE Culver City – Downtown Corridor Pilot Project Western Segment and Authorization to Publish a Notice Inviting Bids; and (2) Adoption of a Resolution Granting California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Exemptions to the Modified MOVE Culver City – Downtown Corridor Pilot Project and Certifying the Project Will Be Completed Using a Skilled and Trained Workforce.”
As presented by staff at the meeting, City Council directions following a meeting on April 24 were to: “Create a shared bus, bike, and emergency vehicle lane throughout the project corridor and add a second general purpose lane, where it is feasible and needed to enhance the capacity of general-purpose vehicle traffic; ??Extend the shared bus/ bike lanes to Washington/Fairfax; Install bike lanes on Adams Blvd between Washington and Fairfax to close the gap to the City of Los Angeles’s bike lanes on Adams.”
Public opinion was split, with some declaring a shared bus/bike lane to be a safety hazard, while others saying that the extra car lane is necessary to avoid gridlock.
Knowing which way the vote was going to go, Vice Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin was visibly emotional as she stated that the modifications are “heartbreaking.”
Council Member Freddy Puza said that this shouldn’t be rushed, while Council Member Dan O’Brien said that local business owners are crying out for changes.
Ultimately, the vote was 3-2 in favor of the modifications and staff will move forward with adding: “Bike boxes at 7 locations along the corridor; Bike Buddy signals added to enhance visibility at Culver/Washington/Watseka and Washington/Ince; Continental crosswalks in Downtown and at strategic locations throughout the corridor.”