Kristopher Fortin
Streetsblog California contributor, covering news in Orange County.
Recent Posts
Garden Grove, Anaheim Residents Envision Pedestrian Friendly Cities
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As 16-year-old Alexandra Retana walked up to the podium during last week’s Anaheim City Council meeting’s public comment period, she took a breath to calm herself. It was her first time speaking to council. Dressed formally and perfectly groomed, she still felt nervous as she readied herself to speak. “It was scary because they are so […]
Anaheim Bike Plan Aims to Add 120 Miles for Bikes: Open for Comments
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The City of Anaheim released its draft Bicycle Master Plan on August 1 and is looking for public feedback. The plan proposes to add 120 miles of additional bike facilities to the city, which would triple currently existing infrastructure. “We’re trying to make the most complete bike network,” said Jaime Lai, transit manager for Anaheim. […]
Voices from the OCTA Active Transportation Leadership Program
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Last week, I stopped by Garden Grove’s and Anaheim’s third Active Transportation Leadership Program workshops to meet some of the attendees. The third workshop invited staff from each city, from Orange County Transportation Authority, Southern California Association of Governments, and from Caltrans to present their sector’s work in forwarding active transportation initiatives. Though the presentations […]
Orange County Trains Active Transportation Leaders
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Funding transportation projects in California is a complex and arcane process involving many players, including state and federal agencies, regional planning authorities, and local cities and counties. It usually comes with strings attached, needing to fulfill requirements of state or federal legislation or of a local sales tax spending plan. A project can start with […]
Active Transportation in Santa Ana: Q&A with Michele Martinez
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Michele Martinez, a City Council member for the City of Santa Ana, says she’s an avid cyclist, but she doesn’t ride on city roads. After being hit twice by automobiles while riding in Santa Ana, she would rather load her bike in her car and take it to the Santa Ana River trail than ride […]
Pacoima2050: Party at the Plaza, Envisioning the Community’s Future
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James Rojas brought his interactive planning workshop to Pacoima at a pop-up plaza event on April 19. Bradley Avenue was blocked off for the morning and early afternoon between Van Nuys Boulevard and the alleyway adjacent to the San Fernando Gardens housing. Volunteers decorated the wall of a nearby flower shop, Bikesanas del Valle bicycle cooperative […]
How Do You Taint A Block Party? Lobby For A Freeway!
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For most people who live in Alhambra, the pedestrian is a second rate participant on the city’s roads. Car dealerships line Main Street in the north, wide four lane streets run along Valley. So, to see Alhambra close one of the busiest north-south arteries in the city from 11 am to 2 pm on a […]
Mexico Meets Eastside: Ruminations on Buses, Metro, Bicycles and Swap Meets
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It’s a copout to compare my travels in Mexico and Guatemala to anything on the Eastside. But, I can’t help it. It’s one of the biggest things on my mind the entire time. Every time I saw a bicycle in Mexico City selling flowers, or taking water canisters to businesses, I would think of the […]
Boyle Heights Meets Mexico: BH Resident Finds Her Mettle in Guadalajara Through Bike Pettles
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After riding a couple blocks from her home, Bianca Uli Estrada dismounts her bicycle and walks on an unpaved, rocky sidewalk with light posts that split it down the middle. The 26-year-old Estrada feels the wind of oncoming cars and buses as she stops to let pedestrians pass. Earlier this year, a bus smashed and […]
ELACC Scores $100,000 from L.A. 2050 to Make Life Better for Street Vendors
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Recently, a program directed to aid street vendors was awarded $100,000 as a part of the LA2050 contest. East Los Angeles Community Corporation and Leadership for Urban Renewal Now’s proposed a program that will bridge the gap between brick and mortar businesses and street vendors, and a venture capital fund for street vendors. “As a […]
LAPD Threatens Closure of Painted Alleyway to Public Events Lacking Permits
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“Necesitamos apoyo para casa de Teresita Alfaro, la policia esta alla hostigando. Puedes venir? Callejon atras de Whittier Blvd y Matthews (Street)” I was leaving to Mexico City in two days, and I get this message at 4 pm Saturday, April 13. The Los Angeles Police Department officers stopped by the party and told the group […]
CaminArte, Eastside Art Walk, Returns to Mariachi Plaza on May 10
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After a seven month hiatus, Merkado Negro announced last week that CaminArte, the Eastside art walk, will return to Mariachi Plaza on May 10. “It’s back,” said Nico Avina, co-founder of Merkado Negro arts collective. CaminArte, a collaboration between Merkado Negro and the Boyle Heights farmers market, is a play on Spanish words of caminar, […]