Grading resumed in Potrero Park in December 2018.
Potrero, Traffic Homelessness: Symptoms of Money Ill-Spent
Whether you are a resident of Pacific Palisades and live next to the under-construction Potrero Canyon Park or elsewhere in the city, this mangled project dating back over 30 years should concern you.
I vividly recall the original story telling us how we needed a riparian habitat (I had to look that up in the dictionary) wending its way from the Recreation Center to the ocean, a Zen vision that all would soon enjoy and for a petty sum of just a few million dollars.
As the first target date came and went along with lost millions, who knew that this would be the first of many missed targets and untold millions of $$$? Easily tens of millions spreading far into the next century.
Every Los Angeleno should be concerned because it’s not just this project that has gone awry but during this same period the whole fabric of our LA society seems to be unraveling.
Traffic gets worse by the day, streets and sidewalks are a disaster, trees can’t be trimmed and HOMELESSNESS has the look of a third- world country. We have become the laughing stock of the country.
Our politicians just say don’t worry about a thing, just give us more money, higher sales taxes and ever more bond approvals and all will soon be well.
The incompetence of our politicians from the Mayor, Councilman and Supervisors and the departments they oversee becomes so evident when one looks at the Potrero project in detail. How can intelligent, competent leaders let this happen? I’m sure you can all come up with answers, none of which are very flattering.
If Mr. Halper can’t get this straightened out in short order, perhaps he needs to step down and perhaps the contractor should be fired and/or sued. Where are the City Attorney and the Controller?
If you can’t solve such a relatively localized and simplistic project like Potrero, how in anyone’s imagination are you going to solve the homeless issue? Oh yes, please give us a few billion $$ and then……all will be well.
Fellow citizens, it’s time to wake up and clean house.
Paul Glasgall
Pacific Palisades/Brentwood
(Editor’s note: We’ve found Joe Halper, who serves in a voluntary capacity as an L.A. Recreation and Parks Commissioner, to be helpful and knowledgeable and always asking questions of elected officials. He’s a savvy volunteer. Maybe Rec and Parks Director Michael Shull or Councilman Mike Bonin or Public Works President Kevin James (who oversees the Bureau of Engineering) would be the place to start. L.A. City Controller Ron Galperin should also be aware of Potrero cost overruns.
Public Transportation Options
(Editor’s note: In reference to Clean Air Day on October 2, I wrote how long it would take me to take public transportation to reach a weekday meeting Glendale. Gisela and I both share a love of the Big Blue Bus #9.)
I am so glad to see this public transportation report. Having lived in Manhattan for many years of convenient bus riding, I would like people to know more about the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus system options.
As you point out, the additional time it takes versus driving is significant. Unfortunately, the wonderful Rapid 10 Express to downtown, all the way to Union Station, no longer runs all day long, only during rush hours.
That was my favorite, but the #9 to Santa Monica via Santa Monica Canyon is also appreciated and seems to be empty most of the day in its Palisades runs. The Metro is downright pokey, stops are far apart, and the ticket machines are a challenge.
Gisela Moriarty
Big Blue Bus maps, schedules and information, including the time a bus is due at a specific stop, are available at bigbluebus.com and by phone at 310.451.5444.
Gisela,
Thanks. I’ll see you on the bus! My only problem with the BBB#9 is it stops running around 9 p.m. If only we could get more people to take the bus maybe the schedule could expand to later on Friday and Saturday.
Sue