California Dreaming: Reimagining LA’s Roadways

California Dreaming: Reimagining LA’s Roadways

This is a virtual event. Zoom log-in information will be emailed to registrants 24 hours in advance from events@aialosangeles.org. If you do not receive a confirmation 24 hours prior to the event, please email events@aialosangeles.org.

AIALA Committee: Urban Design

Program Update: In addition to experts from Caltrans and Arup, Andres Ramirez, Executive Director of Executive Director of People for Mobility Justice, who also on LA County Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Policy Advisory Council, and more will participate.

For nearly a century, the freeways of Los Angeles symbolized the California dream. However, the history of road building through communities was more sinister, today over 50% of the land area is devoted to asphalt, and many Angelenos spend hours in traffic. On the other hand, during the pandemic, many neighborhoods took advantage of the temporary traffic reductions to reconsider the use of their streets and put in quick-build solutions supporting local businesses and socially-distant interaction. How can LA build upon these pilots to make them permanent? Leveraging new federal infrastructure dollars, how can we learn from a painful past and reconsider roadways design to facilitate socially just regeneration? As urban designers, how can we equip cities with the tools to quickly deliver public realm infrastructure improvements?

Presenters:

Paul Moore, Principal Planning, Arup Los Angeles

Kate White – Planning Policy Practice Leader, Arup San Francisco
Kate White, MPA, is Planning Policy Practice Leader in Arup’s San Francisco office, where she works with public and private sectors in delivering on ambitious mobility, climate and sustainable development goals. Arup is a global independent firm of engineers, planners, and technical specialists working across the built environment. In Ms. White’s 25 years in the sustainable mobility and development fields, she has championed innovative public policy and programs. As a California Governor Jerry Brown appointee, Ms. White served as Deputy Secretary for Environmental Policy at the California State Transportation Agency, where she worked with state, regional, and local agencies to advance sustainable growth and climate policies. Ms. White is a social entrepreneur, launching mission-driven initiatives, including serving as the first director of the ULI Bay Area chapter and founding San Francisco’s first car-sharing service. Kate received her BA in Politics from Oberlin, and her MA in Public Administration from SFSU.

Jeanie Ward-Waller – Deputy Director of Planning and Modal Programs, Caltrans
Jeanie Ward-Waller was appointed Deputy Director of Planning and Modal Programs on January 24, 2020. She oversees the Divisions of Aeronautics, Local Assistance, Transportation Planning, Rail and Mass Transportation, and Research, Innovation, and System Information. Jeanie has served as Acting District 2 Director and provided leadership as Caltrans’ Sustainability Program Manager in the Director’s Office where she led the growth of the Sustainability Program in implementing new initiatives across the Department. Before joining Caltrans, Jeanie worked for over a decade in the private sector as a structural engineer and in the non-profit sector as policy director for two transportation organizations—the California Bicycle Coalition and the Safe Routes Partnership. As a structural engineer, she managed design and construction oversight on large-scale building projects, including a 40-story tower in downtown Boston. In each of her roles, Jeanie has built trusted partnerships with diverse stakeholders across government, non-profit, academic, and private sectors to develop creative solutions, advance policy change, and effectively implement new programs. Jeanie has a master’s degree in Engineering for Sustainable Development from the University of Cambridge and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at Brown University. She is a licensed Civil Engineer in California and Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) accredited professional.

Andres Ramirez – Executive Director of People for Mobility Justice
Andres Ramirez has over 15 years of experience advocating for Equity in BIPOC communities through community organizing and policy advocacy. Andres has a diverse policy expertise and a keen understanding of the strengths and needs of BIPOC communities. He serves as the Executive Director of People for Mobility Justice. He also serves on LA County Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Policy Advisory Council, the Public Utilities Commission Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group, and the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Advisory Council.

Andres Ramirez was born and raised in Southeast Los Angeles as a first generation child to Salvadoran immigrant parents. Ramirez has spent the last twelve years organizing and movement building in every corner of the Los Angeles County. He has led multiple advocacy and organizing efforts assuring that land use, transportation, housing, and environmental policies are developed and implemented equitably. Some of the successful efforts he has led include: Free Lots Angeles, CicLAvia South LA, CicLAvia Southeast Cities, Crenshaw Street Beats (Great Streets), and the methane leak mitigation at Valley Generating Station.