Today Bikas posts a few more Nightingale Middle School letters to Los Angeles City Councilmember Ed Reyes. Bikas is working with NMS students who want the city of Los Angeles to implement the already-approved bike lanes on Cypress Avenue and Avenue 28. See earlier posts for background, letters, and video on this campaign. LADOT has commented here that the lanes will be done “sometime next fiscal year” – so Bikas and NMS students will be keeping the pressure on until we see the promised new bike lanes on the ground.
These letters are a chilling. It’s really clear that L.A.’s prioritizing of cars and car speed have injurious impacts on L.A.’s youth.
Letter from Julissa to City Councilmember Ed Reyes
Here’s the transcript so it’s searchable:
Dear Honorable Councilmember Ed Reyes
Hello my name is Julissa I am a 7th grader at Nightingale Middle School. I am going to talk about getting bike lanes and why they are important. The LA City Bike Plan of 2010 states that bicycle lanes of Avenue 28 and Cypress Ave will be created.
Well one day my cousin was crossing the street on his bike. It was his turn to cross and a car hit him and he flew away. I chose him because he is my cousin and I felt bad for him.
Sincerely,
Julissa S.
c/o D3 Lab of Nightingale
Another letter:
Letter from Ivy G to City Councilmember Ed Reyes
and here’s the transcript:
Dear Honorable Councilmember Ed Reyes,
Hello my name is Ivy. I am a student at Nightingale Middle School in Cypress Park. I am going to talk about getting bike lanes in front of my school. I am talking about this because my friend got ran over by a car while riding his bike. He was turning on a corner and a car ran over him because the car didn’t see him.
I believe that we should have bike lanes on Ave 28 and Cypress Ave because that way less kids would stop getting hurt.
Sincerely,
Ivy G.
c/o D3 Lab of Nightingale
What’s sad about these letters and about speaking with L.A. youth is just how many of them have firsthand experience of how unsafe L.A. streets really are. Bikas looks forward to the new bike lanes on Avenue 28 and Cypress Avenue… and will work for the day when all of L.A.’s youth, seniors and adults can feel safe on L.A. streets.
B.I.K.A.S. 
May 24th, 2012 → 12:39 am
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