Transit Rooted in Cultural and Economic Development

Public transit

Applying a proven solution to a new issue or sector (using an existing model, tool, resource, strategy, etc. for a new purpose)

Los Angeles’ Vermont Avenue Corridor serves 35,000 daily bus riders along its 12.4-mile stretch but lacks dedicated lanes and other bus rapid transit (BRT) features, causing inefficiency. Implementing BRT could reduce travel time by 10-25% and transport up to 8,000 riders hourly. The rider demographic profile shows 84% lack access to a car, over 60% live below the poverty line, 66% use Metro five days per week, and 50% do not transfer, indicating they live or work locally. Predominantly composed of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (58% Latinx), the Corridor includes diverse communities like Little Armenia, Koreatown, and Historic Filipinotown. BRT addresses challenges like slow transit speeds, delays, and poor pedestrian access while providing opportunities for transit efficiency, safety improvements, local economic growth, and infrastructure enhancement; However, to ensure success, the Vermont Corridor BRT design must reflect the input of the diverse communities it will serve.

By involving stakeholders who live, work, study, worship, and play along Vermont Avenue, we aim to develop a BRT design that enhances safety, accessibility, and community identity. Community members will be empowered as subject-matter experts; their voices will shape the future of transportation along Vermont Avenue and the County.
Our project aims to engage legacy businesses along the Vermont Corridor to secure their support for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. We will identify and survey these businesses to inform them about BRT, understand their perspectives, highlight co-benefits, and address any concerns through collaborative solutions. We will capture at least 4 business owner’s stories, history, and reasons for supporting the BRT via filmed interviews. Simultaneously, we will survey transit riders and community members to create transit amenity designs that reflect business and community needs. Renderings will integrate amenities with existing businesses and riders’ daily experiences. All surveys, feedback, renderings, and interviews will be shared online and via social media. We will collaborate with partner businesses to host an “Activation Day” showcasing the filmed interviews and renderings. This allows community members to share additional feedback to refine designs. Insights gathered from these engagements will be compiled and shared with the Metro BRT team, local City Council offices, and other stakeholders to inform decision-making and BRT implementation.

Implementing the Vermont Corridor BRT will upgrade local transit infrastructure with county-wide impacts. These improvements will reduce congestion and emissions, promote sustainable urban development, and create more livable, walkable communities. BRT will also offer faster, more reliable access to employment, education, healthcare, and cultural amenities, significantly enhancing the quality of life for Corridor residents and the broader community.
Our project prioritizes the need for inclusive community engagement that ensures the BRT design reflects the needs and priorities of diverse local communities. It will be a scalable model for community-driven BRT designs, not only for Vermont Avenue but also for other vital transit routes across LA County. This initiative shows how collaborative efforts with business and community leaders can ensure equitable access to high-quality public transportation, particularly benefiting vulnerable populations reliant on transit for daily needs.

Our project measures impact through comprehensive engagement. We will iterate on past bus shelter renderings with legacy business leaders’ input to produce visualizations of station amenities rooted in community context.
We will leverage prior engagement results from LA Metro, as well as ACT-LA’s advocacy for a dedicated bus lane without displacement and immediate improvements to bus service reliability and frequency. Ongoing online surveys and feedback processes will track community needs/satisfaction to measure our impact.
On-the-ground outreach with businesses will build BRT support, address community concerns, and help jurisdictions establish a community-driven BRT design celebrating Vermont Avenue’s cultural vibrancy. Collaboration with local government will secure the necessary support, policy changes, and funding for sustained BRT development. By integrating community feedback in every phase, we aim to create a replicable model for community-driven transit planning in LA County.