Ignoring basic safety principles and widely accepted research on induced demand, Judge Richard L. Fruin, Jr. recently ruled in favor of the City of Culver City in a lawsuit challenging its decision to alter Move Culver City, a 1.3 mile corridor of protected bike and bus lanes in downtown Culver City.
Friends and Families for Move Culver City (FFMCC) first raised concerns and filed a lawsuit challenging the Culver City Council’s plans to remove key safety infrastructure and add a lane of cars along the corridor in the fall of 2023.
Under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) law, governments are obligated to review and mitigate projects that pose environmental risk. Extensive research highlights the negative impacts of roadway widening, which brings more cars, emissions, and traffic violence to roads and the city.
Through their decision-making, both the City and judge ignored these basic facts, supporting a plan that excludes public oversight and input and endangers Culver City visitors and residents.
FFMCC intends to file an appeal. We believe the court erred by failing to consider substantial evidence showing that the Modified MOVE Culver City Project would result in adverse environmental impacts, including human health and safety consequences. Since the City refuses to acknowledge its dangerous decision, we also encourage voters to head to the polls in November 2024 to elect candidates who support safe streets and 21 st Century urbanism and to deny candidates who endanger public safety by removing common-sense (and empirically proven) roadway safety measures.
Friends and Families for Move Culver City
FFMCC was formed in response to the Culver City Council’s 3-2 vote to declare modifications to the MOVE Culver City project exempt from CEQA and to proceed with the removal of protected bike lanes, pedestrian protections and safety measures, to facilitate the addition of vehicle lanes along Washington Blvd and Culver Blvd in Culver City.
