Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In

The Novel Coronavirus has ravaged L.A.’s Black, brown, and immigrant communities, with higher levels of unemployment, higher rates of infection and death, and fewer resources and policies to support their recovery, all while many of the remaining jobs in these communities are considered essential. Many unable to work from home, dependent on depleted transit services, and at high risk for contracting and suffering from the virus, folks in our Black and brown communities deserve much, much better.

In the midst of this, L.A. is also having to rethink how it uses its public space, in order that local businesses can operate outdoors, while their indoors remain shuttered or severely constrained. And while L.A. is working to ensure patrons of these businesses can safely return, the city is not doing nearly enough for the employees of these businesses--particularly the lower-income Black, brown, and immigrant Angelenos that comprise L.A.'s core bus ridership--to use transit safely and with dignity.

Case in point: L.A.’s “Al Fresco” program allows restaurants to expand dining areas into sidewalks, parking lanes, and driving lanes; however, no similar actions have been taken to expand bus stops, which are often cramped on what limited sidewalk space remains. While transit ridership has dropped everywhere across the country since March, the drop in bus ridership in L.A. has been less than every other large city, which tells us many Angelenos continue to rely on this vital service. Bus ridership is now more than half of what it was before the pandemic, and continuing to increase.

Bus bulb-out in Pittsburgh
Snap-in-place plastic bus bulb-out in Pittsburgh - more examples at SBUSA. Photo: Zicla
false

Los Angeles Walks believes L.A. must do more for its transit riders, by applying a similar approach to its bus stops as has already done for our businesses. To this end, temporary platforms that extend bus stop waiting areas into the roadway should be deployed to provide additional space to support social distancing for transit patrons at the city’s busiest bus stops.

Platform extensions would also provide additional benefits to transit patrons. For starters, they would eliminate the need for buses to pull into and out of driving lanes, thus improving bus travel times and reliability. They enable safer boarding and alighting for disabled and elderly passengers, and they could be outfitted with seating that is so often lacking from L.A.’s typically sparse bus stops. Finally, real shade at bus stops--not just half-umbrellas--is owed to these essential workers who continue to stock grocery store shelves, staff local restaurants, and prepare goods we all consume, and platform extensions would provide space for shade.

It is great that Angelenos are rethinking our relationship to public space, to reclaim some of it for the businesses that support our local economy and employ thousands. It’s time that we applied the same energy to the safety and well-being of our essential workers, who deserve every possible resource. These workers are making sure we have the food and supplies we need to survive a pandemic; they deserve to be able to travel as safely and efficiently as possible.

Luke H. Klipp is a member of Los Angeles Walks' Advisory Board, where he serves as Policy and Advocacy Chair. Los Angeles Walks is L.A.'s leading pedestrian advocacy organization.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Wednesday’s Headlines

A larger than usual headlines stack as we careen towards the 4th of July.

July 2, 2025

Inner Richmond Parents Fed Up with SFMTA Watering Down Safety

Mother of a child hit by a driver furious with city excuses for not taking daylighting and other safety measures seriously.

July 2, 2025

Governor Signs Major Changes to CEQA to Cheers from YIMBYs, Jeers from Environmental Groups

Newsom fast tracked changes to CEQA to fast track development and housing. But what do the changes to the law actually do?

July 1, 2025

Santa Monica and West Hollywood Bus Lane/Stop Enforcement Programs Start Today

Don't block the bus! Parking in a bus lane or at a bus stop will result in a $293 ticket.

July 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines

Gov Signs CEQA Bill to Increase Housing, Higher Fees on Parking and Tolls, Opposition to Road Widenings, ICE

July 1, 2025
See all posts