Braude, Panel Reach Accord on Shuttle
City Councilman Marvin Braude has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation that will allow the new Smart Shuttle service to stop at Van Nuys Civic Center.
“When I saw the final version of the Smart Shuttle routes, I was shocked that such a high-traffic area as the Civic Center was not considered relevant to the success of this study,” Braude said this week. “It fit all the criteria to justify its inclusion, yet somehow it was overlooked by the consultants who prepared the final recommendation.”
Approved by the council in July, the experimental transit program is scheduled to start in the fall in four areas: West Valley, northeast Valley, South-Central and MacArthur Park.
Vans of various sizes and even some taxis summoned by telephone will take riders to mass-transit systems like MetroLink and high-density areas such as Warner Center. If it works, the program will become a self-sufficient, privately run enterprise. Fares have not been determined.
In addition to getting people to Van Nuys Civic Center, Braude wants that area renovated, using a combination of public and private money.
“The people of the San Fernando Valley need an accessible and attractive location to conduct government business,” he said.
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