Venice Blvd in Palms

IMAGE

1

Venice Blvd, to me, offers the most complete representation of Los Angeles and its residents. It passes through very diverse communities that are all in different stages of growth and development. In particular, the stretch along Culver City and Palms contains a United Nations-like collection of ethnic restaurants and shops. In a one-mile stretch, you can dine on Indian thali, Brazilian pizza, Thai bbq, Middle Eastern kebobs, Tibetan momos, Vietnamese pho, Central American pupusas, Cuban from Versailles...not to mention the LA staples from Mexico, Italy, and China.

In addition, the boulevard represents many of the debates we Angelenos are having about the shape our city is to take in the future. There is a great mix of low-density, single family homes with larger apartment complexes. And the roadway itself illustrates the current discussions we are having over "who" has a right to the street. Their are bike lanes for much of its length, but they are in poor condition. And the six lanes for automobiles are like a freeway, scaring many away from riding a bike. The wide boulevard is intimidating to cross on foot. In short, Venice Boulevard offers some signs that it will represent the masses of Angelenos in a fair way and offer safe mobility opportunities, but it is far from complete. If we can improve Venice Blvd significantly, it will be a major example for the rest of the city to follow.