LA County Board of Supervisors Fast-Track Approval of $21.5 Million Federal Grant to Fund Traffic Safety Improvement Project in Florence-Firestone

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, representing the Second District to accelerate $21.5 million in Federal grant funding for the Florence-Firestone for All project to create safer streets, improve infrastructure, and enhance the overall quality of life for the over 64,000 residents of unincorporated Florence-Firestone community.

“With $21.5 million in Federal grant funding allocated to the Florence-Firestone for All project, we’re not just improving infrastructure, we’re saving lives. Florence-Firestone faces alarming rates of fatal and severe injury traffic collisions, disproportionately impacting our pedestrians. By accelerating these vital resources, we’re not just envisioning a safer future – we’re actively building it,” said Supervisor Mitchell.

Florence-Firestone has some of the highest rates of fatal and severe injury traffic collisions throughout Los Angeles County. Pedestrians in the community are involved in nearly 36% of these incidents, compared to 20% in the wider unincorporated County overall. Every major street in Florence-Firestone is identified as a Collision Concentration Corridor, with Firestone Boulevard, Alameda Street, and 92^nd Street ranking in the top 20 within the County’s Vision Zero Action Plan.

The $21.5 million grant funding will support traffic safety improvement projects, including:

• Designing and constructing proven safety countermeasures along the top three Collision Concentration Corridors
•  Launching a Safe Routes for Seniors Program
• Providing teen-focused traffic safety engagement to prevent distracted and impaired driving and discourage street racing
• Implementing demonstration projects to obtain community feedback and buy-in on roadway reconfigurations
• Conducting arts and culture engagement with community members to develop strategies for safer streets through incorporating art into infrastructure

The motion today directs several actions related to the Florence-Firestone for All: Achieving Vision Zero in South Los Angeles project. These actions include finding the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), authorizing the Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW) to file a Notice of Exemption for the proposed project, accepting grant funds of up to $21.5 million from the United States Department of Transportation for the project, along with potential future grants of up to $35 million per cycle under the Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

To read the full motion, click here.