Open Street Events in LA County are at Risk: We Need Your Voice by 5pm Wednesday July 22

Metro is about to quietly end future funding for open street events. You can stop it, but only if you act by Wednesday, July 22, at 5pm.

Why it matters:

Open street events are for everyone. Cutting funding doesn’t just put organizations like CicLAvia and open streets programs like ActiveSGV’s 626 Golden Streets/Active Streets at real risk. It erases opportunities for communities that don’t otherwise get this kind of social infrastructure investment.

What happened:

Last week, Metro’s Planning and Programming Committee voted 4-1 to approve a report that guts open street events. Supervisor Horvath cast the lone dissenting vote.  

What the report does:

Leaves large-scale open street events unfunded through the start of the 2028 Olympics (leaving all of 2027 and the first half of 2028 unfunded)Delays any decision on a permanent program until after the 2028 OlympicsPuts open street organizations like CicLAvia and open streets programs like ActiveSGV’s 626 Golden Streets/Active Streets at real risk

The report is now headed to the full Metro Board meeting for a final vote on Thursday, July 23, at 10am. It is on the consent agenda as item #13 on page 14. This means it gets approved automatically, with zero discussion—unless a Board member pulls it. We need to make them pull it.

The bigger picture:

Metro spent over a decade building this movement; turning a bold experiment into a proven regional model that’s gotten hundreds of thousands of people onto transit, bikes, and their own two feet. 

Walking away now doesn’t just cut a program. It walks back one of Metro’s best tools for building a transit-riding, multi-modal region, right as the world’s eyes turn to LA for the Olympics.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Submit written comments via email by 5pm Wednesday, July 22, and / or give public testimony in-person or via phone at 10am Thursday, July 23.

Tell the Board:

Fund open street events through 2027 and into 2028, don’t push the decision down the road.Find a creative solution now, don’t shut down the conversation for 2+ years until after the Olympics.Protect the 4+ mile, multi-neighborhood format that makes these events impactful.Make the open street events program permanent, not a grant line fighting for survival every cycle.

We’ve written an example for you to easily copy and paste.

SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENT BY 5PM WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 

Email: [email protected] 

Subject: AGAINST Agenda Item #13, File 2026-0432 — Open and Slow Streets Grant Program Update – Please Pull from Consent Agenda 

Dear Metro Board Members,

My name is [Your Name], a resident of [Your City/Neighborhood]. I’m asking you to pull Agenda Item #13 (File 2026-0432) from the consent agenda for full discussion.

As written, the staff report leaves large-scale open street events unfunded through 2027 and the first half of 2028 and punts any permanent program decision until after the 2028 Olympics. 

This puts open street organizations like CicLAvia and open streets programs like ActiveSGV’s 626 Golden Streets/Active Streets at real risk. These events matter far beyond the region’s biggest cities. Smaller cities use them to bring safe walking, biking, and transit access to neighborhoods that otherwise see little investment in active transportation infrastructure.

Metro built this movement over the last decade. Walking it back now undercuts Metro’s own ridership and multi-modal goals, right as the region prepares to host the world for the Olympics. 

I’m asking the Board to:

Direct staff to find a creative funding solution to keep open street events running now, rather than shutting down the conversation until after the Olympics. A gap of more than two years before this is even revisited is unacceptable and puts the program’s survival at riskFund open street events through 2027 and into 2028—don’t delay the decision.Make open street events a permanent, dedicated program, not a grant line competing for survival each cycle.Protect the multi-neighborhood, 4+ mile format that has made open street events successful in the region.

Please pull this item from consent.

Thank you for your consideration,

[Your Name]

GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON OR ON-THE-PHONE 

Metro’s Full Board Meeting on Thursday, July 23 at 10am  

The consent item will be the first agenda item, so you will need to be ready to make public comment at 10am on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

Live Public Comment Instructions: 

Live public comment can be given by telephone or in-person.The meeting begins at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on July 23, 2026; you may join the call 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.Dial-in: 888-978-8818 and enterEnglish Access Code: 5647249#Spanish Access Code: 7292892#Public comment will be taken as the Board takes up each item. To give public comment on an item, enter #2 (pound-two) when prompted. 

Sample Script (make it your own)

My name is [Your Name], a resident of [Your City/Neighborhood]. I’m asking you to pull Agenda Item #13 (File 2026-0432) from the consent agenda for full discussion.Metro built this movement over the last decade. Walking it back now undercuts Metro’s own ridership and multi-modal goals, right as the region prepares to host the world for the Olympics.Open street events are for everyone. Cutting funding doesn’t just shrink events. It erases opportunities for communities that don’t otherwise get this kind of infrastructure investment.I’m asking the Board to please pull this item from consent.

Please note that the live video feed lags about 30 seconds behind the actual meeting. There is no lag on the public comment dial-in line.