Rosewood STEM Magnet Principal Linda Crowder, left, chief deputy city engineer Deborah Weintraub, Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, former Mid City West chair Scott Epstein, LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo and Rachel Sherman, of LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin’s office shoveled ceremonial dirt.  (photo by Edwin Folven)

Los Angeles city leaders and members of the Mid City West community broke ground on July 15 on a new street improvement project along 4.5-miles of Rosewood and Formosa avenues and Orange Drive. 

The Mid City Greenway project includes a two-block protected bike lane on Rosewood Avenue, concrete curb extensions at certain intersections, two traffic circles, three “bike-friendly” signals known as TOUCANs that allow cyclists and pedestrians to cross while cars are stopped, one dedicated bike signal, painted “bike boxes” at intersections designating areas for cyclists to wait for signals, 30 continental crosswalks and a traffic diverter at Rosewood and Sweetzer avenues. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation project is anticipated to cost $5.5 million and is paid for through a combination of grants and approximately $500,000 in city funding. 

“The Mid City Greenway that we break ground on today is a result of a partnership with residents and businesses in the communities of Beverly Grove, Fairfax and Hollywood to deliver safer, calmer streets and calmer neighborhoods,” LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo said. “We’ve heard your concerns about how cut through traffic from major corridors is spilling over onto residential streets with speeds and driving patterns that have no place in communities where children walk and families congregate.” 

“This is a project that came together through input from a lot of people. From Beverly Grove to Fairfax to Hollywood, neighbors told us what they needed and today that work starts to take shape,” Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, 5th District, said. “We’re adding traffic diverters to slow down cut through traffic. We’re adding traffic circles and curb extensions to help people cross the street more safely. These are design changes that help make our streets safer without relying on enforcement. We’re building infrastructure that puts people first.” 

The improvements are anticipated to be complete by fall 2026. The streetscape features will be installed on Rosewood Avenue between La Cienega Boulevard and La Brea Avenue; on Formosa Avenue between Willoughby Avenue and Second Street; and on Orange Drive between Hollywood Boulevard and Willoughby Avenue. For information and map of improvement locations, visit ladotlivablestreets.org/projects/mid-city-neighborhood-greenways. 

The project will include curb extensions near Rosewood STEM Magnet, making it easier for people to cross at intersections along the south side of the school. 

“I’m very excited. It’s been a very long time,” said Rosewood STEM Magnet Principal Linda Crowder, who is also advocating for speed bumps on Rosewood Avenue. “Safety first. [We’re] looking and getting things, getting the speed humps and just ensuring student safety. I do have kids that come on bicycles, kids that walk, kids that get dropped off by bus. It’s just important to make it as safe as possible for everybody.” 

The project was conceived more than a decade ago by then-Mid City West Neighborhood Council chair Scott Epstein, who lobbied the city and worked to get it implemented. Epstein said on July 15 that he is happy to see the project finally coming to fruition. 

“It’s super exciting. It’s been a dozen years since we came up with the idea for this project,” Epstein said. “I’m certainly thrilled that we’re getting to this. It has been a labor of love for the community and for many folks that have been involved.”