Traci Park and Hydee Feldstein-Soto Stall Safe Streets Implementation

Los Angeles voters spoke loud and clear when they overwhelmingly passed Measure HLA, a landmark initiative mandating the city to integrate safe streets infrastructure, including bus lanes, bike lanes, and pedestrian improvements, into road projects. The message was clear: Angelenos want safer, multimodal streets that prioritize people over cars. Yet, despite this landslide victory, Councilmember Traci Park and her allies—including City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto—are working behind the scenes to weaken and delay its implementation.

Traci Park’s Anti-Safe Streets Agenda

Park, who has consistently aligned with car-centric interests, attempted to defeat Measure HLA, claiming that safe street infrastructure would negatively impact drivers. But the electorate rejected her fearmongering and voted decisively for a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly city. Despite this, she continues to oppose the necessary reforms, making excuses for why HLA-related projects remain stalled.

Over the past ten months, despite the legal mandate, only a single tiny HLA project has been implemented. The city’s Bureau of Street Services has largely put the measure on hold, failing to integrate bike and pedestrian improvements into street work. This inaction is not accidental; it is part of a broader effort to resist the shift towards a safer, more sustainable Los Angeles.

City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s Role in Sabotaging HLA

Park’s ally in this obstruction is City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, who is responsible for drafting the implementation ordinance for HLA. Rather than creating a strong, clear framework for executing the measure as voters intended, she has inserted multiple loopholes designed to water it down. The proposed ordinance:

• Introduces unnecessary opt-out provisions that could allow city departments to dodge their obligations.
  
• Creates an additional appeals process that could delay projects for months, if not years.
  
• Codifies outdated outreach standards that favor drivers over pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.

By dragging out this process, Feldstein Soto is directly contravening her responsibility to carry out the will of the people. Angelenos voted for safe streets, not for bureaucratic delays and legal loopholes.

Park and Feldstein Soto’s attempts to subvert Measure HLA are part of a broader pattern of resistance to progressive policies that prioritize public safety, sustainability, and mobility equity. Their actions demonstrate a fundamental disregard for the democratic process and the urgent need for change in Los Angeles’ leadership.

With the 2026 election on the horizon, it is imperative to replace both Traci Park and Hydee Feldstein Soto with leaders who will respect the will of the people and take decisive action to make our streets safer. The overwhelming support for Measure HLA proves that Los Angeles is ready for a future where walking, biking, and public transit are viable, safe options. It’s time for elected officials who will actually deliver on that vision.

What’s Next for Measure HLA?

On Wednesday, February 12, the City Council’s Transportation and Public Works Committees will formally discuss the next steps for implementing Measure HLA. Safe streets advocates must continue to show up and demand accountability. 
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