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Tag: vision zero

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Public Participation Social Equity Transportation Finance Uncategorized

Safe Routes to School: A Model for Data-Driven Investment

As Los Angeles County considers a fourth transportation sales tax measure that could generate tens of billions of dollars for transportation investments, it is important to look at examples of how funding can be prioritized based on data, need, and desired outcomes.

One such example is the City of Los Angeles Safe Routes to School Strategic Plan.

Launched by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) in 2012, the plan was designed to improve safety and mobility for students and families while making the most effective use of limited public resources. Rather than distributing funds based on political boundaries, the plan established a citywide prioritization process to identify schools with the greatest need.

The City evaluated more than 500 public schools using criteria that included:

  • Collision rates near schools
  • The number of students living within walking and bicycling distance
  • The percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals
  • Whether the school had previously received Safe Routes to School funding

A critical component of this effort was the City’s partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, which provided data that allowed planners to better understand student travel patterns and needs.

The results demonstrate the value of a data-driven approach. In 2014, LADOT successfully secured more than $20 million through California’s Active Transportation Program to fund safety improvements around nine of the highest-need schools, support education and encouragement programs, and develop school travel plans for the remaining priority schools.

The Safe Routes to School Strategic Plan has also become an important building block for the City’s Vision Zero efforts, providing a framework for using data, safety outcomes, and equity considerations to guide transportation investments.

As Los Angeles County considers future transportation investments, this example offers an important lesson: public funds can be prioritized based on measurable need, clear outcomes, and a shared vision for improving safety, mobility, and public health.

When transportation investments are guided by data and focused on communities with the greatest needs, limited resources can have a greater impact for residents across the region.

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Estolano Advisors

Richard France

Richard France assists clients with strategic planning, visioning, and community and economic development. He is a strategic planner at Estolano Advisors, where he has been involved in a variety of active transportation, transit-oriented development, climate change resiliency, and equitable economic development projects. His work in active transportation includes coordinating a study to improve bike and pedestrian access to transit oriented districts for the County of Los Angeles, and working with the Southern California Association of Governments to host tactical urbanism events throughout the region. Richard also serves as a technical assistance provider for a number of California Climate Investment programs, including the Affordable Housing Sustainable Communities, Transformative Climate Communities, and Low Carbon Transit Operations programs. He has also taught at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. Richard received a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and his M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA.

Accelerator for America, Milken Institute

Matt Horton

Matt Horton is the director of state policy and initiatives for Accelerator for America. He collaborates with government officials, impact investors, and community leaders to shape infrastructure, job creation, and equitable community development efforts. With over fifteen years of experience, Matt has directed research-driven programs and initiatives focusing on housing production, infrastructure finance, access to capital, job creation, and economic development strategies. Previously, he served as the director of the California Center at the Milken Institute, where he produced research and events to support innovative economic policy solutions. Matt also has experience at the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), where he coordinated regional policy development and planning efforts. He holds an MA in political science from California State University, Fullerton, and a BA in history from Azusa Pacific University. Additionally, Matt serves as a Senior Advisor for the Milken Institute and is involved in various advisory boards, including Lift to Rise and WorkingNation.

UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Madeline Brozen

Madeline is the Deputy Director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies at the Luskin School of Public Affairs. She oversees and supports students, staff, and faculty who work on planning and policy issues about how people live, move, and work in the Southern California region. When not supporting the work of the Lewis Center community, Madeline is doing research on the transportation patterns and travel needs of vulnerable populations in LA. Her recent work includes studies of low-income older adults in Westlake, public transit safety among university students, and uncovering the transportation needs of women, and girls in partnership with Los Angeles public agencies. Outside of UCLA, Madeline serves as the vice-chair of the Metro Westside Service Council and enjoys spending time seeing Los Angeles on the bus, on foot, and by bike.

Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

Luis Gutierrez

Luis Gutierrez, works in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, as the Director of Energy & Water in the Office of Energy and Sustainability (MOES), Luis oversees issues related to LA’s transition to clean energy, water infrastructure, and serves as the primary liaison between the Mayor’s Office and the Department of Water and Power. Prior to joining MOES, Luis managed regulatory policy proceedings for Southern California Edison (SCE), focusing on issues related to equity and justice. Before joining SCE, Luis served as the Director of Policy and Research for Inclusive Action for the City, a community development organization dedicated to economic justice in Los Angeles. Luis holds a BA in Sociology and Spanish Literature from Wesleyan University, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cal State LA.

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Kim is a writer, researcher and communications strategist, focused on sustainability, urban resilience and safe streets. Her specialty is taking something complex and making it clear and compelling. Harvard-trained in sustainability, she won a prize for her original research related to urban resilience in heat waves—in which she proposed a method to help cities identify where pedestrians spend a dangerous amount of time in direct sun, so they can plan for more equitable access to shade across a city.

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Jessica Meaney is the founder and executive director of Investing in Place.


She has spent more than two decades working across philanthropy, government, and nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles, focused on how cities care for public space. Jessica holds a BA from Prescott College and a master’s degree in urban sociology from California State University, Los Angeles.


Her background in urban sociology shapes how she understands infrastructure, not simply as physical assets, but as reflections of how cities allocate resources, set priorities, and shape daily life. She examines sidewalks, streets, and parks as interconnected civic systems influenced by governance, finance, and institutional design.


At Investing in Place, Jessica leads research, convenings, and long-term analysis of how Los Angeles manages its public realm. Her work increasingly explores how cities structure and sustain public space systems over time, contributing to broader conversations about public governance and the social life of infrastructure.