“This venture has the potential to be a key driver of jobs in L.A., and to knit together the fabric of our transportation systems as a low-noise, all electric, accessible and affordable option for getting around,” Garcetti said in prepared remarks.
The Innovation Zone, located at the Warner Center in the West San Fernando Valley, will be an “urban proving ground” to support businesses in testing efforts and provide new mobility options for the area, according to the mayor.
The project follows on the heels of the Urban Movement Labs initiative launched during last year’s CoMotion LA conference, which has since taken on reimagining the FlyAway shuttle program connecting riders from the downtown Union Station to Los Angeles International Airport.
Garcetti called the Urban Movement Labs a “ground-breaking public-private partnership that matches our toughest problems with innovative solutions sourced from around the world, and tested right here in L.A.”
The Labs, a nonprofit, is part of Garcetti’s larger vision of a “safe, sustainable, multimodal transportation system” in the city.
“L.A. is at the forefront of the mobility revolution in our country and across the globe,” said Lilly Shoup, interim executive director of Urban Movement Labs, in a statement, adding that the Labs “accelerates transportation solutions, and the Open Mobility Foundation, which gives policymakers the digital tools they need to govern emerging mobility.”
Los Angeles — with its legendary traffic and vehicle-generated pollution — has positioned itself as a leader in transportation innovation, with plans to rapidly ramp up the use of electric buses, expanded passenger rail offerings and electrify the massive shipping ports complex.
“If you have a big idea that has the power to change how people experience mobility in L.A. and beyond, if you have an innovative idea about how to move us closer to our climate goals, create jobs and inspire a new diverse generation of mobility leaders, try it here. Test it in Los Angeles,” said Garcetti.
