Controversial Approval of New LA Digital Billboards

December 18th Update:

City Council approved for all 80 digital billboards to be built and owned by Metro. An article from mynewsla, it states that “Council members voted 10-4 to amend city law to establish the Transportation Communication Network, a Metro program that will establish a network of transportation communication structures and digital displays, equipped with intelligent technology components.”

December 9th Update:

Los Angeles is set to undergo its largest billboard expansion in almost two decades. A recent article by the LA Times, it discusses how 71 digital billboards were approved for installation above freeways and boulevards by the City Council.

Despite opposition from numerous neighborhood groups, the billboards, owned by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, will be built. Advocacy groups argue against the commercialization of public spaces, predicting harm to the visual environment, wildlife, and an increase in accidents. Supporters, including city and county officials, emphasize the revenue generation and traffic alert capabilities of the billboards, which are expected to predominantly display ads. The city and county will share revenues, projected to reach $300 million to $500 million over 20 years, with the potential removal of up to 300 non-digital billboards. The plan faces a second vote, and critics, such as Scenic America, seek to challenge it, citing concerns about transparency and financial aspects. The original proposal for 93 billboards was scaled back during the approval process.