Traffic-snarled LA goes bike-wild with 1,600 miles of lanes
03-03-11, 08:10 PM
#1
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Traffic-snarled LA goes bike-wild with 1,600 miles of lanes
Grist has an article of LA's new bike master plan. And it seems an ambitious undertaking for mayor Villaraigosa. Right now LA has put in 377 miles since the 70s and now the plan is to add 100 miles a year.
https://www.grist.org/article/2011-03...miles-of-lanes
The cab driver who cut off Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa when the mayor was riding his bicycle last year may have done the city a huge favor.
After the incident, in which he fell from his bike and broke his elbow, Villaraigosa started talking a lot more about the importance of bicycles to the city's future.
And on March 2, he signed a kind of astonishing bicycle master plan, which had been unanimously approved by the city council the day before. It calls for the creation of 1,680 miles of interconnected bike lanes in the city where transport has been defined by the automobile for generations. Significantly, this is a network designed not for recreation, but for actual transportation.
The plan, which was created with significant input from the city's well-organized bicycling community, would mean 100 miles per year of new lanes over each of the next five years, and 40 miles a year thereafter. Funding will come, in part, from a half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation upgrades, overwhelmingly approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2008.
After the incident, in which he fell from his bike and broke his elbow, Villaraigosa started talking a lot more about the importance of bicycles to the city's future.
And on March 2, he signed a kind of astonishing bicycle master plan, which had been unanimously approved by the city council the day before. It calls for the creation of 1,680 miles of interconnected bike lanes in the city where transport has been defined by the automobile for generations. Significantly, this is a network designed not for recreation, but for actual transportation.
The plan, which was created with significant input from the city's well-organized bicycling community, would mean 100 miles per year of new lanes over each of the next five years, and 40 miles a year thereafter. Funding will come, in part, from a half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation upgrades, overwhelmingly approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2008.
03-04-11, 12:53 AM
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That's astonishing. My view of L.A. is forever changed. I'm very curious to see how it plays out when drivers notice that a portion of their turf has been given over to cyclists. Here in Seattle, new bike lanes have been met with fierce resentment on the part of drivers.
03-04-11, 02:42 PM
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Well,let's see,they have had the money for 3 years,but it took them that long to vote on it. I'm 53 now.....Think my great great-grandsons will be able to get parts for my bike?
I got it...What office is he going to run for now? He's still young enough to triple dip...
I live in L.A. and there are plenty of streets here already,we don't need more bike lanes.If the Mayor had half a brain and REALLY wanted to make the streets safer,he would take that money and hire a couple of police officers that do NOTHING BUT HAND OUT RUNNING RED LIGHT TICKETS! That would make the streets safer for everybody,cars includes.
Villariagosa....he thinks he's a movie star.He's on TV more than the local newsman.Shut up and actually do something.
I got it...What office is he going to run for now? He's still young enough to triple dip...
I live in L.A. and there are plenty of streets here already,we don't need more bike lanes.If the Mayor had half a brain and REALLY wanted to make the streets safer,he would take that money and hire a couple of police officers that do NOTHING BUT HAND OUT RUNNING RED LIGHT TICKETS! That would make the streets safer for everybody,cars includes.
Villariagosa....he thinks he's a movie star.He's on TV more than the local newsman.Shut up and actually do something.
Last edited by Booger1; 03-04-11 at 03:08 PM.
03-04-11, 03:31 PM
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In NYC the car addict crowd has been vocally opposing the bike lanes recently with even some politicians spewing utter bu11**** (but that's what politicians do anyway...) about bike lanes. Brooklyn borough president is the loudest jerk about it: he claims the bike lanes make walking and driving too difficult, etc.
03-04-11, 05:47 PM
#6
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You have to expect pushback from motorists when "their" streets are made more welcoming for other users. Evidently even a couple cyclists hate bike lanes too. It takes strong civic leaders to resist the pressure. I hope LA's mayor hangs tough. The bike community should be sure to support him strongly, IMO.
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03-04-11, 07:48 PM
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One thing about all this is that the plan is multi-year. 100 miles a year for the first five years, then somewhat less. I wonder if this might be a better way to approach it. Lanes pop up stealthily and by the time the motorists get organized, the lanes are everywhere.
03-04-11, 08:18 PM
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ON a balmy night last June, the city’s Congressional delegation gathered for dinner at Gracie Mansion. Representative Anthony D. Weiner, who aspires to live in the mansion someday, knew he would have only a few minutes with the host, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. So he brought up the hottest topic he could think of: bicycle lanes, and the transportation commissioner who had nearly doubled the number of them, Janette Sadik-Khan.
“When I become mayor, you know what I’m going to spend my first year doing?” Mr. Weiner said to Mr. Bloomberg, as tablemates listened. “I’m going to have a bunch of ribbon-cuttings tearing out your [expletive] bike lanes.”
“When I become mayor, you know what I’m going to spend my first year doing?” Mr. Weiner said to Mr. Bloomberg, as tablemates listened. “I’m going to have a bunch of ribbon-cuttings tearing out your [expletive] bike lanes.”
03-04-11, 08:43 PM
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"....The plan, which was created with significant input from the city's well-organized bicycling community, would mean 100 miles per year of new lanes over each of the next five years, and 40 miles a year thereafter....." -https://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-03-traffic-snarled-la-goes-bike-wild-with-1600-miles-of-lanes
Don't hold your breath. I actually witness the destruction of a "bike cage" at my old high school. These cages were built during the last "bike craze" in the 1970s. They were a simple secure fenced off area in the middle of the campus to lock your bike in. We never had a bike theft when this cage was used then. The last time I visited the campus ( year 2000), the cage was long gone. So will this newest in bike assist ideas-Grandiose talks, no follow up. Besides, bike lanes are just painted lines on a street. They really don't contribute any significant safe passage through those over crowded streets besides a purely psychological one. We need more lanes confiscated from those rapidly mulitplying cars and made safe for everyone else to use, not useless parkland bike paths or constantly detouring to a longer route.
Same old, same old. Politicians like to strut around and chatter about nothing. That is their job. Many years ago, I made a decision to stop looking toward our "great leaders" and simply cycle around as I don't need anyone's permission to do so-yet.
Don't hold your breath. I actually witness the destruction of a "bike cage" at my old high school. These cages were built during the last "bike craze" in the 1970s. They were a simple secure fenced off area in the middle of the campus to lock your bike in. We never had a bike theft when this cage was used then. The last time I visited the campus ( year 2000), the cage was long gone. So will this newest in bike assist ideas-Grandiose talks, no follow up. Besides, bike lanes are just painted lines on a street. They really don't contribute any significant safe passage through those over crowded streets besides a purely psychological one. We need more lanes confiscated from those rapidly mulitplying cars and made safe for everyone else to use, not useless parkland bike paths or constantly detouring to a longer route.
Well,let's see,they have had the money for 3 years,but it took them that long to vote on it. I'm 53 now.....Think my great great-grandsons will be able to get parts for my bike?
I got it...What office is he going to run for now? He's still young enough to triple dip...
I live in L.A. and there are plenty of streets here already,we don't need more bike lanes.If the Mayor had half a brain and REALLY wanted to make the streets safer,he would take that money and hire a couple of police officers that do NOTHING BUT HAND OUT RUNNING RED LIGHT TICKETS! That would make the streets safer for everybody,cars includes.
Villariagosa....he thinks he's a movie star.He's on TV more than the local newsman.Shut up and actually do something.
I got it...What office is he going to run for now? He's still young enough to triple dip...
I live in L.A. and there are plenty of streets here already,we don't need more bike lanes.If the Mayor had half a brain and REALLY wanted to make the streets safer,he would take that money and hire a couple of police officers that do NOTHING BUT HAND OUT RUNNING RED LIGHT TICKETS! That would make the streets safer for everybody,cars includes.
Villariagosa....he thinks he's a movie star.He's on TV more than the local newsman.Shut up and actually do something.
Last edited by folder fanatic; 03-04-11 at 08:54 PM.
03-04-11, 10:17 PM
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Information is incorrect. 1600 miles of bike lanes and BIKEWAYS will be laid in Los Angeles. This city cannot afford to have 1600 miles of bike lanes as many of the streets are far to narrow to accommodate them so routing signs will be posted like in many other cities. I live in Long Beach, which is to be one of the most bike friendly city in the nation. We have few bike lanes but plenty of bikeways which are noted by signs only but are still very bike friendly.
03-04-11, 10:30 PM
#13
You gonna eat that?
Fort Worth enacted a bike plan of similar proportions (about 1000 miles, and our population is only 750k). Basically.... I'll believe it when I see it.
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03-04-11, 10:36 PM
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Tucson, AZ has already 400+ miles of bike lanes that are quite heavily used. More coming.
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