LOS ANGELES – In response to escalating tensions over a July 4 incident that sent two cyclists to the hospital, Councilmember Bill Rosendahl
is replacing a public Town Hall meeting with a task force on how
cyclists and residents can better and more safely share Mandeville
Canyon Road.

“At the request
of the residents and of the cyclists who use Mandeville Canyon Road, I
have decided that a more focused, deliberative task force will achieve
my goal of bringing the relevant people together to discuss ideas and
proposals for everyone to share this narrow canyon roadway,” Rosendahl said.

Over
the past few days, officials with homeowner associations and the
bicycling clubs that train on the winding, 5-mile stretch of road
expressed concern that the tenor of media coverage and of blog posts
would make a Monday public meeting counter-productive. Many said they
worried the issue had become larger than the specific issues of
Mandeville Canyon

“While I always prefer more public dialogue and welcome it even now,” Rosendahl
said, “I appreciate the views and concerns of the residents and
cyclists most involved in this issue and most familiar with this road.’

The Town Hall meeting had been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. July 14 at the Felicia Mahood Multipurpose Center in West Los Angeles

Instead, Rosendahl
said he would convene a task force of representatives of the three
Mandeville Canyon homeowners associations, the four cycling clubs that
regularly train there, the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee, the
Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of
Transportation, and his staff. The group will develop proposals to
address issues of safety, personal and public rights, and civic responsibility – among both cyclists and residents of Mandeville Canyon.

Rosendahl
said he hoped the more global issues of road-sharing between cyclists
and motorists throughout Los Angeles would get a more thorough airing
in a more appropriate, citywide venue. He noted he and several
colleagues last week introduced a motion endorsing the Cyclists’ Bill
of Rights.

“When the
Transportation Committee and the City Council take up that issue, I
think it will be an exceptional opportunity to begin a citywide
education campaign about the rights of cyclists and the need for
everyone to share the road. We’re all stuck in gridlock in Los Angeles,
and we need to voice our frustration at the lack of a sensible transit
system, and not at each other.

Rosendahl said he also welcomes any feedback at councilmanrosendahl@lacity.org.

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