More Details on the Proposed “South Beach Bicycle Path” Extension

Last week, we reported on an effort to add a proposed extension to the South Bay Bike Path through Venice Beach and away from Washington Boulevard.  There was some confusion as to how that extension would work, and yesterday Jim Kennedy provided images that better explain the path.

We're just hours away from the Joint Meeting of the City Council's Transportation Committee and Planning and Land Use Committee, which might be the last time to get this proposal in to the Bike Plan until the next Draft which could be decades from now.  Here is Kennedy's design.

As you can see, the plan doesn't involve running over a bridge to get past the canals, but rather an actual extension of the beach path down all the way to the canals before cutting east.  This route goes through City and County sand, so it needs to be in both the city and county bike plans to have a chance to get funded.  If you feel this plan should be in the City Bike Plan, you're running out of time to get it included.  Kennedy provides a draft letter and some email addresses to help made your voice heard, which can be found after the jump.

Please act now to support this sensible addition to the LA Bicycle Master Plan to finish our amazing Venice Beach bike path.  Email this letter of support (below) to Councilmembers Rosendahl and Reyes and their staff

councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org

mike.bonin@lacity.org

paul.backstrom@lacity.org

councilmember.reyes@lacity.org

jose.gardea@lacity.org

rebecca.valdez@lacity.org

Please feel free to add your personal experiences with where you live and bike.

Here is more background story from last week’s Argonaut:  Venice Neighborhood Council supports inclusion of beach bicycle path extension in city bike master plan

*Please forward this request to your bicycle riding friends and ask them to email today this support letter to finish the Venice Beach bike path in the LA Bicycle Master Plan. *

Thank-you!

Jim Kennedy

Dear Councilmembers Rosendahl and Reyes:

I am a local resident who supports including the last section of the Venice Beach bike path being put back into the Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan at the joint PLUM and Transportation Committee meeting on February 9th. The proposal is to continue the Venice Beach bike path from Washington Boulevard to Via Marina.

Finishing the Marvin Braude Bike Path is critical to completing  the over 20 mile bike path that serves hundreds of thousands every year, giving Los Angelinos and visitors from around the world the opportunity to enjoy the coast by bike.  Why anyone would oppose providing beach access to cyclists is beyond me.  Including the bike path extension in the LA Bicycle Master Plan does not mean it will be designed and constructed without discussion.  Instead, the very positive reason for the LA Bicycle Master Plan is to remove planning impediments and allow project discussions to continue.

I personally hope, and am willing to see to it that the Venice Beach bike path extension is thoroughly discussed and vetted before any implementation.  However, we should allow the discussion to take place, and therefore the project ought to be included in the LA Bicycle Master Plan.

Sincerely,

"YOUR NAME"
Bicycle Rider/Local Resident