Bicycling

After a delay that had left many Expo Line Bicycle Advisory Committee members uncomfortable, given the pace that major elements of bridge construction are, the committee final met again this Tuesday with Expo project representatives. Damien covered some of the concerns going into this meeting in a post last week. Given the significance of this project and the narrowing scope of possibilities with every passing week and month as railway design and construction lock in constraints, it’s important to keep the dialogue going about the Expo bikeway.

Last summer Paul Livingston, an experienced cyclist of 15 years, was commuting along Santa Monica Blvd heading east through Beverly Hills. He began slowing as he approached a stale red light. Relaxed, it was about 6pm on a clear skied Sunday afternoon and his lane - the right lane - was clear. He was estimated to be moving at about 8 miles per hour. Suddenly his world changed forever. Witnesses describe an impatient and unpredictable driver racing in and out of pockets heading east towards the soon to be green light that Paul was approaching. Paul had no chance. He was smashed from behind and thrown. It was reported that the driver never braked but instead accelerated to get away after impact.

(If you want to help Cast a Shadow raise funds for clean water filters in Ghana or a cause closer to home, you can donate here.)

One of the great things about the rise in riding events in South L.A. and the surrounding areas is that they are starting to take on the feel of a family reunion for me.

Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to visit all five of the new Orange Line stations on a tour of the newly installed art (more on that tomorrow.)  The afternoon also gave me a chance to ride and review the Orange Line Bike Path.  While I found the bike trail easy to use for the most part, the delay caused by the crossings create a trail of two bike rides.

There have been a handful of stories that I partially developed, but are on the back burner this week as I work to try and get out some stories that were researched last week, interview for the Long Beach writer position, and prepare L.A. Streetsblog's tax forms.  So, with apologies to Steve Hymon, here are five things that have been on my mind.

Back in a January 2012 L.A. Streetsblog article, Joe Linton stated that LADOT was "not quite on track" to complete Mayor Villaraigosa's pledge for 40 new miles of bikeway each year. In that article, Linton projected only 31 new miles to be completed during Fiscal Year 2011-2012. The fiscal year ended two weeks ago, and LADOT not only met, but greatly exceeded the 40 new miles pledged.

Bicycle advocacy in the city entered a new phase last week, when the Department of City Planning released a five page Notice of Preparation (NOP) for an environmental review of forty three miles of bike lanes. These projects represent some of the more controversial bicycling projects as they often times require removing curbside parking, mixed-use travel lanes, and/or turning lanes.  The public process, which begins with scoping meetings next week, could prove to be contentious as this is the first time the City of Los Angeles has publicly proposed a city-wide program of creating bicycle facilities at the cost of mixed-use facilities or automobile parking.

Regardless of one's feelings on the dissolution of Community Redevelopment Agencies mandated by Governor Jerry Brown, there are some important transportation projects left hanging by a thread in Los Angeles by the sudden departure of one of the city's largest grant receiving agencies.  Tomorrow, the CRA's Governing Board will vote on the fate of many of these projects at tomorrow's "Successor Agency" meeting.  If the Board approves transferring these projects to local agencies in the City of Los Angeles, the transfer could still be stopped at a meeting of the "Oversight Board" meeting later this month.