Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Billboard Company Sponsors Bike Path

Culver Blvd. billboard sends a clear message to cyclists: Get off the bike path and ride on the streets!

The City of Los Angeles, in its infinite benevolence, has long fought to maintain immunity from liability for the Class I "Bike Path" facilities such as the one pictured above, holding that they are trails used for recreational activity and, as such, the user is responsible for any risk or injury.

At a glance, it is evident that this Bike Path is actually a well designed multi-use slalom course, popular with the daredevil baby carriage pushing crowd and probably popular with extreme dogwalkers and cyclists who who like to live on the edge.

Somehow this Billboard was built on this land. It either had a permit or it didn't. If it has a permit, the person who issued this permit should be held accountable for their actions. If it doesn't have a permit, the billboard should be removed, posthaste!

As for the Bike Path, why is it even here? Who in the LADOT approved these plans? Why is it called a Bike Path? It's a multi-use path closed to motor vehicles. It offers little if any support at the many crossings between Corinth and McConnell.

The City Council is meeting today in a special session to consider a moratorium of sorts on Billboards. Why does it take such an uprising from the community to get our City leadership to take a look at foolishness such as that pictured above?

8 comments:

Mr. Homegrown said...

Wow! That's a picture speaks volumes about the city of Los Angeles. I'm packing up the moving van!

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of Edward Abbey setting fire to the billboards of the Southwest in Desert Solitaire. Makes me wish I had a cutting torch.

Alex said...

Thanks for posting! Now it's time to fire off some emails to LACC and mayor V.

http://engagedobserver.blogspot.com/2008/12/call-to-action-urge-corrupt-city.html

Bill said...

That section of the Culver bike path is relatively new. I'm guessing the sign was actually there first. Now, why someone would design the path to be dissected by a billboard I don't know.

Stephen Box said...

It turns out that the street was widened as part of the HOV improvements and the City of Los Angeles approved revisions to Culver Boulevard that included moving the old bike lane to the current "share the dirt" position. Go Team.

It's also important to note that the billboard marks the end of Los Angeles, literally as well as figuratively.

Stephen Box said...

A nod from a few friends:

StreetsBlogLA

LAist

The EngagedObserver

Anonymous said...

Wondering: 1) exactly where is that monstrosity? (looks like just west of Sawtelle?) and 2) was there any billboard there before? (from current Google Maps, looks like "no")

in which case, they put the path *and* the billboard at the *same place*, *new*?

Good lord, yes, heads should roll.

Anonymous said...

Added to the Bikewise hazards DB here.