What a Difference a Few Years Make: A Journey to Relevance

LA’s Bike Plan has already caused traffic congestion, clogging the steps of City Hall as the Mayor, the City Controller, and a full peloton of Councilmembers stood before the press on Wednesday to declare “Los Angeles is on the path to becoming a world-class city for bicycling.”

What a difference a few years make! It has been ages since I innocently visited City Planning Publications to purchase a copy of the General Plan’s Transportation Element ($15) in an effort to locate the current Bike Plan. As I flipped the pages, I found a placeholder that indicated where the Bike Plan would be if it were worth printing. (It wasn’t) Thus began the journey to relevance.

Three years ago, the LADOT hired a consultant from Portland to guide the City of LA in the process of developing a new Bike Plan. At the first meeting, before a standing-room-only crowd, the consultant opened by stating, “We’re gonna have to move fast, we have a lot of ground to cover and we don’t have much time.”

It was at this point that Alex Thompson, President of Bikeside, jumped to his feet and interrupted the consultant with the simple challenge “Why not?”

That became the battle cry of the community as LA’s Department of “No!” led the Bike Plan development process.

“Why not?”

Along the way, the LADOT spent $400,000 on the consultant’s Bike Plan, one that was eventually scrapped.

Meanwhile, the community banded together under the banner of the LA Bike Working Group and developed a crowd-sourced vision for connectivity, one that transitioned into a City Planning process that involved people from all walks, er ...rides.

LA’s current Bike Plan is a victory because of its content, most significantly the Backbone Bikeway Network that will bring together greater synchronicity of basic city services on the big streets that already move people of all modes.

The Bike Plan is also a victory because it is the result of a community driven process, one where people of all modes and perspectives had a voice in the process. In fact, the City Hall peloton also included folks from the Bikesiders, the LACBCers, Midnight Ridazz, the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, C.I.C.L.E., the Valley Bikery, the Bicycle Kitchen, and Pacoima Beautiful demonstrating the power of a common ground approach to planning.

Most important, the Bike Plan is a victory because it offers the City of LA an opportunity to pursue funding that will make our streets work for everybody, whether they walk, ride a bike, take mass transit or use a personal vehicle.

After all, streets that are good for cyclists are good for everybody.

Cyclists favor well-maintained streets free of potholes and debris. They prefer streets with moderate vehicle volumes and speeds, an environment that is likewise safer and more hospitable for both motorists and pedestrians.

Surveys in San Francisco found that local businesses benefited from "traffic calming" through their districts, which included accommodations for cyclists.

Finally, an increase in the number of cyclists in a neighborhood -- which means more eyes on the street -- has a direct relationship to a reduction in crime.

In other words, what's good for cyclists is good for your community and LA’s Bike Plan has the capacity to do something that no other plan has ever done, connect the plans.

LA has a General Plan, it has Community Plans, it has Specific Plans, it has Master Plans, it has Vision Plans, it has a River Plan...it is a City of Plans! They compete, they contradict, they confuse and now is the time to connect them!

Imagine if the Bike Plan were to be used as a model for engaging the community in the process, for bringing some connectivity to the many plans, for preserving the character and personality of our neighborhoods and for providing a toolbox of transportation solutions that blend with our local land-use priorities so that neighborhoods are empowered, not overpowered.

The long and arduous journey to the finish line for LA’s Bike Plan has clearly demonstrated that a group of outsiders can move City Hall. News of this success story has resonated throughout the country, but what’s most important is what happens on the streets of LA.

Now is the time to work with neighborhood councils, community groups, homeowners associations and Angelenos of all modes so that the spirit of connectivity can resonate through Los Angeles.

While the City Hall peloton stands at the finish line press conference, our greatest opportunity is to establish this as the beginning, not the end, of a significant journey that will continue to connect Los Angeles.

(Stephen Box is a grassroots advocate and writes for CityWatch. He can be reached at: Stephen@thirdeyecreative.net. Disclosure: Box is also a candidate for 4th District Councilman.)

City Planning Embellishes Reality

LA's Department of City Planning is filled with some of the most creative people in town, folks who regularly turn out innovative and imaginative work that entertains, inspires, and stirs passion.

Unfortunately, the work falls under the category of "fiction" because of its limited connection to reality. I offer as an example the Planning Department's staff report on the City of LA's proposed Bike Plan.

City Planning staff reports are like movie trailers, they offer a quick preview of the upcoming proposal so that the Commission can make an educated recommendation in advance of the actual "screening." Seasoned film audiences know that there are three types of trailers;

Teasers that offer a glimpse of what can be expected.

Spoilers that offer up the entire plot and leave nothing to be discovered.

Impostors that offer up an entertaining journey that bears no resemblance to the actual film.

City Planning's Bike Plan staff report falls into the Impostor category, offering the Planning Commission an entertaining and inspiring experience that bears no connection to reality.

1663 miles of Bikeways - the cameo: Planning Staff promise 1663 miles of Bikeways, a claim that includes Bike Paths, Bike Lanes, and Bike Routes. Bike Paths are very expensive off-road facilities that cost more per mile than what the Bureau of Street Services spends to resurface a mile of our streets. Bike Routes are the streets that get a little green sign that says "Bike Route" indicating that the Bikeway mileage has been pumped up. Bike Lanes get a commitment of 56 miles and an additional "speculative" 511 miles which indicates they will end up on the editor's floor. This Bike Plan relies on a cameo appearance by recognizable talent, and then surrounds it with 1663 miles of language that lacks substance and commitment.

Bicycle Boulevards - the knock-off: Planning Staff acknowledges that the public clamors for "innovative bicycle treatments" including Bicycle Boulevards. They are low-density local routes that give priority to cyclists by discouraging cut-through motor vehicle traffic, prioritizing right-of-way, and providing traffic control that supports cyclists at the arterial crossings. Rather than actually include Bicycle Boulevards in the proposed Bike Plan, City Planning offers up "Bike Friendly Streets" as a knock-off substitute, the equivalent of featuring "the other, other Baldwin brother" in Slap Shot IV.

Cyclists' Bill of Rights - the inspiration: Planning Staff acknowledge that the City Council directed the LADOT, Planning, Public Works, the LA Bicycle Advisory Committee, the City Attorney and the LAPD to report back on the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. This City Council directive was ignored. Instead Planning Staff dismisses some principles as redundant while claiming that others are included. This is true in the same sense that the works of Shakespeare are also in the Bike Plan, after all he used the same alphabet and if properly rearranged, one could find A Comedy of Errors.

Backbone Bikeway Network - the theme: Planning Staff acknowledge the work of the LA Bike Working Group in creating the Backbone Bikeway Network which is positioned as a commitment to connectivity. Rather than embrace this theme and use it to connect the City Family in the delivery of City Services, Planning Staff dilutes the Backbone and fails to support cyclists as they commute on the streets to the same destinations as pedestrians, mass transit passengers, and motorists. Instead, it proposes bike tunnels, bike trails, and other last-resort solutions that divide communities rather than connect them.

Complete Streets Act - the surprise ending: Planning Staff acknowledge the powerful cultural shift that has resulted in innovative multi-modal transportation funding and policy. This includes the Complete Streets Act which supports the rights of all those who use the streets, from pedestrians to cyclists to mass transit passengers to motorists. It's only in the small print of the staff report that City Planning reveals its claim of an exemption from the Complete Streets Act. Is there something wrong with the Complete Streets Act? Does City Planning find fault with the complete Streets Act?

The Department of City Planning's Bike Plan Staffing Report is a good read. It's interesting, it's informative, and it's a complete work of fiction.

In the grand scheme of things, LA's proposed Bike Plan is the equivalent of bad script turned into a bad film, supported by a great trailer that merely needs to get an opening night audience in order to recoup its investment. Then, it goes straight into the bargain bin at the 99¢ Store.

LA’s Backbone in 10 Steps

Stephen Box calls on Mayor Villaraigosa 

to support cyclists by implementing 

"LA’s Backbone in 10 Steps"

Hollywood, CA - Stephen Box, candidate for City Council District 4, calls on Mayor Villaraigosa to act decisively in implementing "LA’s Backbone in 10 Steps," active solutions that will yield immediate results in his campaign to make the streets of LA safer for everybody.

>The New York Times recounts the details of the Mayor's recent bike ride that ended quickly when a taxi operator pulled out in front of him and caused him to fall, resulting in a broken elbow that required surgery. It also references the Mayor's Copenhagen revelation of last year when he declared LA "In the area of bicycling I’ve got to do a better job and the city’s got to do a better job" and his new Huffington Post declaration “It’s time to recognize that bicycles also belong on L.A.’s streets.”

Grist refers to the incident as "a prime teachable moment to deflate the myth that collisions between military-sized vehicles and cyclists are no big deal. Instead, he reinforced the notion that public streets are for autos -- and anyone else enters at their own risk.

The Mayor has an opportunity to build on his "Biking in Los Angeles should be a natural" declaration, but it requires action, not just talk and a YouTube video thanking the public for their concern. Attached is a list of 10 things the Mayor can do immediately to support cyclists and improve the quality of life for Angelinos on the streets of LA:

LA’s Backbone in 10 Steps

1 - Collect the Data
Immediately following an incident on the streets of LA go to LABikeMap.org and enter the data. (collision, near-miss, road conditions, harassment, etc.)

2 - Cyclists’ Bill of Rights
Take a stand - endorse the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights as a document that articulates the law of the land, the rights of cyclists, and our relationship on the road.

3 - Commit to Connectivity by implementing the Backbone Bikeway Network (30-10)
Endorse the Backbone Bikeway Network as a citywide physical commitment to destinations. The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee has endorsed the Backbone Bikeway Network as a Measure R 30-10 project.

4 - Commit to Connectivity by implementing the Backbone Bikeway Network (City Family)
Synchronize the city family so that all departments work together to support cyclists on the street (LAPD, BOSS, Public Works, Planning, DWP...)

5 - Commit to Connectivity by implementing the Backbone Bikeway Network (Inter-Agency)
Synchronize agencies and authorities so that all powers work together to support cyclists on the street (Caltrans, CHP, Metro, LASD, LAUSD, CRA, SCAG...)

6 - Educate the City Family
Implement bicycle awareness education for the entire city family on the rights of cyclists on the streets of Los Angeles. (Employees, operators of city vehicles, and contractors. See Sgt. Krumer for LAPD education program)

7 - Educate the Cyclists
Support bicycle education for the entire spectrum of the cycling community focusing on adults and workforce cyclists. (Sign the mayor up to Confident City Cycling Course.)

8 - Educate the Community
Position cyclists as a constituent group with all community development and planning processes from the beginning not as an afterthought.

9 - Parking, Parking, Parking!
Welcome cyclists to the community with bike racks, bike corrals and the effective enforcement of the LAMC bike parking policy. (Professional bike parking standards must be included for contractors with installation and operation instructions)

10 - Communicate Clearly
From traffic signals that recognize cyclists to wayfinding that directs cyclists, all roads lead to LA.

Bike Week gives way to Bike Life

Bike Week is over and the Metro planners have driven back to the office, the LADOT employees have tossed the leftover Bike Week supplies, the consultants are cashing their checks, the press is busy covering Lindsay Lohan, and LA's law enforcement is banking shifts in anticipation of the upcoming Memorial Day traffic.

As for the cyclists, Bike Week has simply given way to Bike Life, the ongoing and long term campaign to change the world by focusing on LA's streets, making them safer for cyclists.

For all of the attention that Bike Week draws, the real test is the following week. Who rode to work on Monday? How many people at the Metro plan to get out of their car and give bike commuting a shot this week? How many staff at the LADOT will justify that $50 LA City Parking Buyout by hopping on a bike and riding to work? Seriously, this is the week to count the cyclists, to measure the impact of the huge Bike Week focus that took meeting after meeting after meeting of Metro and LADOT staff, all on the clock in the midst of a huge budget crisis, all so they could drive their cars to the Bike Week events.

Forgive me for my cynicism, but this is the week that either justifies the efforts of the Bike Week promoters or challenges the effectiveness of their efforts.

I'd be willing to forgive the Metro and the LADOT their commitment to their cars if they would just give us a good turnout of staff at this Thursday's Caltrans District 7 Bicycle Advisory Committee and next Tuesday's Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee. But, based on results, the attendance will be thin, very thin. Last month's Caltrans7BAC meeting drew the LADOT Bikeways Coordinator for just a few minutes and was unable to hold her attention, in spite of the fact that Topanga Canyon Boulevard was on the agenda. As for the Metro, nobody attended. The prior month, LADOT Bikeways was unable to send staff to the LABAC meeting, in spite of the fact that the Bike Plan was on the agenda. The Metro hasn't sent staff to the Bicycle Advisory Committee of LA, the largest city in the State of California, for a couple of years. How's that for priorities!

And yet, the LADOT and the Metro are able to send staff in quantities sufficient to invade small countries for fun stuff, as long as it interests them, and as long as it takes place in the daytime. Have these people never heard of flex-time? Come in a little later, stay a little later. Better yet, split up and stop sending so many people to the same meetings, send them where they might benefit. Best of all, send them where the public might benefit.

This Thursday, Alex Thompson will be presenting the LA Bike Map during the "open space" brown bag lunch session at the Caltrans 7 Bicycle Advisory Committee. Enci will follow with a presentation on the LA Greensters. During the BAC, Sgt. Krumer of the LAPD will be presenting "Cyclists and the Law (Enforcement)." One would think that the crowd-source mapping technology, the pedal-powered transpo team, and the LAPD Cyclist Training would interest Transportation Professionals, yet the Metro and the LADOT seem to find the Caltrans 7 BAC of little interest.

On Tuesday, Jeremy Grant will be presenting the Backbone Bikeway Network during the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee. The Backbone is a simple Vision for Connectivity that is a revolutionary commitment to the destinations that involves the LADOT, the Metro, Caltrans, the LAPD, the LASD, the Bureau of Street Services, the Department of Public Works, Street Lighting, the CRA, and just about anybody else who has a piece of the streets.

And yet...

Based on the past, expectations are low that the Bikeways staff from the Metro and the LADOT will be in attendance at either of the upcoming opportunities to engage the community and work with them on making our streets a great place to ride.

I think it's time for that to change. I think it's time for the Metro and the LADOT and also LA's Department of City Planning to consider the cycling community a constituent group, just like they do neighborhood councils, homeowner associations, community councils and others. Cyclists may not be a geographic group but as a common interest group, cyclists deserve the same respect and attention that other groups get.

I regularly meet Planning Department staff at neighborhood council events. Apparently the budget crisis hasn't prevented them from engaging in planning work in the community. Yet when the LA Bike Plan, which is part of the Transportation Plan which is part of the General Plan which is the responsibility of the Planning Department, comes up, we hear "Budget Crisis!" as the excuse for not sending staff to the Caltrans7 BAC or the LABAC.

I really think it's time for that to change and I'm calling on the Metro, the LADOT, and the Department of City Planning to work with the cycling community to make the streets of Los Angeles great places to ride. I'm calling on the Metro and the LADOT and City Planning to keep that Bike Work commitment going and to embrace Bike Life, the idea that what's good for cyclists is good for the community, all year long!

Bike Week has given way to Bike Life, let's make it happen!

Bikeside SPEAKS - Highlight of Bike Week

BikesideSPEAKS drew a trackstanding-room-only crowd to the Westside's BikeRoWave for a lightning round of 7 bike activists, speaking for 7 minutes each, on 7 topics relevant to the cycling community. At 5pm, the announced starting time for BikesideSPEAKS, the BikeRoWave looked suspiciously like a bike co-op, packed with bike stands, bikes, bike parts, tools, and cyclists engaged in bike repairs. Then pizza arrived, the crowd swarmed, and BikeRoWave was transformed into a theatre!

Steve Mattson, GM of BikeRoWave, warmed up the crowd with a bit of BRW history and a commitment to complement the BRW's wrenching schedule with more community events such as BikesideSPEAKS!



Mihai Peteu demonstrated LABikeMap, a crowd sourced community map that provides cyclists with the opportunity to log on and self-report collisions, incidents, road hazards, and hit-and-runs. LABikeMap is already loaded with 10 years of cyclists' collision data and provides a vivid visual of the LA region and incident clusters that deserve more law enforcement focus. Take a look at the map and remember that every small red dot is where a human being on a bike was taken out by a motor vehicle. There is entirely too much red on LA's map.

Ron Durgin, President of Sustainable Streets and a League of American Bicyclists Urban Cycling instructor, gave an overview of a campaign to engage and educate cyclists and non-cyclists on the fine art of lifestyle cycling. Too often, cycling is relegated to the side as a "recreational endeavor" rather that a legitimate transportation solution. Key to positioning cyclists as an effective mode share is good planning and education and Sustainable Streets is targeting planners and political decision makers, committed to getting them on bikes and into the urban traffic mix so they can effectively plan for cyclists and support cycling.

Enci introduced the LA Greensters, LA's only all-pedal-powered transportation team, created as part of her commitment to sustainable film production and taking on a life of its own. Enci's original objective was simply to make a movie. She wrote the script and set out to direct her first film, not knowing that her commitment to shoot sustainably would challenge the basic Hollywood tradition. From banning plastic and styrofoam to challenging Hollywood's car-centric bias, Enci's simple call for help from the cycling community led to the formation of the LA Greensters who not only provided all transpo needs for her film, but went on to demonstrate the effectiveness of cargo bikes and Xtracycles in everyday life.

Sara Bond gave a recap of the topic that has had the cycling community up in arms for quite some time, hit-and-run incidents that leave cyclists lying in the street, broken and bleeding, while the motorists flee the scene to avoid responsibility. Sara introduced Louis "Bird Man" Bianco who was riding home on his bike when a motorist left-crossed him, causing him to go head first through the window of the car. His face was jerked free as the motorist swerved forward and into a gas station before u-turning and fleeing, leaving Louis in the middle of the intersection. Louis gave a moving account of his long journey to recovery and the fact that he still experiences fear but that he is committed to overcoming it.

Alex Thompson, the heart and soul of Bikeside, was joined by Glenn Bailey, the President of LA's Bicycle Advisory Committee, and they got political with their guests Marcy Winograd and Bill Rosendahl. Alex introduced Marcy, the Bikeside endorsed candidate for Congress who met with the Bikeside crew last month and endorsed the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. Glenn introduced Bill, the Chair of the Transportation Committee who long ago responded to the Mandeville Canyon incident by standing with LAPD proclaiming that "Cyclists need a Bill of Rights."



I responded to the call by offering a brief introduction to the Cyclists' Bill of Rights, pointing out that they weren't written or conceived or created, they simply exist and they belong to the cyclists who claim them. Rights aren't given and the cycling community is going to have to step up as a constituent group if they expect to experience the most basic of human rights, the Freedom to Move. Our political leadership exists for one reason and that is to remove any obstacles to our ability to enjoy our freedom.



Jeremy Grant brought it home with an introduction to the Backbone Bikeway Network, laying it down as a Vision for Connectivity that is based on getting cyclists to destinations, real destinations that everybody else enjoys. The Backbone Bikeway Network is consistent with other dreams that great leaders have laid down as commitments and over and over again, visions that started with no plan, no funding, no support, all became a reality because a small group of people believed and took on the challenge of changing the world. That was the challenge that Jeremy gave to the cyclists, planners, wrenchers and politicians at the BikeRoWave. Let's work together to make Los Angeles the City with a Backbone!

BikesideSPEAKS wrapped, some rode off to Crank Mob, some stayed for a screening of Quicksilver, and Bike Week '10 came to an end. How was your week?

p.s. If you'd like to hear more:

On 5/27 - Dr. Alex Thompson will be presenting the LABikeMap this Thursday at the Caltrans7 Bicycle Advisory Committee. Enci will also be presenting the LA Greensters.    http://twtvite.com/Caltrans7BAC

On 6/1 - Jeremy Grant will be presenting the Backbone Bikeway Network at the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee. The BAC consists of 4 Mayoral appointees, 15 Council appointees.  http://twtvite.com/LABAC6

CityWatchLA - No More Bike to Work Week!

CityWatch, May 18, 2010
Vol 8 Issue 39

I hope this is the last year that “Bike to Work Week” imposes itself on the people of Los Angeles, urging cyclists to ride their bikes and beseeching the motoring public for a little consideration. Tough words from a transportation activist but I’m looking forward to the day when all modes of transportation are supported on the streets of Los Angeles, not just in funding but in law enforcement, in routine accommodations, in maintenance and repair standards, and in the development and implementation of standards.

I’m looking forward to the day when it isn’t necessary to schedule a special day in a special week in an effort to encourage cyclists, when the Police Chief doesn’t feel the need to ask motorists to consider the safety of cyclists on the road, when promoting active transportation is simply unnecessary.

I’m looking forward to the day when we celebrate cyclists and their contribution to our communities. For your consideration, I offer up a few reasons to be thankful for the cyclists who have gone before us as well as those who ride the streets of LA today.

•It was cyclists who spearheaded the 19th century “Good Roads” movement that resulted in a national campaign to pave America’s roads, affording cyclists and motorists alike a smooth ride. Ironically, for all of the contributions to the development of national road standards, cyclists still find themselves fighting for their place on the street.

•Many of the mechanical innovations now associated with the automobile were originally invented for cycling. It was Dr. Dunlop who invented pneumatic tires for his son’s bike. Rack and pinion steering, the differential, the band brakes, and even geared assembly-line machinery all originated in the world of bicycles.

•The development of human flight is the result of two bicycle mechanics who used their bike shop to develop the aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible. Orville and Wilbur Wright spent years experimenting with gliders before they added an engine and took to the sky in the historic flight that saw their three-axis control trump the more powerful engines of their competitors.

•The bicycle craze of the 1890’s challenged popular perceptions of femininity and fashion, resulting in a movement away from Victorian sensibilities. The battle over restrictive clothing challenged public perceptions of female athleticism and proper female behavior. Susan B. Anthony commented that “bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”

•Cyclists today continue to fight for streets that are safe and effective for all people. The next time you see a cyclist on the streets of Los Angeles, wave (Don’t honk, we think it means danger!) and give a silent thanks to the cyclists who developed LA’s Backbone Bikeway Network, a commitment to connectivity that focuses city resources on the streets that connect major destinations.

Better yet, join Bikeside this Saturday for BikesideSPEAKS, an evening featuring 7 Bike Activists talking for 7 minutes each on 7 topics that are sure to change the world.

As for Bike to Work Week, I’m going to pass on the festivities and instead call on our leadership to step away from the photo opp. It’s time for the Mayor, the City Council members, the LAPD, the LADOT, the Bureau of Street Services and everybody else who has a piece of the streets to join forces with LA’s most powerful non-profits, Bikeside and Sustainable Streets, and to work with us to make our streets safe for everybody, not just for the day or for the week, but for every day of the year.

Great Streets don’t happen by accident, they require year-round work by professionals who know that our streets are for people and who understand that what’s good for cyclists is also good for the community.

“See you on the Streets!”

(Stephen Box is a cycling and transportation advocate and writes for CityWatch. He can be reached at Stephen@thirdeyecreative.net)

LA's Best Bike Plan - The plan with a Backbone!

The Backbone Bikeway Network is a simple yet significant commitment to supporting cyclists and their fundamental need to travel to the same destinations that attract those using other modes of transportation. Cyclists travel across town from east to west, from north to south, and the Backbone simply establishes a basic framework of priority corridors and a strategy for supporting a cyclist's freedom to move. This is the foundation of LA's Best Bike Plan as articulated in the vision statement "Every street is a street that cyclists will ride."

The Backbone requires little, if any, funding in order to become a significant improvement over the status quo. The City of Los Angeles already provides many services that are key to making the Backbone the foundation for cross-town cycling, including law enforcement, routine maintenance, and prioritized repairs. Now is the time to focus them on the removal of obstacles so that the Backbone flows.

Imagine if the LAPD would use the Backbone Bikeways Network as a training tool to reinforce with the patrol officers that cyclists ride the streets, that they have the right to take the lanes, that they need to get to the same destinations as others and that they are a part of the traffic mix, not an exception. Couple this "learning opportunity" with enhanced law enforcement and speed limit enforcement and cyclists would enjoy an already funded but inconsistent public service, one that would contribute dramatically to the success of the Backbone.

Imagine if the Bureau of Street Services would give the Backbone priority maintenance, sweeping the curb lanes and keeping the gutters cleared, something that typically happens on secondary streets and side streets in residential areas but rarely on the larger cross-town routes. Just like in snow country, there should be a hierarchy of streets that receive maintenance attention. It would benefit all modes to put the focus on the Backbone, especially cyclists. Clean curb lanes allow a cyclist to ride a straight line because they don't need to dodge broken glass and debris. Cyclists will be able to give more attention to the traffic around them if they can spend less time watching for obstacles.

Imagine if the Bureau of Public Works gave the Backbone priority repairs, conducting street work and revitalization according to real priorities of traffic rather than political pressure. In Hollywood, we've got side streets getting resurfaced but the section of Santa Monica from the 101 Freeway to La Brea has a curb lane that is simply un-ridable. Wilshire Blvd. has a curblane that has cars and buses dodging asphalt drift and potholes which is unsafe for everybody. None of this is good for the efficient flow of traffic.

The real immediate impact of the Backbone Bikeway Network is that it provides the City of Los Angeles a focus point for the delivery of services and an opportunity to invest in "human infrastructure" instead of more cement. The significant value to be gained from the implementation of the Backbone Bikeway Network is the change in attitude, in philosophy, in actions and it starts with an investment in education, encouragement, and enforcement.

During conversations over the Backbone, many suggestions have come up about the different opportunities to implement engineering solutions ranging from the "floating bike paths" to the "K-Rail separation scheme" to simpler bike lane and sharrow solutions and that is a conversation that will take place over time. The solutions will result from a robust process and they remain to be seen.

For now, I recommend that the Backbone be established with great wayfinding that serves as a confirmation and as an "invitation to ride." Great cities such as Munich, Sydney and San Francisco have wayfinding signs that direct cyclists to the popular destinations and have simple distances and route identities labeled. The establishment of the Backbone and the supporting signage is the foundation of LA's commitment to connectivity and to supporting basic access and mobility.

As for additional enhancements, this is the time to position a commitment to "neighborhood pilot projects" as the next layer of Backbone effectiveness. Now is the time to get sensitive to the community and the local environment and to use this as an opportunity to engage the public in the development of innovations instead of tired template solutions.

I'm guessing that Alex has a different idea for Venice Blvd. than what Mihai might propose for Wilshire/Westwood. I'm certain that Ron will have a great solution for Santa Monica through Beverly Hills that will be nothing like Jeremy's ideas for Wilshire in K-Town. I know Enci has ideas for Hollywood, that Dan has plans for Sunset and that Mark can certainly make Vermont a better street to ride.

Regardless of what these folks come up with, we can rest assured that it will pale in comparison to what Josef has in store for Figueroa Avenue in Highland Park. The ideas and the solutions will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and will address the many unique circumstances that occur throughout the LA area. But they all have one thing in common, the Backbone commitment to facilitating and supporting cyclists as they ride to same destinations as everybody else.

The Backbone foundation supported by "human infrastructure" allows us to position "neighborhood pilot projects" so that innovations with community support can be implemented, increasing through-put with speed moderation, limiting friction by enhancing curb lanes, calming traffic with road diets and traffic calming, enhancing capacity with speed management and synchronization, and enhancing connectivity with local communities by involving them in the process.

The League of American Bicyclists has a Bike Friendly America program that evaluates communities based on the "5 E's" which are Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement and Evaluation. Cities such as Portland and Boulder have achieved Platinum status, while San Francisco and Seattle have picked up Gold awards. In the LA area, Long Beach, Claremont, Santa Clarita and Santa Monica have all received slight nods from the League.

A couple of years ago, the Bike Writers Collective started pushing for the inclusion of Equality as the 6th E, a campaign that paralleled the efforts of Long Beach cycling advocate and CABO Director Dan Gutierrez who has been pushing for "Equality."

Imagine if we left the LAB behind and went beyond the "Bike Friendly" concept, instead using the Backbone Bikeway Network to lay down a LEED street program that went beyond the "6 E's," adding the Environment and the Economy as standards for performance. LEED standard streets would be vital connectors, not dividers, they would lose the "traffic sewer" status and instead became lifelines that enhanced the quality of life in a community instead of imposing a state of siege on a neighborhood.

LEED standard streets would have a positive impact on street life, on the reduction of crime, on the improvement of health, on revitalizing property values, and on the local economy. The benefits of a Backbone Bikeway Network go way beyond simply access for cyclists and is the foundation for a new approach to mobility.

The Backbone Bikeway Network is an important opportunity for the City of Los Angeles to embark on a journey of commitment, a journey of innovation, a journey of community building and it all starts on the streets of LA.

The change we want will take place because we ride, not because we want to ride or because we think about riding or because we plan to ride, it will take place because our actions will change the character of Los Angeles, and the development of that "human infrastructure" is of greater value than all of the cement and paint in the world.

As for me, I'll be riding the Backbone and I'll see you on the Streets!