Wilshire Whoop-Dee-Doo!

LOS ANGELES, CA – Off-Road Cyclists are about to lose one of the last recreational cycling opportunities in the City of Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Department of Recreation has long forbidden mountain biking fans from riding the trails of City Parks such as Griffith and Elsyian citing a city ordinance that forbids bicycles on city owned trails and mountain paths.

Thrill-seeking Cyclists have had to settle for riding the Wilshire Whoop-Dee-Doo curb lanes and this has resulted in Wilshire Boulevard becoming the hub of extreme cycling.

Unless the Off-Road community is able to mobilize quickly, the thrills and chills of riding Wilshire Boulevard may soon end.

There is a plan afoot to “make Wilshire a more bike and pedestrian safe street” which means no more asphalt drift, no more “ramp curbs,” no more man-eating potholes, NO MORE WILSHIRE WHOOP-DEE-DOO!

If you’re interested in sounding off on YOUR vision for Wilshire Boulevard, show up at the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting this Thursday, October 19, 2006, and give them your opinion on bicycle and pedestrian access and mobility.

Thursday, October 19, 2006
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Central Region Project Office
(Bank of America Building)
3055 Wilshire Boulevard (at Westmoreland)
Suite 520
Los Angeles, CA 90005

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics!

The Wall Street Journal recently carried a great article by Kevin Helliker about the new “Cycling Chic” associated with bicycle commuting.

SoapBoxLA found the article especially timely having just returned from a European journey where cycling wasn’t just accommodated, it was encouraged, it was supported, it was driven, it was financed, it was an integral part of an evolved and innovative solution to congestion and it truly was symbolic of the “gestalt” of free access and mobility.










All this was made possible because of the proliferation of commuter bicycles with light generators, mud flaps, baskets, kickstands, chain guards and all the accoutrements that allow Europeans to ride all-weather, all-purpose, all-attire and all-the-time.

Phew! One gets a bit weepy just thinking about it!


That being said, SoapBoxLA must take issue with Helliker’s comment on bicycle safety.

“The biggest downside of cycling is wrecks, particularly with cars. Per kilometer traveled, a cyclist in America is 12 times likelier than a car occupant to be killed, according to a 2003 American Journal of Public Health article.”

Ouch! It's now time for dueling statistics and herein lies the rub.

There are several ways to examine the danger or death factor in an endeavor (deaths per mile, per hour, per trip, etc.) and also several approaches to determining the composition of the user group.

The study cited includes children in the cycling user group (a group that accounts for a disproportionate number of the deaths) and so is really a comparison of apples and oranges to just apples. Adults riding a bicycle in traffic are less likely than adult motorists to die in a traffic accident.

Heck, more people die playing golf than in any other sport but let us try and stay on cycling as the topic.

Robert Hurst, in his book "The Art of Urban Cycling," quotes a study by Failure Analysis Associates, Incorporated* that attributes the following deaths per million hours to the following activities:

Skydiving 128.71
General Aviation 15.58
Motorcycing (road) 8.8
Scuba Diving 1.98
Living (all causes of death) 1.53
Swimming 1.07
Snowmobiling 0.88
Driving a passenger car 0.47
Waterskiing 0.28
BICYCLING 0.26
Flying (domestic airlines) 0.15
Hunting 0.08

An hour of driving is almost twice as deadly to the driver as an hour of cycling is to the cyclist!

In short, if you’re trying to sell some bicycle helmets, there is a study that will demonstrate that a rider is ground beef without a helmet.

If you’re trying to encourage others to hop on a bicycle and to ride off into traffic, there’s a study that will convince them they’re bulletproof.

And so, after careful study, SoapBoxLA concludes that of all activities, it is the reckless use of statistics that carries with it the greatest capacity for danger!

Be careful out there!

Dubious Distinction

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - Three pedestrians and one cyclist lost their lives in the month of September as a result of being hit by cars in the City of Beverly Hills.

Last week Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mike Hines informed the BH Transportation Commission that the city is #1 in California for pedestrian deaths for a city of its size.

Tuesday night Mr. and Mrs. SoapBoxLA spoke at the BH City Council meeting and urged them to act aggressively to mitigate the congestion and transportation conflict in the city.

Beverly Hills currently has no Bicycle Master Plan, no Pedestrian Master Plan, does not participate in the Metro’s Strategic Planning Program and is responsible for some abysmally maintained stretches of roadway such as Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny and Beverly.

Repeating the testimony offered last week at the Transportation Commission, SoapBoxLA urged the Council to consider pedestrian and cyclist activity part of the traffic congestion reduction solution and suggested that education, communication and cooperation would go a long way to providing safe travel for all through the City of Beverly Hills.

Twice the population of Beverly Hills drive on Santa Monica Boulevard every day causing asphalt drift and potholes that have rendered this street "non-shareable"

SoapBoxLA concluded by urging the Council to make a serious commitment to multi-modal transportation pointing out that every time they see a pedestrian or a cyclist traveling through Beverly Hills, they should give a thumbs up and be thankful, for that means another car that is NOT in their way.

Stair-Master and Commander

SILVER LAKE/ECHO PARK, CA - Last week Urban Trendsetter and local activist SurviveLA took second place in category in a race to the top of the US Bank Tower, the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

The race offered participants the opportunity raise money for a good cause (the Ketchum Downtown YMCA) while testing their mettle against a huge-big-ass-urban-myth-sized stairwell.

Not to be outdone, Mr. And Mrs. SoapBoxLA entered the “Thus Climbed Zarathustra” half-alleycat and two-quarters cyclocross race/ride to raise money for Orlando Godoy, a local messenger recently injured in a bike crash with an automobile that resulted in hospitalization and surgery.

Organizers promised participants that they would see Echo Park and Silver Lake as it has never been seen before and they were true to their word. It sounded like a great bike race and it was.

It was a mildly overcast day with a wee bit of a chill in the air, great weather for a race through the neighborhood. A motley assortment of cyclists gathered in Silver Lake with an even motlier assortment of cycling machines. Road-bikes, mountain bikes, stripped down single speeds, loaded down commuter bikes, even a single speed tall-boy, bikes of all persuasions.

As it turns out the single most important advantage that any bike offered its rider during this race was, quite simply, its ability to be carried up stairs. Lots of stairs. Lots of sets of stairs. Ten sets of stairs spread throughout Echo Park and Silver Lake turning cyclists into carryists or urban Sherpas.

Within minutes of the start we had circled the Silver Lake Reservoir and were running up the Cove stairs, stairs of sufficient number that I honestly gave thought to retiring. We kept on and pedaled past Fargo Hill, which looked relatively benign and non-threatening today. And I never look at Fargo Hill that way!

The ride was plotted by Sadists and the stairs at Swan serve as the damning evidence. Three sets of stairs, one right after the other, left riders rubber-legged and wheezing for the descent down Micheltorena for…two more sets of stairs!

Mr. And Mrs. SoapBox finished last overall but upon examination it was discovered that the Mrs. took first in the Beautiful Hungarian Women’s category and the Mr. took first in the Overweight Australian Men’s category.

Swrve Cycling Apparel and Orange20 Bikes both provided swag for the winners and, for a moment, there was a touch of envy in the air as the winners took their prizes. Then the simple glow of knowing that simply completing the journey was a victory in and of itself settled in. And we've got the spokecards to back it up!

And so, while we are quite proud of SurviveLA’s performance in the “Stair Climb to the Top” we really must ask, “But did you carry anything up those stairs?”

We look forward to riding with SurviveLA and all our friends soon.

For more info on rides such as this, check out BikeBoom.com, sign up for announcements at Bikekitchen.com and remember to represent by joining the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition at labikecoalition.com.

Cyclists Claim Mount Hollywood

MT. HOLLYWOOD, CA - The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition was invited to a preview of the newly remodeled Griffith Observatory this past weekend.

Cyclists gathered at Barnsdall Park on Hollywood Boulevard and then rode up the Fern Dell Drive/Western Canyon Road/East Observatory Road route. This route is 2.3 miles from Los Feliz to the Observatory and is a long steady incline.

(El Jimmy was first to arrive at the top and he was riding a single speed!) The rest of us were content to draft.

The other route for cyclists (and hikers) is the Hillhurst Avenue or Vermont Avenue to Vermont Canyon Road route that is a little steeper, goes past the Greek Theatre and is 1.6 miles short.

















Both routes are worth the ride, the view at the top is stunning, and simply riding your bicycle to the Griffith Observatory has now become a political statement.

You see, the initial reopening plan for the Observatory was for Shuttle Bus access only. No Bicycle access, no hiker access.

After a long and sometimes contentious lobbying process, the plan was revised in the 11th hour and access is now open to cyclists and hikers.

And so we rode, to celebrate. And that’s what riding a bicycle is all about, celebrating.

It’s a celebration of the fact that “getting there” is just as much a part of the adventure of life in Los Angeles as “being there.”

Tom LaBonge welcomes a cyclist to the Griffith Observatory

The 11th Hour!

LOS ANGELES, CA - Mr. and Mrs. SoapBoxLA spent Friday afternoon lobbying the Los Angeles Department of Transportation for improvements to the bikeway element of the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway.

The meeting with John Fisher, Assistant General Manager of the LADOT, Sean Skehan, Principal Transportation Engineer and Bearj Sarkis, Transportation Engineer, lasted an hour and a half and consisted of a presentation of signage, striping, surface color and treatment solutions to the unique, not-MUTCD approved, egress/ingress conflict points.

Cars cross the bike lane to enter, cars cross the bike lane to exit, and the cyclist travels through this “engineered conflict” with no signage support, no striping support, no surface treatment support.

In short, the Parkway contains uniquely and creatively engineered egress “off-ramps” allowing autos to exit the Parkway without slowing down, traveling at full speed across the bike lane. This is “engineered conflict” and it will kill cyclists.

The current striping plan was revised last week and a hastily green-lined set of plans was submitted to the LADOT along with the following requests:

1. That the bike lanes be complete, from one end of the Parkway (through Century City to the Beverly Hills border) or that they be removed. Why lull a cyclist into a segregated and protected “bike lane” journey only to end the lane on the eastbound approach to the most congested section of the Parkway - Century City


2. Install MUTCD R4-4 “yield to bikes” signs at the beginning of all exclusive right-turn lanes


3. Install MUTCD W11-1 “Bicycle Warning Signs” at all egress/ingress points to warn motorists that they about to cross a cyclists’ line


4. Continue the bike lanes through all open and shared space with broken or dashed lines on both sides of the bike lane (except where one side is a curb)


5. Color the surface of the bike lanes at conflict points so that there is even greater indication to a motorist that they are crossing a bike lane


6. Install Bike Boxes at crosswalks so that bike-lane positioned cyclists can reposition to the turn lane during a red-phase
   

John Fisher has always proven himself to be open and approachable and he was no different in this meeting, which was set up as the result of SoapBoxLA testimony offered on Wednesday at the City Council Transportation Committee meeting. As pleasant as he is to spend time with, he gave little ground on the requests made during the meeting.

The LADOT responses to the SoapBoxLA requests are:

1. That there is no room for bike lanes through Century City and that any opportunity to run the bike lanes to the Beverly Hills border would only follow a Beverly Hills action to connect West Hollywood to Beverly Hills and then Beverly Hills to Los Angeles.


(Note: SoapBoxLA first went on record months ago with a “take the bike lanes off the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway” position that was flatly rejected. The SoapBoxLA argument from the beginning was that the bike lanes simply don’t fit, they inhibit the safe movement and positioning of a cyclist, the egress/ingress points are simple “engineered conflict” points that will kill cyclists and that the bike lanes are present when convenient and then they disappear at the most congested points leaving a cyclist on his/her own which would actually be the safest and most effective choice for the whole Parkway!)


Sean objected to putting up too many signs on the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway because he believes it will only confuse or desensitize motorists.



A mild objection was offered that that the warning sign did not strictly meet the MUTCD intentions for use. I countered by quoting the MUTCD, which states that The Bicycle Warning (W11-1) sign can be used for “other crossing activities that might cause conflicts.” Surely having a motorist veer across a bike lane at full speed would warrant a warning sign.



Sean pointed out that there was no room along the Bus cutouts for both the Bus pad and the bike lane. Again, if the bike-lanes don’t fit, then why squeeze them in when convenient and leave a cyclist hanging at conflict points? I pointed out that the funding for this project and the community approval was all based on this Parkway being a multi-modal project. Partial accommodation of cyclists does not constitute multi-modal transportation. I argued that if a bus and a cyclist are meant to “share” space, cyclists lose.


I offered examples from other communities of surface color innovations but this
suggestion received a mild MUTCD objection.



Sean said he had never heard of Bike Boxes until I brought them up. I had previously sent Sean pictures. He said they looked like pictures from Europe. (they were!) I offered pictures from West Hollywood, California, U.S.A. He said that the behavior of a small town hardly drives the behavior of a large city such as Los Angeles, that these decisions open the city to questions of liability, and that these decisions will have an impact on the city of Los Angeles as a whole. (Is this an argument against change?) I then gave him pictures of Bike Boxes at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. No response from Sean.

The meeting concluded with a “wait-and-see” proposal from Sean, which was flatly rejected by Mr. and Mrs. SoapBoxLA.

The death of cyclists should not be required in order to drive the safe and efficient completion of the largest roadway project in the City of Los Angeles.

Surely the City of Los Angeles can spend $90 million on a 2.5 mile roadway project and then deliver a Parkway that is both safe and efficient and that comes with COMPLETE bike lanes supported by the appropriate signage, striping and surface treatment.

Take a moment to call these people and give them your opinion.

This is your city, this is your Parkway, this is your ride!

LA City Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
213-978-0600

LA City Deputy Mayor of Transportation Jaime de la Vega
213-978-2360

LADOT General Manager Gloria Jeff
213-972-8480

LADOT Assistant General Manager John Fisher
213-972-8424

CD5 Councilmember Jack Weiss
213-473-7005

City Council Transportation Committee Chair Wendy Gruel
213-473-7002

Project Manager – DPW – Carl Nelson
310-785-2300 x 208

Project Manager – DPW – Luis Ganaja
213-485-4503

Music To My Ears!

HOLLYWOOD HILLS, CA. - This morning Tom LaBonge greeted me with the proud announcement “Congratulations! You can ride your bike to the Griffith Observatory now. Of course ya still gotta make a reservation but you’re welcome to ride your bike!”

This is great news and the reversal in the Department of Recreation and Parks policy is the result of over a year of lobbying that began in the Friends of the Observatory community meetings, the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group meetings, and the Franklin Corridor Mobility Action Committee meetings and continued through the offices of Mayor Villagairosa, Council President Garcetti, Council Member Tom LaBonge and concluded with the Recreation and Parks Commission.

At issue was the re-opening plan for the popular Griffith Observatory. The initial plan called for a car-free solution to the anticipated deluge of fans using an online advanced reservation timed entry system and shuttle service to move the Observatory guests up and down the hill to the Observatory. While we applauded the evolved and out of character car-free solution, we were shocked to find that it came with a hiker and cyclist prohibition. The plan required ALL guests to use the shuttle, paying what is currently an $8 shuttle/reservation “cost-recovery” fee to visit the Griffith Observatory.

(This fee is the subject of much debate and possible litigation. Griffith J. Griffith donated the land and the money for the Observatory with the stipulation that it be open to the public “free of charge.” Hence the RAP use of the phrase “cost-recovery” and its application to the shuttle and the reservation system.)

The City of Los Angeles Birthday Party on Labor Day provided an opportunity for face-to-face appeals to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Larry Franks and officials of Recreation and Parks and by the following week the plan presented to the RAP Commission was being revised.

All of this brings us to a victory that is significant for a few reasons. Of course, hiker and cyclist access to the Griffith Observatory is the obvious benefit to this long journey.

In addition it also marks a significant step to a car-free or car-lite environment in Griffith Park. (Currently the online directions only refer to freeway access. The automobile bias in the Rec and Parks M.O. is palpable.) The past enmity between some of the user groups at Griffith Park has resulted in screaming matches as cyclists have tried to gain access to the parks. As such, this welcoming gesture from RAP to cyclists is truly a significant milestone.

And in the big picture, for the first time that I am aware of, the Los Angeles Times uses a phrase that is indeed “Music To My Ears” – access is free to those who hike or bicycle.

This is complemented by the Griffith Observatory which says that all guests must “use the shuttle, hike or ride a bicycle.”

As if that wasn’t enough Tom LaBonge writes in his newsletter Griffith Observatory visitors “will be required to either take a shuttle, walk or cycle to the site.”

These are words I never thought I would hear spoken in Los Angeles!

Westside Story

SOMETIMES BIGGER IS JUST...BIGGER!

LOS ANGELES, CA. – The Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway is the largest roadway project in the City of Los Angeles. Only 4 Kilometers in length, the Parkway is not very long, but with 3 lanes of travel in each direction, frontage roads on either side and ingress and egress points throughout, it’s obvious that the designers were serious about moving some automobiles rapidly through this neighborhood.

The Parkway runs east-west on Santa Monica Boulevard from the border of Beverly Hills (Moreno Drive) on the east side to the 405 Freeway (Beloit Avenue) on the west side.

Conceived about a decade ago, this project counts as its “parents” the Federal Highway Administration, the State of California, Los Angeles County, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works and the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

These heavyweight project partners threw down $75 million fully intending to address the 2nd most congested corridor in the City of Los Angeles by encouraging multi-modal travel by featuring walkways, bike paths, and enhanced bus transit operations.

The local community has been told that the Parkway will result in a 20% increase in auto capacity but that it will not result in an increase in traffic, that it will only serve to reduce drive time.

Locals complain that the pedestrian opportunities look minimal, the enhanced bus operations look like bus pads on any other busy boulevard, the bike paths have been replaced by bike lanes using a 2002 striping plan that does not incorporate any of the recent State of California adopted design standards.

When asked to evaluate the project, Jim Bursch of West L.A. Online replied “We just want the construction to end!”

With the conclusion of construction in sight, the current tab is at $90 million. Intersection cement is being poured, the landscaping is nearing completion, and once the final surface is set the striping will go down and we are off to the races!

There have been many concerns raised by the community along this journey and one significant issue still remains on the table. This is the final striping plan.

The Parkway is designed to move cars. One might suggest that the design includes elements of “Frogger” with the cyclists playing the Frog.

Vehicle Code requires that cyclists use a bike lane when one exists (with exceptions for debris, safety and left turns) and SMBTP has plans for a 5’ (including 2’ gutter pan) Bike Lane. Concerns have been raised that this will result in “engineered conflict” because of the freeway style egress lanes that take autos across the bike lanes at full speed.

Who has right-of-way? An auto in a lane that is engineered to encourage a veering exit with no reduction in speed until safely on the frontage road or a bicycle in the bike lane desiring to maintain a straight through line? The striping plan on the table at the last community meeting had no signage or lane markings in the intersections that would clarify any right-of-way conflict.

While many concerns have been raised regarding landscaping and visibility between the main boulevard and the frontage roads, conflicts with bus cutouts, ingress and egress traffic, the greatest concern raised has been “Who’s watching out for the cyclist?”

There is little time left to act and our actions will have long term ramifications.

Call City Council President Pro Tem Wendy Gruel (CD2), who chairs the Transportation Committee, and ask her if the largest Roadway Project in the City has been reviewed by the Committee. (213-473-7002) Call her legislative deputies, Christopher Olsen and Jennifer Cohen, and ask them if Wendy’s office can vouch for the efficacy and safety of the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway bike lanes.

Call City Councilmember Jack Weiss (CD5), whose district includes the Parkway, (213-473-7005) and ask him if he is confident that the bike lane striping plan contains the most recent approved signs, signals, and pavement markings for the State of California and the City of Los Angeles. Call his Senior Field Deputy Paul Backstrom (310-289-0353) and ask him if the autos using the egress are in conflict with the bicycles in the bike lane.

Call Gloria Jeff, the General Manager of the Department of Transportation, (213-972-8480) and ask her if the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway incorporates all the design elements necessary to ensure safe travel for cyclists. Ask Gloria if the LADOT Bikeways department participated in the process and if the final result includes all of their recommendations for cycling safety.

Call Michelle Mowery of the LADOT Bikeways Department (213-972-4962) and ask her if the recommendations of the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee have been incorporated into the final striping plan.

But most of all, ride the Santa Monica Boulevard Transit Parkway. Ask yourself “Is this what a $90 million Parkway looks like from a cyclist’s perspective?”

If it is, then enjoy your ride!

If it falls short of what you think a cyclist should expect for $90 million, then pick up the phone and call Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (213-978-0721) and then call Jaime de la Vega, Deputy Mayor of Transportation, (213-978-2360) and then call Maria Rangel, Administrative Assistant, (213-978-0648).

Let them know that you are a cyclist and let them know that you expect a $90 million Parkway to be the safest, most efficient and comfortable stretch of bikeway in the City of Los Angeles. Settle for nothing less. You paid for the best!

"Clowns to the left of me, Egress to the right;
Stuck in the bikelane again..."

San Antonio Blesses Local Cyclist

LINCOLN PARK, CA. – Stephen and Antonio pause in Lincoln Park to discuss cycling issues in Los Angeles. “That’s right! Cyclists belong on the street!” says Mayor Antonio Villagairosa.

Escorted by some of Los Angeles’ finest on bicycles, the Mayor and several hundred of his closest friends were celebrating LA’s 225th birthday by walking with Los Pobladores from San Gabriel to el Pueblo Historical Monument.

The nine mile walk commemorates the 1781 trek made by the original Los Pobladores, the original Spanish settlers of Los Angeles.

CD4 High Visibility Bicycle Racks!

TOLUCA LAKE, CA. – Never one to settle for “subtle,” Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge has the latest model of vanity bike rack installed in Toluca Lake.

This rack gets points for being highly visible, for accepting a variety of locks, for being in a high foot traffic area, for supporting the frame of the bicycle, for being simple to use and for being in a clean, well maintained area.

Thanks for the bike rack Tom!

For those who would like to join Tom in providing bike racks to their guests, customers and constituency, call Michelle Mowery of the LA Department of Transportation Bikeways Department and ask for a bike rack. (213-972-4962)

The LADOT Bicycle Program installs bicycle racks in the public right-of-way (City Property) to encourage bicycling as a transportation option. There is no fee for a rack. Now, there is no excuse for not having a bike rack.

LA Zoo Unplugged!

WELL, PARTIALLY!

LOS ANGELES, CA. – A little over a year ago, Councilmember Tom LaBonge and Rec & Parks GM Jon Kirk Mukri responded to community protests over the 2003 Griffith Park Master Plan Draft by forming a Working Group with the mandate of preparing a “revised” Master Plan Draft.

The meetings are monthly, open to the public, somewhat contentious and consistently long with public comment coming at the end of a typically long evening.

The August meeting was a little different, featuring guest speakers from the Autry National Center and from the Los Angeles Zoo. Both facilities are Griffith Park “tenants.”

John Gray, President and CEO of the Autry, was braced for confrontation and came with quite an entourage, all as a result of the controversy over the assimilation of the Southwest Museum and its assets into the Autry family.

Our friends at the Autry were quick to reach out to the cyclists in the room by pointing out that their restrooms are kept open before and after Autry Museum operating hours for the convenience of the cyclists in the park.

(I took the liberty of pointing out that their bike racks are antiquated and that if they were to call Michelle Mowery, Bikeways Coordinator for the Department of Transportation, (213-972-4962) the city might provide new and effective bike racks!)

I urge readers to call John Gray (323-667-2000) to thank him for providing access to the Autry rest rooms and to encourage him to provide appropriate and effective bicycle parking at the Griffith Park Campus of the Autry National Center.

John Lewis, General Manager of the Los Angeles Zoo, was next to present and his vision for the LA Zoo was captivating and exciting. This is not to say that it was without conflict.

Plans call for a 17 million dollar parking lot replacement, tapping into Prop “O” money. I pointed out that Rec and Parks has gone on record as saying that 10 million dollars for shuttle service throughout the park is cost prohibitive. How then would investing in the future of free parking with a price tag of 17 million be a reasonable advantage?

Before I could yell “Free the Elephants, not the Parking Lot!” John had moved on and was discussing the attractions.

After the presentation I spoke to John about the huge illuminated LA Zoo sign (situated in the middle of an urban wilderness, adjacent to the Observatory, illuminated only after the zoo has closed!) and the lack of appropriate bicycle parking.

John was quite amenable and took copious notes. I was pleased to note (see pic) that the simplest of the requests (turn off the sign) was handled immediately.

Again I urge readers to pick up the phone, this time to call John Lewis (323-644-4200) to thank him for turning down the lights and to encourage him to provide appropriate and effective bicycle parking at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Los Angeles Zoo - current bicycle parking solution 9/2006

Sign of the Times

ROAD CLOSED TO AUTOS – BICYCLES PERMITTED!

LOS ANGELES, CA. – In a deft display of efficiency, Patty Malone, Field Deputy for City Council Member Tom LaBonge, responded to cyclists’ complaints of restricted access to Mt. Hollywood Drive in Griffith Park by picking up the phone and having signs installed that settle the issue.

Mt. Hollywood Drive has been closed to automobiles for years and, consequently,has become a very popular route for both cyclists and hikers.

In fact, last year Tom Breckner of the Department of Recreation and Parks went so far as to write:

“Perhaps you might not be aware, paved roads in Griffith Park are accessible to recreation and commuter cyclists during park operating hours? The north-south access within Griffith Park is Mount Hollywood Drive, a paved road which connects the Park's northwest corner via Oak Canyon Drive (from either the Travel Town Museum or the Mineral Wells Picnic Area) to the Griffith Observatory and Los Feliz/Hollywood (via Vermont Canyon or Western Canyon).

Mt. Hollywood Drive is open to bicyclists, as is Vista del Valle Drive, which is the paved, upper mountain route which parallels the Park's east-west mountain ridge from Mt. Hollywood Drive to the Commonwealth Nursery (Commonwealth Avenue).

If you have been attempting to cycle on Mt. Hollywood and/or Vista del Valle, and for some reason you have been prevented, please let me know. There should not be any prohibition for recreation or commuters cyclists from using these paved roads which are only closed to motorized vehicle traffic.”

I pointed to Tom that the large “ROAD CLOSED” sign does not seem to support his thundering endorsement of a cyclist’s right to ride Mt. Hollywood and that it would seem ill-advised to advise cyclists to ignore road signs in any circumstance. Silence. Crickets. More silence.

A year passes and Mt. Hollywood Drive is now busy with construction. The Department of Water and Power is building a retaining wall and installing new pipe along the roadway. There is some conflict and confusion between the Department of Water and Power flagmen and some cyclists. Phone calls are made to the DWP. Phone calls are made to the Griffith Park Rangers Station. Appeals are made at the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group to Rec & Park staff. All to no avail.

And then came Patty…

"Road Closed" August of 2005

Griffith Observatory Sees the Light

REOPENING ACCESS PLAN REVISED TO INCLUDE CYCLISTS!

LOS ANGELES, CA. – Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, announced that a plan to require all guests of the Griffith Observatory to use shuttle buses ($5.50 per guest) has been revised to include a cyclist and pedestrian access option.

The Griffith Observatory has been closed since early 2002 for a complete overhaul and renovation. Excitement has been building and the Department of Rec & Parks has been concerned that demand for access far exceeds the capacity of the Observatory and also of the neighborhood.

To their credit, Rec & Parks came up with a very progressive plan that incorporated a complete ban on automobile access. Guests would use a timed entry advance reservation system and then board shuttle buses at one of two off-site locations so that the impact on the community was minimalized and that the flow of guests at the Observatory was controlled.

The downside of this plan was that it provided no mechanism for allowing guests to access the observatory without using the shuttle buses. Cyclists and hikers were outraged.

Officials argued that cyclists and hikers would still have access to the park, they conceded that access to the Observatory would still require boarding a bus at Hollywood/Highland or the LA Zoo.

Local cyclists have lobbied for over a year to have the plan revised. Stephen Box, a Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Boardmember, has appealed to the Mayor’s office, City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group, the Department of Rec & Parks and just about anybody else who would listen as well as a few that wouldn’t.

Colin Bogart, LACBC Board President, and Enci, LACBC member, joined Stephen at the Friends Of The Observatory community presentation where all three spoke in protest of the exclusion of cycling as a viable transportation option.

Stephen and Enci were joined by Kastle Lund, Executive Director of the LACBC, at City Councilmember Tom LaBonge’s Mobility Action Committee where they all spoke in favor of a revised Observatory access plan that includes cyclists and pedestrians.

Stephen attended the Rec & Parks Commission meeting this past week intending to speak again on the issue but was assured by Jon Kirk Mukri and Kevin Regan, Assistant General Manager, that cyclists would still need to use the advance reservation click and print system but that they would be able to ride to the Observatory.

Vicki Israel, Griffith Park Superintendent, added that bicycle racks were going to be installed and went on to inquire as to the best cycling and pedestrian routes to the Observatory.

The two most popular cycling routes to the Observatory are the Ferndell/Western Canyon route (2.3 miles) and the Vermont Canyon route. (1.6 miles) Once at the top you can continue on Mt. Hollywood Drive (closed to automobiles for years!) and ride for miles surrounded by nothing but the beauty and tranquility of Griffith Park.

Dude, Where’s My Lane?

LOS ANGELES, CA. - Early morning cyclists traveling south on La Brea Avenue were shocked to discover that the bicycle lane beginning at Redondo Boulevard had disappeared overnight.

Officials were as mystified as the public and initially suggested that the missing bicycle lane was simply a prank and attributed it to local “hooligans and scalliwags.”

Upon closer examination of the crime scene it was determined that this was no prank but was the work of professional thieves.

Investigators pointed to the thoroughness and precision of the lane removal and the fact that absolutely no trace of the bicycle lane was left behind, save for the “Bike Lane” signs posted along the route.

At first pass it appears that this is the work of the same gang that has struck in other locations throughout Los Angeles, most recently on Fountain Avenue between Lodi Place and Vine Street. There is a chance that this incident is the result of “copycat” opportunists, but either way officials are sure that it has to do with the resale value of the bicycle lanes on the “Black Market.”

Apparently, the shortage of bicycle lanes in Los Angeles has resulted in a high salvage or resale price for used bicycle lanes. The lanes are taken to chop shops, dismantled and then resold.

When asked why the thieves consistently remove all traces of the bicycle lane from the street but leave the “Bike Lane” signs in place, officials responded that the signs are so widely ignored by motorists that they have no market value.

LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sonia Rimkunas of the Northeast Division (213-793-0760 cell) has been active in bicycle issues but had no comment on the missing bicycle lanes instead asking “Does anyone know anything about the large number of cyclists in the Echo Park area? I think they ride on Tuesday nights. Does anyone know who’s in charge?”

Phone calls to the LA Department of Transportation Bikeways department (213-972-4962) yielded a recorded message inviting the public to visit their website.

The City of Los Angeles 311 City Services directory was quite helpful in connecting concerned cyclists with different city departments but none of the calls yielded any useful information.

The Department of Transportation Parking Enforcement (213-485-4184) was asked if their officers had seen any unusual activity on the road during the night but their reply was “We only look for things with VIN numbers that can be cited and hopefully towed.”

Further calls to the DOT (213-485-4184 option 2) yielded extremely helpful operators that were happy to take reports on traffic signal sensors that fail to detect the presence of bicycles but were hard-pressed to explain what to do when a bicycle lane disappears.

The Department of Street Use (800-996-2489) was most interested in the incident until they realized that the crime took place during the night. A very helpful operator explained “We work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and this took place during the night so we wouldn’t be able to help you but if you know of any roadway obstructions occurring during the day, give us a call!”

Department of Street Services Senior Investigator Marcia Jackson (213-485-3711) referred calls to the DOT Bikeways department reporting “They have a website. I don’t know the address but it’s on the internet.” Ms Jackson explained that Street Services would only be interested in the situation if the bicycle lane was blocking the sidewalk. Once reassured that the bicycle lane was not on the sidewalk, she lost interest.

Calls to the Metro yielded a workaround solution that consisted of simply getting off the road and riding the bus. When it was pointed out that the bus bike racks only hold two bikes, the customer service operator suggested that concerned cyclists call Metro Customer Service and advocate for the new three-bike racks.
(800-266-6883 option 1, option 1, option 1 and wait…)

Investigators apologized for the lack of progress in the investigation and advised the cycling community to use caution when riding in bicycle lanes. “We can’t guarantee the safety and efficacy of the Bootleg bicycle lanes and they all look alike so use caution when riding!”

The Lead Investigator paused and went on to remind the gathered cyclists that the California Vehicle Code, section 21202, guarantees them the right to use the road and he then suggested that the cyclists just “take the lane!”

This caught the attention of the LAPD officers in attendance and resulted a sharp rebuke from Lt. Barbara of Rampart Division who was last heard yelling “That’s impeding traffic! You’re just impeding traffic!”

At this point, the Lead Investigator rolled his eyes, tipped his cap and was last seen gripping the bullhorn bars of a bright green 44/12 fixie as he pedaled off into the traffic.