Check out the recent “Long Beach makes way for bicycles” article by Tony Barboza, published in the Los Angeles Times. You can link to the article here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-outthere26-2010jan26,0,3205517.story
Much has taken place since the article was published. And we know that many cycling events and activities during May 2010 will place Long Beach on the front page again.
If your bike’s tires need air and if your chain needs oil, NOW is a perfect week to get your bicycle into shape. The May 2010 calendar is sprinkled with lots to do, so you’ll want to have your bike in good shape so you can join us.
Barboza’s article can provide you with an overview of some cycling-friendly initiatives in the works. We already have Sharrows (the green lane) along Belmont Shore, and we have trial Bicycle Boxes. A Bicycle Box gives the cyclist at an intersection a designated place in front of motorists to wait until the signal light turns green.Â
Barboza also mentions plans for protected bikeways, traffic circles on less-traveled streets, and talk of creating ‘bike corrals’ to favor convenient bike parking near certain shops and restaurants. Barboza quotes Charlie Gandy: “We can fit 15 customers where we used to fit one.” That is, 15 parked bicycles occupy the same amount of space as one car. The idea is that ‘bike corrals’ can help ease parking congestion by encouraging larger numbers of local people to drive a bicycle rather than a motor vehicle.Â
Barboza also quotes experienced cyclists, motorists, and other City representatives. And he quotes Jennifer Klausner of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group that is something like Long Beach Cyclists’ regional cousin. Klausner says that Long Beach is looking for ways to make east-west and north-south corridors safer and more inviting for cyclists. Klausner suggests that Long Beach is ahead of Los Angeles in that respect.
Barboza reports that Long Beach has raised $17 million in grants that will be translated into traffic improvements, bike share programs, and education.
Although Barboza’s article does not mention Long Beach Cyclists, we’d like to toot our horn here by mentioning that LCI instructors offer Traffic Skills courses for cyclists. Click EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com web page to see the schedule of upcoming sessions and to link to the online registration process. It’s springtime, 2010. Be sure your bicycle is in shape, and be sure to take Traffic Skills 101 so that you can improve your skills cycling safely and legally on city streets.
The windy road image above is found on the People for Bikes dot org web site. The web site includes links to more interesting statistical information found at Bikes Belong dot org based in Boulder, Colorado. A key idea behind People for Bikes (which is an initiative of Bikes Belong) is to gather the electronic signatures of one million cyclists—which translates into the lobbying power of one million people who love cycling.
