Bikeside LA

Many received an email today announcing that the draft proposed LA Bike Plan will be available for download at the end of the day today.  I’m stoked to see it.  I had a couple opportunities to see it during the drafting and I’m pleased that it’s a 180 degree reversal from the first proposal, thanks [...]

Waaaay back on December 9th, Councilman (CD11) Bill Rosendahl asked 12 tough questions of city staff – Michelle Mowery, Jordann Turner, and Jane Blumenfeld (who is E-RIPping) – about the proposed LA Bike Plan.  I think the responses to the these questions are telling, so I clipped out the section and you can listen to [...]

“Take this plan and shove it.  Who needs it?  Not us.”
That’s been a common refrain in backroom discussions about the proposed LA Bike Plan.  When the plan first came out there was outrage at the lateness, and frustration with the narrow comment period.  Then, as people began to dissect the plan, dismay at how short [...]

Michelle Mowery said that LA did not get the same robust Bike Plan process as Portland in part because Portland is “very white” and LA is “a very diverse, disjointed city.”  Mowery, LA DOT’s Bicycle Coordinator, made her assertion Wednesday in LA City Council Transportation Committee.  Here’s the transcript with Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s question and [...]

Jeremy Grant, who writes This Is Not A Bike Blog, took the Bike Plan Challenge I issued to write the introduction to LA’s Best Bike Plan, the bike plan authored by cyclists, for cyclists.  I loved this paragraph:
The Best Bicycle Plan is a proactive vision that will offer success for the whole community; a [...]

David Pura took my challenge to write the introduction to LA’s Best Bike Plan, the bike plan written for cyclists, by cyclists:

Bicyclists can, and will, ride on every city street; California law allows as much.
Bicyclists, pedestrians, social vehicles and private vehicles will equally share the privileges and responsibilities of the public realm; these will be [...]

WIN!  Jane Blumenfeld, who I recently criticized, wrote activists today to tell us the public comment period has been reinstated and extended to January 8th:
City staff will take comments on the draft Bicycle Plan (which can be read on line at labikeplan.org) until January 8th, 2010.
YEEEHAWWW!  Thank you Jane for doing the right thing [...]

“If you read the actual list of facilities and add up all the miles, then you’d be aware that the plan only calls for *28 new miles* of bike lanes.” – Joe Linton. Just 28 miles.

(updated to include proper spelling and title for Jane Blumenfeld, hat tip Joe Linton)
The Planning Department has been misleading people, telling people that their comments will be considered in the LA Bike Plan after the public comment period has passed.  Even better, the Planning Department refused to extend the deadline, but the recipient of the [...]

Saturday we’re having Bike Working Group III, for the die hard bike wonks and the lonely souls who didn’t leave town (RSVP on Facebook.)  We’ll be continuing work on LA’s Best Bike Plan, the bike plan created for cyclists, by cyclists.  We’ll start work at 1pm, at the Hollywood Adventist Church (1711 N. Van Ness [...]