| | Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter September 20, 2012 |
ACTION ITEM: Protect the LA River Bike Path by the NBC Universal Campus
Next week, the Planning Commission will consider NBC Universal's plans for the future development of Universal City. Universal City is strategically located on the Metro rail network, as well as at the terminus of existing bike lanes on Forest Lawn Drive and planned bicycle facilities along the LA River, Barham, Cahuenga, and Lankershim.
Even with its transit- and bike-friendly location, we've found a few that the NBC Universal plan:- chooses to meet transportation demands by investing $100 million in cars, cars, and more cars
- resists efforts to include the LA River Bike Path on the County right-of-way adjacent to the River, as prescribed by both City and County bicycle plans and river plans
- includes aggressive expansion of car infrastructure, including adding lanes, doubling turn lanes, and increasing parking--all in the name of reducing traffic impacts
- does not incorporate a single inch of new bike lanes on the City streets outside the project area found in the transportation plan
- makes planned bike lanes in these corridors all but infeasible with mitigation measures
In a separate project, NBC is forcing Metro to construct a $19 million pedestrian bridge across Lankershim to get pedestrians out of the way of traffic flow. We could provide a long list of reasons why the NBC Universal plan went off-track, but ultimately it comes down to whether our corporate leaders share our vision of a more sustainable city wherein people can safely and conveniently travel under their own power, and whether our civic leaders are willing to enforce plans that are carefully crafted with years of public input. Large investments in the built environment are all too rare, which makes it all the more important to follow plans and policies that support strategic investments in public infrastructure when opportunities do arise. We hope you'll take action by writing to the City Planning Commission and/or attending the hearing on Thursday, September 27th (8:30 AM at Van Nuys City Hall Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, 14410 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, CA 91401). Please email comments (we encourage you to use our sample letter or your own words) by Tuesday, September 25th to: mariana.salazar@lacity.org tom.labonge@lacity.org
zev@bos.lacounty.gov
info@la-bike.org
Read more about the NBC Universal Transportation Plan on the LACBC blog. |
| Bike Updates from Around the County: Olive and Grand to Receive Bike Lanes this Weekend
 Downtown LA: Olive St. and Grand Ave. are set to receive buffered bike lanes this weekend. Stretching from Washington to 7th Street, these 1.5-mile lanes are part of Downtown Los Angeles' growing bike network! Read more about it on the LADOT Bike Blog.
Pomona: LACBC, the Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition, the City of Pomona, and the LA County Department of Public Health will be conducting bike and ped counts this October in Pomona in order to collect data to improve biking and walking. Counts will be held on Saturday, October 13 from 11 AM to 1 PM, and Wednesday, October 17 from 7 AM to 9 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM. Training sessions will be held on Wednesday, October 3 at 6:30 PM or Saturday, October 6 at 10 AM. To volunteer, sign up on our VolunteerSpot page. Questions? Please email volunteer@la-bike.org or call us at the office at 213-629-2142.
Lynwood: LACBC, the City of Lynwood, and the LA County Department of Public Health will be conducting bike and ped counts this October in Lynwood in order to collect data to improve biking and walking. Counts will be held on Wednesday, October 24 from 7 AM to 9 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM, and Saturday, October 27 from 12 noon to 2 PM. Training sessions will be held on Saturday, October 20 at 10 AM or Monday, October 22 at 6:30 PM. To volunteer, sign up on our VolunteerSpot page. Questions? Please email volunteer@la-bike.org or call us at the office at 213-629-2142.
Malibu: The City of Malibu and SCAG are currently conducting a safety study along PCH that will examine current road conditions and determine accident patterns based on roadway geometry, adjacent land-uses, and/or other factors that may be unique to Malibu. Please plan to attend one of the upcoming public meetings, all to be held at City Hall from 6-8 PM on the follow dates: September 20, 27 and October 4. Visit malibucity.org for more details. You can also read up on the first meeting in the Malibu Times.
South Pasadena: LACBC member Ryan Johnson sends us an update from South Pasadena, where a new road diet configuration that includes bike lanes was just striped along Pasadena Ave., between Mission St. and the Gold Line tracks/Hawthorne St. See a photo on the LACBC Facebook Page. |
Thanks for Raising $15,000 for Local Bike Goodness at Tour de Fat
Thanks to everyone who came out on a sweaty Saturday for Tour de Fat! Bikes, the bike parade, costumes, beer, water (the hydration station was especially key this time around), musical and comedy acts, the car-for-bike swap, enthusiastic people, and raising funds for some of your favorite local bike orgs highlighted this year's Tour de Fat.
Thank you to New Belgium Brewing for putting on this great event and for its continued support of bicycle advocacy across the country. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped LACBC, CICLE, and the Bicycle Kitchen out, whether it was marshaling the LACBC-led bike parade, helping out at bike valet, keeping us hydrated, serving beer, selling merchandise, etc.! Thanks to the 30+ people who signed up for LACBC membership on that day.
Check out some of our many photos from the event including the costumes, the parade, crazy bikes, and more on the LACBC Facebook page (remember to "like" the page while you're at it). We'll see you next year! |
| We'll have a 22 main loop and smaller, 8-11 mile rides throughout the Westside. The main loop starts at Culver City and visits the Marina, Venice, Santa Monica and Westwood. Each ride will be led by trained instructors and ride marshals with plenty of stops along the way through bike friendly neighborhoods. Join us for the main route or meet us a long the way at any of the local starting points (see below for start locations and times) This is a great way to experience your community! Bike Carmageddon: The Westside Ride When: Saturday, September 29; Kick-off at 8:30 AM Where: The Westside - Ride begins at Metro's Culver City Expo Line Station, but you can pick another loop destination to start. Ride starts at Metro's Culver City Expo Station. Kick off party starts at 8:30 AM. Ride begins at 9:00 AM. Helmets are required for riders under 18. See the routes on our ride web page and Facebook event! Our friends at CICLE will be leading a Valley Ride the following day, on Sunday, September 30th. More details on the Valley Ride here. |
New Bike Crash Support Group to Start Meeting Soon, Call to Join
Have you been in a bicycle collision and not feeling quite the same? Join us in a space for individuals who have been involved in a bicycle collision, and come together to learn, heal and support each other. - Share your experiences and resources with others who may be suffering from similar symptoms.
- Gain insight and understanding about emotional and psychological trauma and grief.
- Develop new coping strategies.
- Participate in a safe, supportive and nonjudgmental environment.
- All are welcome.
When: This group meets Saturdays, 11:30 AM - 1 PM
Where: 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401, Los Angeles, 90048 Contact: Aurisha Smolarski, MFT Intern # 68603, at 323.203.1526 or aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com for more information. This support group is brought to you by The Aten Group Comprehensive Psycological Services and LACBC. Current LACBC members receive a discount. The group will begin meeting soon, so call Aurisha to join! |
| ACTION ITEM: Help Pass the 3-Foot Passing Bill
 Two weeks ago, the California Legislature approved Senate Bill 1464, the 3-foot passing bill, and sent it to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature. You can also read the bill's current language of the bill here. |
| Be on the Lookout for a 1996-2000 Land Rover Involved in Topanga Hit and Run
Two Saturdays ago, at around 12:13 PM, a cyclist was hit by a motorist at the intersection of North Topanga Canyon Blvd and Viewridge Road in Topanga Canyon. The cyclist is in the hospital and is being treated for injuries. We wish the rider a quick and speedy recovery.
Authorities are now looking for a 1996-2000 Land Rover with a missing headlight (still no word on the color yet). If anyone has information about this hit and run, please contact the West Valley CHP station at 818-888-0980. |
Neighborhood Bike Ambassador Program East Meeting Coming Up 
If you want to make your City of Los Angeles neighborhood a better place to ride, join our Neighborhood Bike Ambassador program! The Neighborhood Bike Ambassador program is a new way for LACBC members & volunteers to work on neighborhood-scale projects and organize local support for bike projects and LACBC campaigns in the City of Los Angeles. We have 5 different regions for the NBA program: Eastside/Northeast LA, Central LA, South LA, the Westside, and the Valley. The Valley, West, South, and Central meetings have already happened (you can read up on the South LA meeting on LA Streetsblog), but the East meeting is still coming up. Join us! |
| What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Mother of Trades in SUV for Bakfiet and Bikes  | | Emily Finch: In My Own Words |
Last week's first-ever Women's National Bicycling Summit was full of inspirational women from different backgrounds. From Leah Missbach Day, co-founder of World Bicycle Relief, explaining how the bicycle is a tool for women in developing countries to help achieve gender equality to Elly Blue introducing The Bike Test to evaluate images of women in cycling, we heard from a variety of women's voices.
One of the women we were particularly in awe of is Emily Finch, a mother of six who is living car-free in Portland. We've read about her before and were impressed with how she traded in her Suburban for a bakfiet and bikes, but her presentation on the Family Biking and Low-Car Living panel was really quite wonderful and humorous, too. Have a look! |
| Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities Neighborhood Bike Ambassador Program East Meeting
When: Thursday, September 20; 7 PM
Where: Flying Pigeon Bike Shop - 3404 N. Figueroa
More info in newsletter.
PARK(ing) Day
When: Friday, September 21
Where: all over
PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. Walk Bike Glendale will be hosting a PARK(ing) Day spot from 8 AM to 6 PM in front of 124 N. Brand Blvd. in Glendale. LACBC headquarters will be collaborating on a space with Living Streets Los Angeles from 10 AM to 4 PM in front of 639 South Spring Street in Downtown LA. Stop by these LACBC spots, or visit one of the many other ones around the County!
Burbank Bike-in Movie & Picnic
When: Saturday, September 22; 2 PM
Where: Burbank Community Services Building - 150 N. 3rd St., Burbank, 91502 The City of Burbank is hosting a bike ride to a bike-in movie screening of Megamind! This family friendly event will begin at the Community Services Building with a Bike Safety Workshop and a Flat Fix How-to session. More info at burbankbike.org.
LACBC Civic Engagement Committee
When: Tuesday, September 25; 6:45 PM
Where: Pitfire Pizza - 2nd St & Main St, Downtown LA
Topics for this meeting will include questionnaires for candidates for state legislature and local offices in the November election, to be distributed by affiliate chapters.
2012 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships
When: Thursday, September 27 to Sunday, September 30
Where: Velo Sports Center at the Home Depot Center - 18400 Avalon Boulevard, Carson, 90746
Over four days, the best track cyclists in the country will compete for a stars and stripes jersey at the Velo Sports Center's biggest event of the year. LACBC members and supporters can get $5 off General Admission tickets using the promo code LABIKE2012. Get tickets here.
Bike Carmageddon: The Westside Ride
When: Saturday, September 29; Kick-off at 8:30 AM
Where: the Westside
More info in newsletter.
Bike Carmageddon: CICLE's Orange Line Valley Ride
When: Sunday, September 30; 10 AM
Where: Balboa Orange Line Station - 6338 Balboa Boulevard, Encino
This 8-mile bicycle ride will begin at the Balboa Orange Line Station and follow the Metro Orange Line Bus Way Bike Path between two great community spaces. More info.
West Hollywood Book Fair
with LACBC Bike Valet
When: Saturday, September 30; 10 AM to 6 PM
Where: West Hollywood Library and West Hollywood Park - 625 North San Vicente Boulevard
Get your readin' and riding' on! LACBC will once again be providing bike valet for this fun and free event! One of the other bike-related highlights is that authors from the recently published Alternate Lanes: An Anthology of Travel Using Alternate Transportation in the City of Angels will be making an appearance at the fair. The anthology includes a piece from WeHoBC's own Tess Lotta! To volunteer for bike valet (shifts are 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM, 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM), please contact bobby@la-bike.org. More info.
PVBC Fundraiser at Dale Bros. Brewery
When: Friday, October 5; 5 to 9 PM
Where: Dale Bros. Brewery - 2120 Porterfield Way, Upland
Help the Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition raise funds at Dale Bros Brewery in the Upland Cable Airport. 10% of all beer sales will go to us. Dos Chinos food truck will be there as well. See Facebook event.
CicLAvia 10.07.12
When: Sunday, October 7; 10 AM to 3 PM
Where: Downtown LA, South LA, MacArthur Park, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Boyle Heights
LA's biggest block party just moved up a week and features a modified route that hits South LA and explores more of Boyle Heights. Visit CicLAvia.org for more info. Check our CicLAvia.org/volunteer to volunteer! |
| | | | Join LACBC or Renew The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a member-supported organization that works for you to build a better, more bike-able L.A. County.
Members are the backbone of LACBC! Help keep LACBC strong by becoming an LACBC member (or renewing your membership) and be part of the change! |
Contact Information
Carol Feucht
Membership & Communications Manager
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
carol@la-bike.org |
Connect with LACBC: www.la-bike.org      |
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