LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

February 9, 2012 

In this issue
ACTION ALERT: Save Federal Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Funding
ACTION ALERT: Demand Funding for Biking and Walking in Southern California
Farewell, Marissa!
LACBC's City of Lights Program Launches Youth Program in East LA
Women on Bikes SoCal Launches "Let's Double the Number of Women & Girls Riding Bikes" Initiative
Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County
Register for the 34th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ride/Run, Support LACBC
CicLAvia Valentine's Party Tomorrow, & Stakeholder Meetings
LACBC Member Discounts at Secret Goldfish Baking Co. & LA Film + Music Weekend
Tour de Taste Rolls in with New Date on March 4th
Culver City Bicycle Coalition Fundraiser and Rides with the Mayor
Thanks to All Who Attended the Sea to Towers Sunday Funday Ride
City of LA: Request a Bike Corral, Attend a Mobility Think Lab Workshop, & Prioritize Safer Streets in the Budget Survey
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: GOOD Attacks LA Traffic, Plus Bikey E-Valentines
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
ACTION ALERT: Save Federal Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Funding

If it seems like every other week LACBC or another bicycle organization is asking you to sign a petition demanding to preserve funding for bicycling and walking, it's because funding for active transportation is threatened that often. Last week, we shared the unfortunate news that an amendment to preserve bike and pedestrian funding in the Federal Transportation Bill failed, so now we are asking our representatives to oppose the House Bill, which would eliminate dedicated funding for biking and walking.

Take action! Sign this petition created by the League of American Bicyclists!
ACTION ALERT: Demand Funding for Biking and Walking in Southern California
Fund biking and walking in Southern California
Fund biking and walking in Southern California

Sign this petition today to make Southern California safer for bicyclists and pedestrians!

 

The budget on the Southern California Association of Goverment's (SCAG) new Regional Transportation Plan that affects 18 million people over 24 years is slated to set aside 1.3% of the funds for bicycles and pedestrians. Since 25% of traffic casualties occur in that sector, the LA Public Health Department recommends an 8% set-aside to have a real impact for all who bike and walk.

 

Thanks to all who have already signed this petitions! This petition is up to 500 signatures and growing, but we need more!

 

Sign the petition today!

Farewell, Marissa!
Marissa
We'd like to thank LACBC's South Bay Initiative Director Marissa Christiansen for all the hard work she's put into working with the seven cities of the South Bay on the country's first regional bike plan. In her two years at LACBC, Marissa has bridged the gap between government officials, advocates, and citizens in seven diverse cities. She was also featured as one of Easy Rider's Newsmakers of 2011.

With the LA County Department of Public Health grant that funded her position expiring soon, Marissa will move on to working as the Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Redondo Beach next week. We wish Marissa the best of luck there and know that she'll keep it punk rock wherever she goes!
LACBC's City of Lights Program Launches Youth Program in East LA
East LA Class 

Last Friday, LACBC's City of Lights program launched our first bicycle empowerment program aimed at youth. The program is designed to take participants on a programmatic journey from bicycle mechanics to bicycle advocacy. On Fridays, the youth spend 6-8 hours for a full month to fully understand the overall picture of the "bicycling world."

 

Read more about this program expansion on the LACBC Blog.

Women on Bikes SoCal Launches "Let's Double the Number of Women & Girls Riding Bikes" Initiative
Women on Bikes Launch  
On Wednesday morning in Long Beach, Women on Bikes SoCal, along with LACBC, the California Bicycle Coalition, Bikeable Communities, and Bike Long Beach announced Phase I of a campaign to double the number of women and girls riding bikes in the Southern California region. Phase I involves the creation of a scholarship fund for women to become League Certified Instructors (LCI's) and teach bike safety classes to women.

According to LACBC's 2011 LA Bike Count preliminary findings, women account for only 16% of the bicycle ridership in the City of Los Angeles. This is of note because female ridership is often used as an indicator of how bike friendly a city is. In cities that are widely considered bike friendly and have safer biking facilities, the gender gap in bike ridership shrinks drastically.

Zev Yaroslavsky's office also has an article about the push to double the number of female riders, as well as some stories from local female bike riders.

Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County

Slauson Ave. 

Westside: The Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSCCOG)  has been working on a WSCCOG regional bicycle safety and awareness plan since last year.  An important element of the plan are recommendations to connect the Westside Cities through implementing bicycle infrastructure projects.  The recommended projects or "gap closures" will create a basic regional bicycle infrastructure network to provide north/south and east/west connections. Individual cities within the WSCCOG will then be encouraged to implement projects these projects and close gaps in their route systems.

 

The following priority gap closures were presented to the WSCCOG Board on January 19, 2012

  • Santa Monica Blvd./Broadway (from La Brea Blvd. to Ocean Ave.)
  • San Vicente Blvd. (from Sunset Blvd. to La Brea Blvd.)
  • Barrington Ave./McLaughlin Ave./Slauson Ave. (from Sunset Blvd. to the Ballona Creek Bike Path)
  • Beverly Dr./Beverwil Dr./Duquesne Ave./Jefferson Blvd./Overland Ave.(from San Vicente to Westfield/Culver City Transit Center)
  • Expo Light Rail Bike Path/Bikeway (from La Brea Blvd. to the western terminus of Phase 2)

To view a map of the proposed  routes click hereWSCCOG is accepting comments now through March 4, 2012. The results of the comment period will be brought to the Board at its March 15, 2012 meeting in Culver City. Email your comments to the WSCCOG at [email protected].

 

Glendale: The draft Bicycle Transportation Plan presentation to the Transportation & Parking Commission (TPC) has been changed from February 8 to February 29 at 6:30 PM at the City of Glendale Municipal Service Building (MSB) - First Floor Room 105, 633 East Broadway in Glendale. This is a public meeting and we encourage anyone who rides in Glendale to attend and give your comments.

 

View Park/Baldwin Hills: Make Slauson Ave. a safer street for all, and join in the conversation! Vote for various configurations for the streets, including option D-1 that includes bike lanes and a wider sidewalk. The last day to vote is tomorrow, Feburary 10th!

 

Downtown LA: February will bring additional bike lane mileage to the growing Downtown LA bike network. New bike lanes will be installed on Main Street from 9th Street to 16th/Venice Blvd. on the weekends of February 11th and Feburary 18th. These new lanes will link to the buffered green lane on Spring Street and a future bike lane on Main Street headed north from 9th to Cesar Chavez. Also this month, LADOT crews will be testing various green paint & cement coloring materials on three blocks of Spring Street on Sunday, February 12th.  If you live or work in DTLA you may see work crews out the week before grinding off existing lane markings in preparation for installation. Read more about it on the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council website.

 

Rolling Hills Estates: On Tuesday, February 14th at 5:30 PM, the Rolling Hills City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed improvement of Palos Verdes Drive North from Crenshaw west to the city line just before Via Campesina. The project includes bike lanes on both sides and a number of other improvements which will increase visibility and bike safety. I have heard from a member of the council who is an avid cyclist that there is going to be a lot of opposition from the equestrian community; their claim is that most of the cyclists who ride in Palos Verdes don't live here. So to help save this project, we need as much representation as possible from cyclists who live and ride here. That stretch of PV Drive North is particularly dangerous, as it is narrow and there is no shoulder striping on parts of the road. Click here for a link to the City Council website. If you can't make it and you live in RHE, please send an email to the council or the assistant city manager at: [email protected].

Register for the 34th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ride/Run, Support LACBC
Firecracker Ride & Run
Ring in the Lunar New Year by riding or running, and celebrate the Year of the Dragon! For the past few years, we've partnered with the excellent Chinatown Firecracker Ride & Run by providing bike valet for the event. And this year, just like last year, for each registrant who indicates that they were referred to the event by LACBC, the Firecracker organizers will donate $7 to LACBC!
Firecracker
34th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ride & Run
When: Saturday, February 11 & Sunday, February 12
Where: Los Angeles Chinatown

The bike rides on Saturday, February 11th, feature both an easy 20-mile ride and a more challenging (and hillier) 30-mile ride. The runs on Sunday feature a 10K run and a 5K run/walk, plus a 1K kiddie run.

If you register, please remember to indicate that you heard about the ride through LACBC.

Online registration is now closed, but you may print out a paper form to register on the day of your ride.
CicLAvia Valentine's Party Tomorrow, Plus Stakeholder Meetings 
CicLAvia Valentine'sCicLAviaValentine 
CicLAvia's Valentine's Party Tomorrow!

CicLAvia is hosting a Valentine's party! Bring your Valentine - or meet a new Valentine there! Music by CicLAvia stars Alanna Lin/FASCINOMA, plus DJs and more. Admission is free, but bring money for drinks, eats, auction, swag, and more! There will be speed dating at 7 PM sharp - open to all orientations and genders! LACBC will be there with free bike valet to park your bikes. RSVP, share, and get more information at the Facebook event page

 

CicLAvia Valentine's Party
When: Friday, February 10; 7 PM - 10 PM
Where: Atwater Crossing - 3245 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles, 90039  
 
Meetings coming up: South Gate, Lynwood, and San Fernando
Under a grant from the L.A. County Public Health Department's RENEW initiative, CicLAvia is providing technical assistance to additional L.A. County cities to examine possibilities for hostingnew CicLAvia events, potentially as early as 2013. If you're interested in helping bring CicLAvia to Lynwood, Pomona, San Fernando, and South Gate, potentially also connecting with adjacent communities, come to a stakeholder meeting:

LACBC Member Discounts at Secret Goldfish Baking Co. & LA Film + Music Weekend

 Secret Goldfish Baking Co.

Save on Homemade Bread at Secret Goldfish Baking Co.

 

Did you know that LACBC members can save when they use their LACBC membership cards? Dozens of bike shops and other businesses that support biking offer discounts and to you LACBC members. And now you can add Secret Goldfish Baking Co. to that list!

LACBC members now save 10% on all purchases, which means you can get fresh, homemade bread from a local business that supports bicycling! Find these fine breadmakers, and show your LACBC membership card:

  • Sundays at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Main Street (info)
  • Wednesdays at the LA Medical Center Farmers Market at Barnsdall Art Park (info)
Save at LA Film + Music Weekend Tickets

LACBC will be hosting a bike valet at the 2nd annual LA Film + Music Weekend on Saturday night, March 24th. The film and music festival will be held at the Downtown Independent Theater during the weekend of March 23-25.
 
LACBC members will receive $5 off day passes and $10 off VIP passes. Purchase tickets here and enter discount codes BIKELA for a day pass and BIKELAVIP for a VIP pass.

Tour de Taste Rolls in on March 4th

TourDeTaste
Tour de Taste

 

Join us for Tour de Taste on Sunday, March 4th, as we explore Ballona Creek, Culver City and beyond -- the best way possible -- on two wheels and with our taste buds! Riders will take in all the environmental and aesthetic enhancements that have been made to the Ballona Creek bike and pedestrian path and enjoy delicacies from fine Los Angeles restaurants.

 

Tour de Taste   

When: Sunday, March 4th; tours begin at 10:00 AM, registration opens at 9

Where: Media Park near Culver City on the corner of Culver Blvd & Venice Blvd

Cost: $65 for LACBC members; $95 for non-members; $120 for Tour de Taste ticket & LACBC membership  

 

Each guided tour will take off from Media Park (Culver Boulevard & Venice Boulevard, near Culver City, 90232) in half-hour intervals, beginning at 10:00 AM on March 4th. Each tour is an easy 15 miles. We'll hit some restaurants on the way and then, after the tour, valets will watch your bike back at Media Park in Culver City, while you enjoy a selection of tasty treats and refreshing beverages.

 

So far we have Pete's Cafe & Bar, AMMO, Pace, Chipotle, Larchmont Grill, Rush Street, and New Belgium Brewing Co. on the menu with more on the way!

 

Since Tour de Taste happens to fall on the first Sunday of the month (our Sunday Funday Ride day), we'll also be organizing a short ride from Wilshire & Western in Koreatown over to Media Park to help usher cyclists over to the Westside. We'll update you with more details.

 

Register for Tour de Taste today!

 

Questions about Tour de Taste? Contact JJ Hoffman at [email protected].

Culver City Bicycle Coalition Fundraiser and Rides with the Mayor
CCBC
CCBC

CCBC Fundraiser at Joxer's Daly Pub
Pull up a Pint for the CCBC! Join CCBC at Joxer Daly's Pub for their first Happy Hour Fundraiser. From 4 to 7 PM, Joxer's will donate 20% of their sales to CCBC to support our local advocacy efforts. Stop by, say hello and support your local LACBC chapter! 

When: Wednesday, February 15; 4 - 7 PM
Where: Joxer's Daly - 11168 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90230 

Mondays with the Mayor
Join Culver City's Mayor as each Monday morning as we explore Culver City and beyond. Meet at Sid Kronenthal Park by the covered tables, near the community room. More info on the CCBC website.
 
When: Mondays at 8 AM
Where: Sid Kronenthal Park - 3459 McManus Ave., Culver City, 90232 (East end of the Ballona Bike Path)
Thanks to all  Who Attended the Sea to Towers Sunday Funday Ride!

Sea to Towers Ride  

A special thanks to LACBC and LA Wheelmen member David Nakai for organizing this ride. Between the 3 rides (at 49, 37, and 10 miles), we had about 120 riders bike to the Watts Towers on a gorgeous Sunday. These riders included many local club riders from Wheelmen, Beach Cities Cycling, Dockriders, and Major Motion. We waved to the neighborhood kids and were able to check out some of the bike infrastructure in the Watts area, including bike lanes on 98th Street and Sharrows on Colden Ave. A few photos from the ride are on our Facebook page.

 

Our next Sunday Funday ride will be rides to Tour de Taste on the morning of Sunday, March 4th. Stay tuned for more details.

City of LA: Request a Bike Corral, Attend a Mobility Think Lab Workshop, and Prioritize Safer Streets in Budget Survey

 

Bike Corral
Request a Bike Corral
Currently in the City of LA there is only one bike corral (has it really been a year since we celebrated that bike corral in front of Cafe de Leche in Highland Park?) - but we're hoping to see many more across the City in 2012! If you are interested in having a bike corral in your community, especially if you own and run a local business, fill out this form and let LADOT know where you'd like to see a bike corral.

 

Read more about the bike corral pilot expansion on the LADOT Bike Blog.

 LA2B

Help Solve LA's Transportation Challenges at Mobility Think Lab Workshops

Mark your calendars! The City of Los Angeles wants to hear your ideas for solving our transportation challenges! LA/2B and the City of Los Angeles are hosting four Mobility Think Lab Workshops and would love to hear from you!


When: Saturday, February 25; 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Where: Van Nuys City Hall - 14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys, CA 90401

When: Saturday, February 25; 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Where: LACMA West - 6067 W. Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

When: Saturday, March 3; 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Where: La Plaza de Cultura y Artes - 501 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

When: Saturday, March 3; 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Where: Pacoima Neighborhood Constituent Services Center - 13520 W. Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima, CA 91331

Can't make it but want to make your voice heard? You can always drop a note at Ideas.LA2B.org or send a text to 213.935.0385

Calling Los Angelenos! Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants your input on the City of LA's budget! Weigh in on priorities and help shape the budget. Let's make sure funding is in the survey to make our streets safer.  


The online survey to the Mayor's 2012 Community Budget Survey is here.

 

A hardcopy of the survey can be found on the Mayor's budget website here.
GOOD Attacks: A Traffic Infographic
GOOD Attacks: A Traffic Infographic

GOOD Attacks LA Traffic in an Interactive Infographic 
 
A few months ago, GOOD Magazine had Angelenos gather to help create a video infographic. Currently, 81% of Angelenos drive to work. On average, they spend 72 hours of that drive stuck in traffic every year. If 3% of car commuters switched to biking or using mass transit, it would speed up the traffic flow by 15%. Watch the video featuring a few familiar faces from the local bike community.
 
  
Spread the Bike Love with SF Bicycle Coalition's E-ValentinesPut Two Bird on It
 
Our friends and lovers up north at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition want you to spread the bike love! You can customize your own bikey e-Valentine to send to your friends, families, and riding buddies. Who knew bike locks, heart chains, and putting two birds on something could be so romantic? Send your e-Valentine today!
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

CicLAvia Valentine's Party
When: Friday, February 10; 7:00 PM
More info in newsletter.
 
LA Chinatown Firecracker Ride & Run
When: Saturday, February 11, & Sunday, February 12
More info in newsletter.

 

Ride for Squares
When: Saturday, February 11; 6 PM
Where: Meet at Olvera Street
Join our own mustachioed bike valet extraordinaire Bobby Gadda as he hauls some bike valet equipment 5 miles from Olvera Street to the American Legion Hall in Highland Park for a night of square dancing to the music of Triple Chicken Foot! See the Ride for Squares Facebook event as well as the Square Dance w/ Triple Chicken Foot Facebook event.

 

Culver City Bicycle Coalition Fundraiser at Joxer's Daly
When: Wednesday, February 15; 4 - 7 PM
More info in newsletter.
 
Mobility Think Lab Workshop
When: Saturday, February 25; 9:30 AM in Van Nuys & 1:30 PM in Los Angeles
More info in newsletter.
 
Creating a Bikeable UCLA: A Vision for a Healthy & Vibrant Future
When: Wednesday, February 29; 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Where: California NanoSystems Institute Auditorium, UCLA
Join a public dialogue with Urban Planning, Public Health, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Transportation, Recreation, UCLA Community Bike Center, UCLA students, local business leaders, and cycling advocates. More info.
 
Mobilty Think Lab Workshop
When: Saturday, March 3; 9:30 AM in Los Angeles & 1:30 PM in Pacoima
More info in newsletter.
 

LACBC's Tour de Taste

When: Sunday, March 4; Rides start at 10 AM

More info in newsletter.

 

CicLAvia 4.15.12

When: Sunday, April 15, 10 AM - 3 PM

Where: East Hollywood, MacArthur Park, Downtown LA, Boyle Heights El Pueblo

April's CicLAvia will include the central Boyle Heights to East Hollywood route, plus the recent expansion spurs to the African American Firefighter Museum and to El Pueblo. See map and route announcement and RSVP/share via Facebook event

 
12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 10
Save the date! Many of you have been asking about this year's River Ride date, and we're happy to tell you that it's the second Sunday in June, on the 10th. We'll have more details in the coming weeks, but mark your calendars now, and start preparing for the 100-mile century bike ride (or half-century or family ride) you've always wanted to do now! The LA River Ride features 6 different rides for all abilities, brings you to new destinations in LA County, and is LACBC's biggest fundraiser!
Congratulations on reading/scrolling down this far! We have a lot of news to share these days, and we appreciate your readership. Have a great Thursday!
Other Events Around Town

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

[email protected]

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