LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

April 12, 2012 

In this issue
Ready, Set, CicLAvia 04.15.12
We Need Triple Bike Racks
Making Our Streets Safer - Addressing Hit & Runs
Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County
LACBC Presents the 12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 10th
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: CicLAvia, Let's Go!
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
Ready, Set, CicLAvia 04.15.12
CicLAvia

RR HeaderCicLAvia is coming on Sunday, April 15th, and we know you're all excited for the fourth event that opens up 10 miles of Los Angles streets to people. We're excited too (you can read more about the beginnings of CicLAvia)! We have a few resources up for you to prepare for the big event. 

The Basics

When: Sunday, April 15; 10 AM to 3 PM
Where: East Hollywood, MacArthur Park, Downtown LA, El Pueblo, Boyle Heights (see route map)

Check Your Bike

Before you hop on your bike and head for the CicLAvia route, LACBC recommends you check your bike to make sure it's in good working condition before the big day. Here are a few things you can do. Read about it on the LACBC blog.

Find a Bike

Don't have a bike? Don't fret. You can walk, roller skate, scooter, segway, jump rope, pogo stick, or just dance during CicLAvia. But if you really want a bike, the first 100 people to sign up can
RR Headerrent a bike from Bike Nation USA for free. Other local places offering bike rentals: Flying Pigeon, Downtown LA Bikes, and DTLA Bikes.

How to Get to CicLAvia
Feeder Rides
  • BikeSGV & Eastside Bike Club Ride: More info.
  • Culver City Bicycle Coalition with BikeRoWave: More info.
  • Santa Monica Spoke: More info.
  • UCLA Bicycle Coalition: More info.
  • Walk Bike Glendale: More info.
See more feeder rides on the CicLAvia directions page.
  
Volunteer
 
Did you know that over 700 volunteers are needed to make each CicLAvia possible? Be one of them as we gear up for this Sunday's CicLAvia on April 15, 2012. Volunteers are especially needed for the afternoon shifts, and all volunteers get a spiffy CicLAvia t-shirt.

 

LACBC is assisting with the volunteer coordination this time around, so check out the schedule at ciclavia.org/volunteer and email Martin Lopez-Iu at [email protected] to volunteer!

 

What to See and Do at CicLAvia 

 

[Insert your face here]
Find LACBC in MacArthur Park at CicLAvia on Sunday.

Find LACBC in MacArthur Park

 

Stop by our booth in MacArthur Park (on 7th Street between Park View

 and Alvarado) to take a photo with our "Give Me 3" stand-in sign, pick up your a free 12th Annual LA River Ride spoke card, get fun merchandise, and just say hello.

 

Jim Shanman from Walk 'n Rollers (a project of LACBC) will also be doing helmet fit checks for kids. Walk 'n Rollers is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to encouraging kids to bike and walk to school more frequently. By helping schools establish bike/walk to school programs, producing and promoting Walk 'n Roll Festivals and working with cities to establish successful education and encouragement campaigns,

ACTION ALERT: We Need Triple Bike Racks

In February we included an Action Alert in this newsletter regarding getting legislation introduced in Sacramento to make it possible for transit agencies across the state to install triple bike racks on buses of all sizes. Unfortunately legislation was not introduced, but we are not giving up hope. We are working with the Transit Coalition to draw attention to how important this issue to people who bicycle and use transit in Los Angeles County. 

We need your help! Please email Assemblymembers Bonnie Lowenthal and Bob Blumenfield with this simple form. They both represent communities is LA County and are on the Assembly Transportation Committee. Take a moment to contact them today and let's increase bike capacity on our buses!

Background: Bike racks on buses are filling up, but current state law prohibits objects that extend too far from the front of a bus. Although several bus agencies already have triple bike racks, these are technically in violation of the law. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the California Highway Patrol have come up with a legislative solution that would maintain safety while allowing triple bike racks on buses. Now is the time our elected representatives need to step up and introduce Metro's bill so that stakeholders can discuss it, perhaps tweak it, and enable it to get passed.
Making Our Street Safer - Addressing Hit & Runs

All to often, we hear about a person biking or walking in Los Angeles who has been injured or worse, killed by a car that fled the scene of the crash. Hit-and-runs make up roughly a 1/3 of all traffic collisions in Los Angeles and affect all Angelenos no matter what mode of transportation we use. In 2011 alone, there were over 18,800 hit-and-run collisions in the city. Five hundred and fourteen involved a person riding a bicycle, and another 759 involved pedestrians; over 12,880 involved another motor vehicle. Hit-and-run collisions resulted in the deaths of 36 Angelenos in 2011; 72% of those were people who were walking or riding their bicycles on the streets of Los Angeles at the moment they were hit. Hit-and-runs destroy peoples' lives and property. Currently the LAPD does not know how many of those 18,800+ hit-and-run collisions were solved or how many were prosecuted. (all statistics from LAPD)
 
We are working with others in the bicycle community, most notably Don "Roadblock" Ward and partner organizations like Los Angeles Walks, to call attention to this issue. And we want to work with you to share your stories with LAPD leadership and city leadership. We've created a form to collect your hit and run experience and how it was handled.
 
Help us make sure LAPD and the City of Los Angeles respond to and fully investigate all cases where a person walking or bicycling is hit no matter the type or severity of injury, collect data and report on the number of investigations leading to the identification of a driver and the number of cases that lead to legal action, and introduce legislation in Sacramento that will strengthen penalties for people caught committing a hit-and-run. We'll help keep you posted about upcoming Police Commission, City Council, and other meetings where you can share your experience. Together we can help curb the hit-and-run epidemic in the City of Los Angeles.

Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County

 

Beverly Hills: The city will receive input on four routes identified for possible improvements: Beverly, Charleville, Carmelita and Crescent Drives. Help plan pilot bicycle routes at community workshops on the following Wednesdays: April 25 and May 9. See the flier and more details, and check out local LACBC chapter Better Bike Beverly Hills' post about it.

 

San Gabriel Valley: BikeSGV, LACBC, Rails to Trails Conservancy, and the City of Baldwin Park teamed up last month to put together a Caltrans grant proposal that would fund the development of a bike plans for at least 5 SGV cities: Baldwin Park, El Monte, South El Monte, Irwindale, and Monterey Park. While the proposal was being put together, BikeSGV supporters and Baldwin Park Council Champion Marlen Garcia presented to the El Monte, South El Monte, and Irwindale City Councils. Each of the five cities ultimately submitted a letter of support for the proposal, which was submitted on April 2nd. 

Although this application is complete, BikeSGV organizers and LACBC staff will continue to seek and pursue other funding opportunities in the coming months! With support for a regional plan growing in the SGV, we are confident it's more a question of when, not if, such a plan gets off the ground!

 

Glendale, Honolulu Road Buffet: Last month, the City Council approved the test-case conversion of Honolulu Avenue from 4 travel lanes to 3 travel lanes to create a "road diet" (or "road buffet" to more accurately describe the scrumptious options if offers to all modes of travel) between Orangedale Avenue and approximately Whiting Woods Road. This road buffet will include bike lanes in each direction. A first community outreach happened this week, and while there was visible support for the project, several community members spoke in opposition to the project. A second community outreach meeting will be held on Thursday, April 26, at 7 PM, and this project needs your support for a safer Honolulu Avenue for all! More info.

LACBC Presents the 12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 10th

  

Join us for LACBC's biggest fundraiser and biggest ride of the year! The Los Angeles River Ride is:

  • 6 great rides! Choose from a 100-mile, 70-mile, 50-mile, 36-mile, and 15-mile rides, as well as a kids' safety rodeo. Kids 12 and under ride for free!
  • A new way to explore the LA River! Spot a heron. Discover a new park. Learn where the LA River Bike Path will take you.
  • A way to to support LACBC and help build a better, more bike-able LA County! Your River Ride registration fees, LACBC membership dues, and donations help support LACBC and make your ride safer and more enjoyable.
RiverRide12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 10th, 2012
Where: start at Autry National Center, Griffith Park (map)
Register by May 15th and save $10.
LACBC members save an additional $10.

  

How to sign up now:

  

1.  Register online at Active.com

 

2.  Download the River Ride Registration Form (PDF).

  • Fax it to 213-629-2259 if paying by credit card.
  • Or, mail it to:

LACBC

Attn: River Ride

634 S. Spring Street, Suite 821

Los Angeles, CA 90014

 

If you have general questions, contact our River Ride Director JJ Hoffman at [email protected].

As we gear up for the fourth CicLAvia, let's look back to October 10th, 2010, for the first-ever CicLAv
ia! It was a warm day where no one knew quite what to expect. Would people show up? What would happen?  Would people want more?

Check out this Streetfilm from filmmaker Rob Adams from CicLAvia 10.10.10 and see some of the initial reactions from that day including Mayor Villaraigosa's as he's riding his bike for the first time since his bike crash.

Want more? Check out other CicLAvia-like street openings around the world by watching Streetfilms' car-free videos. Call it Ciclovia, Via RecreActiva, Sunday Streets, Summer Streets, Sunday Parkways, or Car-Free Vancouver Day; each event is as still as unique as the city it's in!
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

CycleAzuza
When: Saturday, April 14; 9 AM - 1 PM
Where: Slauson Park - 501 N. Cerritos Ave., Azusa
Come join Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition and BikeSVG at Cycle Azusa this Saturday. There will be bike tours, prizes, entertainment, Bike Rodeo and a Wacky Bike Contest.  PVBC and Bike SGV will be doing bike repairs and repair education. Come join them at this fun event and get your bike ready for CicLAvia! See event flier. 
 
CicLAvia 4.15.12

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

More info in newsletter.

 
LACBC Civics Committee Meeting
When: POSTPONED
The Civics Committee Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 18th, has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the closed session board meeting.

 

LACBC Board Meeting - Closed Session
When: Wednesday, April 18
The LACBC board will be meeting again this month, though this meeting will be a closed session. The next public board meeting will be in May.
 
Monterey Park Earth Day Bike Ride
When: Saturday, April 21; 7:00 AM
Where: Monterey Park City Hall - 320 W. Newmark Ave.Monterey Park
The City of Monterey Park hosts the 2nd Annual MP Earth Day Bike Ride featuring a 6-mile family ride and a 13-mile hilly ride. Event is free, but registration is required. See Facebook Event. 
 
Los Angeles Walks Karaoke Fundraiser
When: Saturday, April 21; 7:00 PM
Where: Atwater Crossing - 3245 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles
Sing your favorite walking songs and support Los Angeles Walks! Register here and see Facebook event.

 

Earth Day at LACMA
with LACBC Bike Valet
When: Sunday, April 22; 12 PM - 5PM
Where: LA County Museum of Art - 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036
Celebrate Earth Day with all kinds of earth-friendly activities including a screening of "Riding Bikes with the Dutch" and a bike photo booth. If you ride your bike or use a non-motorized vehicle for transportation, you'll get free admission. More info. 
 
23rd Annual La Gran Limpieza: The Great Los Angeles River Cleanup
When: Saturday, April 28; 9 AM to 12 PM
Where: along the LA River
LA River Path: Friends of the Los Angeles River will host The 23rd Annual La Gran Limpieza: The Great Los Angeles River CleanupThere are four river cleanup sites that take place along the river bike path: Balboa Blvd in Sepulveda Basin, and in Elysian Valley there is Marsh Street, Knox Avenue and Oros Street. Bicyclists, expect trash volunteers at those river sites! Also, FOLAR is seeking 2 volunteers per site to act as flaggers to alert bicyclists and to help keep the bike path clear of volunteers. Call 323-223-0585, if you're interested in volunteering. 
 
All Aboard Sunday Funday Ride
When: Sunday, May 6; Meet at 10 AM, Ride at 10:30 AM
Where: Meet at Union Station front courtyard -  800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles
Save the date for our upcoming train-themed Sunday Funday Ride. Led by board member Greg Laemmle, this 25-mile ride will explore local train stations and Griffith Park's Travel Town. More details in next week's newsletter.
 
12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 10
More info in newsletter.
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]

Connect with LACBC: www.la-bike.org Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Visit our blog View our photos on flickr View our videos on YouTube