LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

January 10, 2013 

In this issue
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advocates Speak Up for Complete Streets in Proposed $3-Billion Road Bond
Activate, Educate, Calculate: Donate by Next Tuesday
LACBC Wiki Now Up and Running
LACBC's Bike Prom on February 23: Early Bird Tickets Now Available
Bike Updates from Around the County: Green Bike Lanes in Santa Monica
ACTION ITEM: Get Ready to "Ride Figueroa" with NBA East
CCBC Live on Bike Talk this Saturday
Thanks for Joining Us on the Orange Line Special Sunday Funday Ride
The 13th Annual Los Angeles River Ride Is on June 9th
Support LACBC on Climate Ride California or NYC-DC 2013
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Huell Howser Finds Gold in LA's Bike Culture
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advocates Speak Up for Complete Streets in Proposed $3-Billion Road Bond

On Wednesday morning, a group of bicycle and pedestrian advocates spoke up at the Los Angeles City Council meeting in favor of including complete streets in the proposed $3-billion road repair bond being sponsored by council members Mitch Englander and Joe Buscaino. The group of advocates, assembled by Don "Roadblock" Ward, came from LACBC, CICLE, Midnight Ridazz, LA Walks, and Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

While the City Council vote for the bond's inclusion in the May election is postponed until next Tuesday, roughly 20 advocates made a strong case to include sidewalk and bike improvements instead of only focusing on making the roads more pleasant for drivers.

"All great cities are judged on how easy it is to walk in the city, not how smooth it is to drive," said LACBC education director Colin Bogart at the City Council meeting. 

Jessica Meaney of Safe Routes to School re-stated an important statistic many advocates use when making the case for allocating more funds to bike an pedestrian improvements, "Over 20% of all trips made in L.A. County are on foot or on bicycle yet it receives only 1% of funding."  


The council members heard us loud and clear. Council member Bill Rosendahl spoke up, "Absolutely every aspect of cyclists' issues needs to be addressed. Cycling is part of the solution."

You can view the policy brief that LACBC and Los Angeles Walks put together here.

Also, read more about yesterday's City Council meeting on Los Angeles Streetsblog. We'll have more updates in the near future.
Activate, Educate, and Calculate: Donate by Next Tuesday
 
Give before Tuesday, January 15th, when our fundraising campaign for Activate, Educate, and Calculate will be closed.
 
We are so thankful to all of those who donated to this campaign. Thanks to your support, we have raised nearly $55,000. That is just shy of half of the total we need to give each and every angle of these programs our full efforts. LACBC has envisioned Activate, Educate and Calculate as the next logical steps towards capturing the tremendous amount of momentum we gained from 2010-2012. Additionally, your generosity and your excitement about all the benefits that these three programs could do for Los Angeles have led to the highest-grossing fundraising campaign that LACBC has ever waged in its recent history. We truly appreciate each and everyone of you, our supporters, in these endeavors.  
 
Please make your donation here.
LACBC Wiki Now Up and Running

The LACBC Planning Committee is proud to present the new LACBC Wiki page! The Planning Committee has put together a Wiki space to help local advocates navigate the complex waters of bicycle policy and planning in Los Angeles County. We made this space as a resource so that our Neighborhood Bike Ambassadors, our local chapter leaders, and all local advocates will to be able to plug in easily and become effective, knowledgeable, savvy leaders. 


Find the Wiki at la-bike.wikia.com.

You are invited to create a profile and edit pages, move things around, add new pages, instigate conversation, add photos, go buck wild. Put better information on the internet for all to see so that we can have a better and more bike-able world.
LACBC's Bike Prom on February 23rd: Early Bird Tickets Now Available
BikeProm

Time to get footloose for a totally gnarly bike prom!

 

Did you skip your actual prom? Are you glad you did or wish you hadn't? Do you long for the Eighties? Or do you wonder what they were like AND what an 80s prom even means?

 

Well, now's your chance to do it up right... on your bicycle!

 

Join LACBC as we get down with the RAD sounds of DJs Kenefunkport and Skramble. There will be: Dancing! A raffle! A photobooth! Bike valet! And the crowning of a Bike Prom King and Queen! 80s prom attire is strongly encouraged. 

 

LACBC Bike Prom

When: Saturday, February 23; 8 PM - 12 AM

Where: American Legion Hall Post 206 - 227 N. Ave. 55, Los Angeles, 90042 (4 blocks west of the Highland Park Gold Line Station) - map

 

Purchase your tickets here.

 

Early bird prices for the month of January are $5 for LACBC members  and $10 for nonmembers. Prices become $10 for members and $15 in February.

 

Interested in volunteering on our Bike Prom Committee? We'll need help with decorations, registration, and bike valet. Please email Martin Lopez-Iu at [email protected] if you're interested in joining the Bike Prom Committee!

Bike Updates from Around the County: Green Bike Lanes in Santa Monica

Santa Monica: New green bike lanes are currently being installed on Ocean Park Blvd. from Main to Lincoln! Check out photos of the new lanes on the Santa Monica Spoke Flickr page.  

Lynwood:
Last week, the City of Lynwood approved its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The Lynwood Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan represents the beginning of a new era where the City enables its citizens to feel safe and comfortable bicycling and walking throughout the city

Culver City:
On Friday, January 18 at 10 AM, a dedication event will be held for the for the Jefferson Boulevard Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Improvements Project at Hetzler Road.  This event will take place at the street level parking area west of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Entrance at Jefferson Boulevard and Hetzler Road. Meet local chapter Culver City Bicycle Coalition at Duquesne and the Bike Path at 9:45 so you all can ride to the ceremony as a group and make a great impression!

Glendale:
The City of Glendale now as an online form that one can now use to request bike racks with. Scroll to the bottom to make your requests!

Dodger Stadium:
Finally! It appears that Dodger Stadium has added bike parking to its parking lot on various stadium levels. Hopefully this means you won't have to schlep to the Top Deck to park your bike anymore and get into arguments with Dodger Stadium security when the new season begins in April. See the new Dodger Stadium bike parking map. Thanks to LACBC member Niall Huffman for finding this map.
ACTION ITEM: Get Ready to "Ride Figueroa" with NBA East
 
Ride Figueroa is a LACBC East Bike Ambassador campaign designed to educate and inform Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Cypress Park, Mount Washington, and others about a proposed bike lane on Figueroa between Colorado and San Fernando. This proposed project is part of the 2010 Bicycle Master Plan and is meant to connect to a larger network of bicycle paths, lanes, and routes for everyone to use. This particular project may require the removal of a travel lane to accommodate for these enhancements.
 

Here are a few ways you can take action:

  1. Join us on a ride and invite your friends! Ride Figueroa! We're working on finalizing a route and date for our Ride Figueroa event. Stay tuned for more info.
  2. Sign our Ride Figueroa petition on change.org. We already have over 400 signatures; help us get even more!  
  3. Join our mailing list--please contact Alek Bartrosouf at [email protected] to be placed on our Ride Figueroa mailing list. You will be notified of upcoming meetings, events, and other critical info related to the campaign. Thanks for your help!

For more information about our Ride Figueroa campaign or are interested in volunteering,

feel free to contact Alek Bartrosouf at [email protected] or (213) 629-2142.

CCBC Live on Bike Talk this Saturday

This show will highlight the work of local LACBC chapter the Culver City Bicycle Coalition and biking infrastructure in Culver City with discussions on the Expo line now in Culver City and phase II ahead, the popular Ballona Creek bike path, Safe Routes to School efforts, and more!
 
Guests include Jim Lamm of Ballona Creek Renaissance, Meghan Sali-Wells of the CC City Council, Helen Kerstein of Culver City Public Works, Gayle Haberman of the Department of Public Health and a Safe Routes to School advocate, Eric Bruins of LACBC/CCBC, as well as active members of the Culver City Bicycle Coalition. This episode is produced and hosted by Steve Herbert.

The program is heard on streaming radio station Kill Radio, and can be heard as a podcast and downloaded from the KPFK audio archives a few weeks past airing here.

CCBC on Bike Talk
When: Saturday, January 12; 10 AM to 12 PM
Where: Listen online at killradio.org

Thanks for Joining Us on the Orange Line Special Sunday Funday Ride
 
We were afraid of getting rained out, and instead we got gorgeous weather for Sunday's ride! Thanks to the 40 folks that came out to ride with us along the Orange Line, all the way from North Hollywood to Chatsworth. And special thanks are in order to our ride leader and Where to Bike Los Angeles co-author Jon Riddle!

You can check out some of our ride photos on our Facebook page. LA Weekly also has a slideshow up of the ride.

Our next Sunday Funday Ride will be on Sunday, February 3rd, and will explore our very own football stadiums in honor of the Super Bowl!
Get Ready for the 13th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 9th

Mark your calendars! We have a little under 6 months until LACBC's biggest ride returns on Sunday, June 9th. Perhaps your goal for 2013 is to ride a Century or to get your whole family out on bike ride together. Let us help!
RiverRide
13th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 9, 2013
Where: Start at the Autry Center at 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park

The Los Angeles River Ride is:
  • 7 great rides for all ages and abilities! We have a 100-mile Century, 70-mile ride, 70-mile Reverse Ride (starting in Long Beach and ending there), 50-mile, 36-mile, 15-mile Family Ride, and Kids' Bike Rodeo. All rides are supported with volunteer ride marshals.
  • A great way to explore the Los Angeles River and Los Angeles as a whole. This County is more connected than you think, and LA really does have a river. Learn more about what Los Angeles has to offer on this ride. 
  • LACBC's biggest fundraiser. Your registration fees help us work for a better, more bike-able LA County. Want to do more? Sign up for LACBC membership with your River Ride registration and get $10 off the regular membership price.

Registration is now open! Learn more about the River Ride at la-bike.org/riverride.

Support LACBC on Climate Ride California or NYC-DC 2013

 

How can you enjoy an incredible 5-day bicycle ride in Northern California or on the East Coast while supporting LACBC? Climate Ride - the nation's largest environmental cycling event and 'green conference on wheels' is coming. 

 

The exciting part for LACBC is that anyone who signs up for the ride gets to choose which organization they will be raising money for - and you can choose LACBC!

 

First you register, reach the fundraising minimum and train for the ride, then come along and discover why Climate Ride is the premiere green event in the country. Amazing riding, epic scenery, and great speakers all combine to make this a remarkable experience. 

 

Climate Ride California (May 19-23, 2013) is a 5-day, fully-supported bicycle ride from Fortuna to San Francisco under towering redwoods, through the Russian River Wine Country, and along the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route - one of the most scenic coastlines in the world. Join the LACBC Team or make a general team donation.

 

Climate Ride NYC-DC (Sept. 21-25, 2013) is a grand cycling adventure that connects two of the nation's most important cities - New York and Washington, DC - by bicycle. The ride begins with an exciting departure from Manhattan by ferry, then travels through charming towns in rural New Jersey and Amish Country. The finale is a hero's welcome and rally at the steps of the US Capitol.  

Climate Ride also features nightly speakers who focus on bicycle advocacy, sustainability, and renewable energy. If you are interested in forming and joining the NYC-DC team, please contact Kelly Martin at [email protected].  

 

Find out more and register at www.climateride.org. If you have questions about joining the LACBC team or donating to the team, please contact Kelly Martin at [email protected].

What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Huell Howser Finds Gold in LA's Bike Culture

On Sunday night, one of California's most unexpected icons Huell Howser sadly passed away at the age of 67. As the host of California's Gold and several other shows, Huell explored many of our state's finest treasures, from the historically significant to the downright wacky. For some of you, you probably remember more about California history from Huell than you do from your 4th grade class on the history of California.

In honor of Huell, we've found this episode of California's Gold focusing on local LA-area bike culture. In this episode, Huell interviews the late local cycling advocate Dennis Crowley at his 2004 bicycle exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of History. Huell even rides on a bike around Pasadena, interviews a tall bike enthusiast, and provides us with fun facts (did you know that the Rose Parade began as a bike parade?).

And just two years ago, Huell even caught up with the Los Angeles Wheelmen and the challenge that is biking up Fargo Street in Echo Park, a street with a 33% grade.

We all miss him, and we encourage you all to explore Huell's archives and explore California!
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
 
Cal Poly Pomona's Rideshare Sustainability Fair
When: Thursday, January 17; 11 AM to 1 PM
Where: Cal Poly's University Park
Local LACBC chapter Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition will be tabling at this sustainability fair, so if you're around, stop by to chat with the PBVC folks.
 
"Share the Path" River Bike Ride and Walk
When: Saturday, January 19; 10 AM to 1 PM
Where: Ride and Walk begins at north end of Ripple Place in the Elysian Valley
The pedestrians and bicyclists of the Elysian Valley community are preparing to join as one along the LA River Path. They will ride and walk together, embracing the concept to "Share The Path." After numerous accidents occurring along the bike path, many members of the community were losing their sense of trust and unity within the area. Elysian Valley Neighborhood Watch (EVNW), with the participation of LACBC, will be host their first annual "Share The Path" bike ride and walk. "I'm truly looking forward to seeing a change in our community.  This event is a great way to educate cyclists and pedestrians and prevent any future incidents from happening. I'm really excited to see the outcome," says neighborhood watch member David De La Torre. For more details, visit the EVNW website.
 
Sunday Funday Ride
When: Sunday, February 3
Where: TBD
Join us for this football stadium-themed Sunday Funday Ride in honor of the Super Bowl. More details in next week's newsletter.

 

LACBC Bike Prom
When: Saturday, February 23
Where: Highland Park
More info in newsletter.
 
LA Chinatown Firecracker Run and Bike Ride
When: Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24
Where: Chinatown
Bike the 20-mile or 30-mile bike ride, or run the 5K or 10K run. LACBC's bike valet will be available once again after the bike ride on Saturday. Also, if you sign up to participate, make sure to add that LACBC referred you so that part of your registration fee will benefit LACBC. More info at firecracker10k.org.

13th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 9
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 Director
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition

[email protected]

Let's be friends! 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