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Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter
August 8, 2013
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City of Los Angeles Bike and Pedestrian Count - Sign Up to Volunteer Now!
Who Gets Counted Counts!
In 2009, we counted 14,000 bicyclists and 62,000 pedestrians. In 2011, we counted over 15,000 bicyclists and 75,000 pedestrians. How many people on bikes and foot will we count this year? Every two years we get all our clipboards out, remind ourselves how to use tally marks, and invite everyone to participate in a massive data collection endeavor!
LACBC and Los Angeles Walks present to you the 2013 Los Angeles Bike and Pedestrian Count!
The dates for the L.A. Bike & Ped Count are:
- Tuesday, September 10, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, September 10, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 14, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
How you can help:
1. Sign Up to Volunteer!
We have over 100 locations (see map) all across the City of Los Angeles, and there are three counts times for each one. We need hundreds of volunteers to make sure that people on bikes and people on foot are getting counted. Most locations only require 1 volunteer, so shifts will fill up fast. Sign up soon to get the location and time you want!
Sign up for a count shift!
All volunteers will get a super fresh Bike & Ped Count t-shirt and an exclusive invite to our bumpin' post-count volunteer party!
1a. Sign Up to Attend a Volunteer Orientation!
After you've signed up for a shift, sign up for a Volunteer Orientation. We've changed the method for data collection for this count, so all volunteers are required to attend an orientation, even if you've done bike & ped counts with us in the past. Note that you don't have to sign up for an orientation in your count area. All orientations will be the same - just sign up for the location that is most convenient for you.
- Wednesday, September 4, 6:30 p.m.: Fire Station No. 89 - 7063 N. Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood, 91605 (Valley)
- Wednesday, September 4, 6:30 p.m.: location TBA (East)
- Thursday, September 5, 6:30 p.m.: location TBA (West)
- Thursday, September 5, 6:30 p.m.: LACBC Headquarters, Mezzanine Level - 634 S. Spring St., Downtown L.A. (Central)
- Saturday, September 7, 9:30 a.m.: TRUST South L.A. - 4331 S. Main St., South L.A., 90037 (South)
- Saturday, September 7, 2 p.m.: Southeast L.A. - Watts WorkSource Center - 10950 S. Central Ave., Watts, 90059 (South)
2. Spread the Word.
Share this link or our Facebook event with your friends and encourage them to join in on the bike and ped count fun!
3. Donate to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Count.
It takes time, energy, and resources to make the bicycle and pedestrian count happen! It costs roughly $25 to fund a count location, and we have over 120 locations this year. Make a donation to LACBC for a donation that really goes a long way and counts.
Get your data collection on!
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Bike Updates from Around L.A. County: Gardena Dismisses Bike Citations, Agrees to Municipal Code Revision and Officer Training
Gardena: The City of Gardena has been in the spotlight recently for a spate of hit-and-runs, police harassment, and an officer-involved fatal shooting of a bike theft victim's brother. But things are looking up for bicyclists in the Freeway City. After the harassment incident on the monthly Benjamin Torres Memorial Ride, LACBC wrote to the City requesting dismissal of the improper citations, revisions to the municipal code, better officer training, and acceleration of South Bay Bicycle Master Plan implementation. We are delighted to announce early results on three of the four.At a meeting earlier this week, we learned that the citations were indeed dismissed after our letter. The City Council is poised to update the Gardena Municipal Code next week to remove an illegal provision that contradicts state law on controlling the lane. And Gardena police officers will be attending one of the Street Cycling Skills classes happening all across the County right now. What's left? Implementing the plan! Two of the three fatal hit-and-runs in the last three years are on high-speed arterials proposed for bike lanes. It's time to get rolling on these critical safety projects, which were included in the approved plan in November 2011.
Get involved:
- Join this month's Benjamin Torres Memorial Ride, which meets this Saturday, August 10, at Rowley Park (13220 Van Ness Ave) at 3:30 p.m.
- Attend Gardena City Council to thank the City for their recent progress and encourage implementation of bike lanes in the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan. Tuesday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Gardena City Hall, 1700 W. 162nd Street
South L.A.: This Saturday the Empowerment Congress West Area Neighborhood Council voted to support bike lanes on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. as the last major decision needed before Council District 10 can support the lanes. Many thanks to our friends at Community Health Councils and South Neighborhood Bike Ambassador / Planning Committee Volunteer Michael MacDonald for shepherding the approval of these bike lanes through several community meetings. Gateway Cities: Come learn about bicycle and pedestrian planning efforts to connect the cities in southeast LA County (east of the 110 and south of the 60), hosted by LACBC and the Gateway Cities Council of Government. Gateway Cities include Long Beach, Montebello, Downey, Compton, Huntington Park, and several other cities and unincorporated areas.
Gateway Cities Active Transportation Planning Meeting
When: Monday, August 19; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: 16401 Paramount Boulevard, Paramount, 90723
Malibu: The City of Malibu, in collaboration with the Southern California Association of Governments, is conducting the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Safety Study along PCH to examine current road conditions, determine accident patterns, assess traffic conflicts, and develop strategies to improve safety. The study will conclude with recommendations for prioritized improvements along the corridor for all modes of travel. The project will focus on safety improvements recommended for the 21 miles of PCH that run from the eastern to western city limits of Malibu.
Two public meetings are scheduled (August 20 and 22) to review the draft Alternatives Analysis Report, next steps and the project schedule. The Alternatives Analysis phase will serve to prioritize recommended solutions to various key issues previously identified. Input received from the public and project stakeholders will be used to finalize the Alternatives Analysis and develop a list of recommended projects.
PCH Safety Study Meetings When: Tuesday, August 20 & Thursday, August 22; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Malibu City Hall - 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu, 90265
Marina del Rey: Do you live/play/work in Marina Del Rey? The County of L.A. wants to hear from you! Contribute ideas on how to make Marina Del Rey more bike-friendly at http://www.envisionmdr.com. |
Celebrate the Launch of Active Streets L.A. on August 24
Active Streets L.A. empowers communities to create safe walking and bicycling routes to parks, schools, and local businesses along their neighborhood streets.
Active Streets L.A. is a partnership of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, TRUST South LA, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation with funding through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. We're having a celebration to launch Active Streets L.A.. Join us for a walk and bike ride, family-friendly activities, lunch, and a raffle for a bike, Mama's Chicken gift cards, grocery store gift cards, and more! Active Streets L.A. Launch When: Sunday, August 24; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (bike/walk is at 11:30 a.m.) Where: Angeles Mesa Elementary School - 2611 W 52nd St., Los Angeles, 90043 |
We Welcome Shanon Muir as the Active Streets L.A. Initiative Coordinator!
Shanon Muir is primarily focused on bike and pedestrian projects in South and East Los Angeles through Active Streets L.A., a community engagement initiative that empowers communities to create safe walking and bicycling routes to parks, schools, and local businesses along their neighborhood streets. Prior to working at LACBC, Shanon handled business and legal affairs matters for a large, awesomely entertaining media company. During this time she served on the legal advisory board for the Jenesse Center, Inc., as well as provided legal services to assist the organization with county contract compliance issues.
After being away from cycling for years, Shanon returned to the bike in 2007 when she completed her first triathlon. In 2012, she completed her first IRONMAN triathlon and has been trying to catch up on sleep ever since. When Shanon is not riding her bike, talking about bikes, or wearing a bike t-shirt, you may find her discussing books with her book club or at the comedy store pretending to be a stand-up comic.
Welcome, Shanon, to the LACBC family!
Come to the Active Streets L.A. Launch on August 24th and meet her.
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LACBC Presents: What Do Elected Officials Want to Hear? (And Are Bike Advocates Saying It?)
When: Thursday, August 22; 7 p.m.
Where: LACBC Headquarters, Edison Room (1st floor) - 634 S. Spring St., Los Angeles 90014
RSVP to the Facebook event.
Save the date! One of the key aspects of bike advocacy is working and communicating with elected officials and their staff. Are we saying the right things? What works and what doesn't? Join the LACBC and the Planning Committee for the third installment in the LACBC Speaker Series on August 22nd. Our speakers include:
- Paul Backstrom - Transportation Policy Director, Office of City of L.A. Councilmember Mike Bonin
- Laura Friedman - Councilmember, City of Glendale
- Marlen Garcia - Councilmember, City of Baldwin Park
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LACBC Is Hiring a Volunteer Coordinator
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is hiring a part-time Volunteer Coordinator this fall. S/he will oversee all volunteer needs of the organization and be responsible for recruiting, training, organizing, supervising and thanking volunteers. S/he will be involved in every aspect of LACBC because volunteers are needed in almost every project, program, campaign, and event. Please read the full job description for more details and instructions on applying. Questions should be emailed to [email protected]. No phone calls please. |
The Best Parking for Grand Performances Is at LACBC's Free Bike Valet
We've been having a grand time providing free bike valet for Grand Performances this summer, and we're glad that more people are hearing about it and biking over to California Plaza.
For Friday's Songs in the Key of L.A. with Ozomatli and Friends, we parked 80 bikes!
Enjoy the rest of Grand Performances' FREE cultural events at California Plaza (at 350 S. Grand) and enjoy FREE bike valet for a win-win situation. Find bike valet at the upper entrance on Grand Ave. for the following remaining Grand Performances: |
Thanks to all who attended the Lakewood Family Sunday Funday Ride
Thanks to the 25 folks who attended this past weekend's Lakewood ride. And thanks to LACBC board member Steve Boyd for once again leading this ride as an August tradition!
We hope you join us for the next Sunday Funday ride on September 1st, led by board member Herbie Huff. More details coming soon.
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Take a FREE Bicycle Safety Class this Summer
| Photo: Santa Monica Spoke |
For the summer of 2013, LACBC and Metro are proud to offer a series of FREE bicycle safety classes. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
LACBC is offering two different classes to choose from. "Street Cycling Skills" is an in-depth 8-hour course that will teach you how to safely ride in all traffic conditions, check your bike for common mechanical problems, and covers a range of bicycle handling skills including emergency maneuvers. "Bicycling on the Road: Need to Know" is a 3-hour class that covers the essentials of safe riding. All classes are lead by certified instructors and include classroom instruction as well as instruction on the bike. All students will receive a free helmet, bike lights, and educational materials. Pre-registration is required for all classes.
For more information on classes offered through the OTS Grant awarded to METRO, please visit the following page.
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What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Drive Your Bicycle (in Glendale and Burbank)
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Drive Your Bicycle (1954)
| In a nod to throwback Thursday, here's a safety video from the year 1954. Filmed around Burbank and Glendale, this black and white video encourages kids to "drive their bicycles" in preparation for becoming automobile drivers by learning the "rules of the road."
If you enjoy Leave It to Beaver, you'll enjoy this video. It's pretty swell!
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Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
Grand Performances
with LACBC Bike Valet
When: Sunday, August 11 (and through Saturday, August 28)
Glendale Narrows and Grand Central Walk
When: Sunday, August 18; 8:30 a.m
Where: Glendale Narrows Riverwalk - 1304 Garden Street, Glendale, 91203
Join local chapter Walk Bike Glendale for its first walking event this summer! Explore the new Glendale Narrows Riverwalk, the blossoming Grand Central neighborhood, and of course, the LA River. The walk will be about 2-3 miles, about an hour, and will include several stops of interest. If you're interested in joining WBG on a feeder bike ride to the event, WBG be meeting at 7:50 a.m. at Central Park on Colorado just south of Central Library. See Facebook event.
Tour da Arts, vol. 5
When: Sunday, August 18; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Santa Monica Museum of Art -
Beat the pump, cycle the town, and enjoy Santa Monica's sights and sounds with Tour da Arts, vol. 5. The Santa Monica Museum of Art's fifth annual event takes you on a ride filled with music, dance, and art. Local chapter Santa Monica Spoke will be providing bike safety tips. FREE admission, registration required. More info.
Gateway Cities Active Transportation Plan Community Meeting
When: Monday, August 19; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
PCH Safety Study Meetings
When: Tuesday, August 20, & Thursday, August 22; 6 p.m.
LACBC Presents: What Do Elected Officials Want to Hear?
When: Thursday, August 22; 7 p.m.
Active Streets L.A. Launch
When: Saturday, August 24
Sunday Funday Ride
When: Sunday, September 1
Where: TBD
Save the date for our next Sunday Funday Ride!
L.A. Bike & Ped Count
When: Tuesday, September 10 and Saturday, September 14
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Other Events Around Town
LACBC Local Chapters
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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 |
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