LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

September 5, 2013 

In this issue
Los Angeles Bike and Pedestrian Count Is Next Tuesday, September 10th & Saturday, September 14th - 60 Shifts Still Need to Be Covered
Join LACBC or Renew Your LACBC Membership by Next Thursday to Score a Trip to Tour de Fat - San Diego!
Bike Updates from Around L.A. County: Count Bikes and Pedestrians in Glendale this September
ACTION ITEM: Urge Governor Brown to "Give Me 3"
Thanks for Attending the Filipino Pride Ride
Take a FREE Bicycle Safety Class Before the Summer Ends
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Underground Bike Parking in Japan
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

Los Angeles Bike and Pedestrian Count  Is Next Tuesday, September 10th & Saturday, September 14th - 60 Shifts Still Need to Be Covered

BikeCounts

   

Who Gets Counted Counts!

 

Thanks to your help, we have filled over 85% of our volunteer shifts for the bike and ped count, which means we just need roughly 60 shifts covered. We started with 438 shifts, and together with Los Angeles Walks, we're getting closer to making sure that bikes and peds get counted.

  

Remember the L.A. Bike & Ped Count is next week:

  • 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 count times for each one. We've filled hundreds of volunteer shifts, but still need 60 shifts covered, especially for the Tuesday afternoon shift. Please sign up soon! Here is a general overview of were our needs lie:

Tuesday, September 10, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. - Only 10 shifts left to fill, all in the Valley (Sun Valley, Pacoima, Winnetka) or Watts.
 
Tuesday, September 10, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. - We need a lot of afternoon volunteers! Several Valley (Panorama City, Sun Valley, Pacoima, NoHo) and South L.A. shifts left. All 4 Westwood/UCLA shifts are open. Other open Westside shifts in Palms, Beverly Hills, and Playa Vista.

Saturday, September 14, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - We need a lot of weekend volunteers! Several South L.A. shifts left. One in the Valley (Pacoima). We also still have shifts available in DTLA, Eagle Rock, USC, Palms, and Playa Vista.

 

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! Additionally, for each shift you sign up for and complete, you'll be entered into a drawing to win an electric bike and other prizes. And for anyone you refer to the count (have people type in your name as a referral on VolunterSpot), you'll receive an additional entry.

  

1a. Sign Up to Attend a Volunteer Orientation! - We've added a Monday training
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. 
  • Thursday, September 5, 6:30 p.m.: Westside Pavilion (Community Room A, Level 3, east end of the main mall behind the food court) - 10800 West Pico Blvd., Suite 312, Los Angeles, CA 90064 (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, 2:00 p.m.: Southeast L.A. - Watts WorkSource Center - 10950 S. Central Ave., Watts, 90059 (South)
  • *JUST ADDED* Monday, September 9, 3:00 p.m.Community Health Councils - 3731 Stocker St., Los Angeles, 90008 (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! Also, feel free to pass around this half-sheet flier.

 

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.

 

Thank you to our amazing sponsors: Pocrass & de Los Reyes, Fehr & Peers, Stantec, and Flying Pigeon.

 

Thank you to our individual donors who have sponsored an intersection: Bruce Chan, Kevin Burton, and John Hall!

 

Get your data collection on!

 

Quick Links:

Join LACBC or Renew Your Membership by Next Thursday to Score a Trip to Tour de Fat - San Diego

 

One more LACBC member! 

 

Join LACBC or renew your LACBC membership to help make L.A. County a healthy, safe, and fun place to bike and for a chance to score a trip for two to Tour de Fat - San Diego on September 28th!

 

Anyone who becomes an LACBC member or renews a membership now through new Thursday, September 12, 2013 will automatically be entered 5 times into a drawing to win a trip for two to New Belgium's Tour de Fat in San Diego. The winner and a guest, plus their bicycles, will travel on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train, enjoy two nights at the swanky Omni San Diego Hotel, and follow their folly at New Belgium's Tour de Fat - San Diego, a bike and beer festival that has no equal.

 

 

Tour de Fat - San Diego takes place on Saturday, September 28th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Golden Hill Park and benefits our friends at the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and the San Diego Mountain Biking Association.

 

Get more information about the sweepstakes here. Raffle tickets will also be sold at events where LACBC is present through next Thursday, September 12th.

 

Many thanks to Amtrak California and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition for sponsoring the sweepstakes.

Bike Updates from Around L.A. County: Count Bikes and Pedestrians in Glendale this September
VirgilVillage
 
Virgil Village: District 13 Council Office has scheduled a community meeting to hear feedback on the proposed bike and pedestrian improvements on Virgil Avenue, which includes bicycle lanes between Santa Monica and Melrose.
 
Councilmember O'Farrell needs to see that the community supports this project, this key linkage in the bike network (these Virgil lanes would connect to the Santa Monica and Sunset bike lanes), and a safer Virgil Ave. for all road users.

Virgil Village Bicycle Lane Proposal 
When: Tuesday, September 10th; 7 p.m. (come after counting bicyclists and pedestrians with us)
Where: Lockwood Elementary School - Multi Purpose Center, 4345 Lockwood Avenue, 90029 (map)
RSVP to our Facebook event and help spread the word.
MANGo 
Santa Monica: The Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway in Santa Monica is intended to create an inviting streetscape along Michigan Avenue and adjoining streets. The potential, three-mile Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo) would connect residents to schools and community destinations via an inviting streetscape of sidewalks, calm roadways, increased trees and landscape.

The City of Santa Monica hosts Pop-Up MANGo (Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway) on September 21st, a fun, family-friendly event that will provide community members with a interactive understanding of the project and its many elements. You won't want to miss this exciting opportunity to take part in the planning of this beautiful new Greenway.

 

When:Saturday, September 21; 11:00 a.m. tp 3 p.m.
Where: Michigan, between 9th & Euclid, in Santa Monica
More information at SMSpoke.org.
GlendaleCount
Glendale: Our local chapter Walk Bike Glendale and the City of Glendale are organizing a bike and ped count this month! 
 

There are 65 locations in Glendale and there are three counts times for each one (use this map to find a location convenient for you). That means that 100+ volunteers to make sure that people on bikes and people on foot are getting counted.

 

Count dates are:

  • Wednesday, September 25, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, September 25, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (only 2 locations near schools)
  • Wednesday, September 25, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, September 28, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
More information on the count (including information on how to volunteer) can be found on the Walk Bike Glendale blog.
 
L.A. River: Due to the Caltrans I-710 widening project, the LA River trail will be closed between Imperial Highway and Clara Street, and a signs will be posted for a detour. The closure for the I-710 project is expected to last 4 months.
 
Pasadena: The City of Pasadena's Department of Transportation is seeking volunteers from all neighborhood associations to sit on a Bicycle Transportation Plan Advisory Committee as it begins to modify the Pasadena Draft Bicycle Transportation Plan. DOT was given direction from City Council to take a bold approach to our future bikeways. Interested individuals please contact Rich Dilluvio, Senior Transportation Planner, at 626-744-7254 or [email protected]. More info.
  
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. 
 
Be sure to provide input on PCH safety through Malibu's interactive online website by September 16th.
 
West Hollywood: If you live or ride in West Hollywood, take this short survey from our local chapter West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition to share your thoughts on biking and walking in WeHo! 
 
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.
ACTION ITEM: Urge Governor Brown to "Give Me 3"

AB 1371, the 3-foot passing bill, was passed by the California State Senate last week, and now heads to Governor Brown's desk. 

AB 1371, known as the Three Feet for Safety Act, establishes a buffer zone of at least three feet that motorists must maintain between their vehicle and bicycles they wish to pass.

 

Twenty-one other states already have laws that specify a minimum passing distance for drivers passing bicyclists.

 

In the next few weeks Governor Jerry Brown will consider a bill that will help make bicycling safer for millions of Californians. The California Bicycle Coalition is supporting Assembly Bill 1371 that will require drivers to give bicyclists at least three feet of clearance when overtaking them from behind in the same lane.

 

Send Governor Brown an email urging him to sign AB 1371 and make California the 22nd State to require three feet here.

Thanks for Attending the Filipino Pride Ride!

We spent the holiday weekend exploring some of L.A.'s Filipino neighborhoods and celebrating Filipino history and culture in Los Angeles. We rode through Silver Lake, Eagle Rock, Historic Filipinotown, and East Hollywood, and our stops included Eagle Rock Plaza, Unidad Park for the 'Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana' mural, L.A. Rose Cafe, and more.

Many thanks to LACBC board member Herbie Huff for leading and organizing the ride. Thank you to Elson Trinidad for sharing his knowledge of local Filipino culture and history with us. And thanks to our ride marshals--Victor Cornelio, Freddy Valdez, and Higee Aguiluz--for helping to guide and support the ride!
 
You can check out photos from the ride on the LACBC Facebook Page!
 
Stay tuned for information for our next ride, which will be on the 2nd Sunday of October instead of the first due to CicLAvia.
Take a FREE Bicycle Safety Class Before the Summer Ends

Through the end of September, 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. We recently added classes in Hawthorne and El Monte. "Bicycling on the Road: Need to Know" is a 3-hour class that covers the essentials of safe riding. We recently added classes in Gardena, Lawndale, and Beverly Hills. 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.

Go to our Bicycle Safety Classes page for more details and to register for a class today! Check the website, as well as the "Need to Know" and "Street Cycling Skills" Facebook events, for updates.
 
For more information on classes offered through the OTS Grant awarded to METRO, please visit the following page.
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Underground Bike Parking in Japan
Underground Bicycle Parking Systems in Japan
Underground Bicycle Parking Systems in Japan

Even in this advanced day and age, the underground bike parking system in Japan seems pretty futuristic. Elevators bring the bikes down, and the system manages to sort itself so that you get your own bike back. It's a pretty nifty system that works well in crowded cities that need to save space, but we personally like seeing bikes parked out on bike racks and at bike valets - it's how we know where to go. Just go where the bikes are at! 

Thanks to LACBC member and volunteer Kristin Hollman for passing along the link!
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

 

East L.A. Bicycle Ride 
When: Saturday, September 7; check-in at 9:30 a.m., bike ride at 10:00 a.m. 
Where: East Los Angeles Civic Center - 4801 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90063 
Supervisor Gloria Molina invites you and your family to the 2nd Annual East L.A. Bike Ride! LACBC is organizing and leading two rides for all ages and abilities. The 4-mile route is for children and families. The 8-mile route is for adults who want something a little longer. There will also be a bicycle decorating contest, and t-shirts will be given to the first 200 riders.. Bike helmets required for all riders. Afterwards riders are invited to enjoy the Taste of East L.A., which includes a beer and wine garden. Register for free at elabikeride.eventbrite.com

 

L.A. Bike & Ped Count
When: Tuesday, September 10; 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. & 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
More info in newsletter.

 

Virgil Village Bicycle Lane Proposal Meeting
When: Tuesday, September 10; 7 p.m.
More info in newsletter.

 

L.A. Bike & Ped Count
When: Saturday, September 14; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
More info in newsletter.
 
Touring L.A. Count with LACBC & Where to Ride: West Fork to the San Gabriel River
When: Sunday, September 15;  Meet at 8:30 a.m., ride at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Veterans Freedom Park in Azusa - Go east on the 210 Freeway to the Azusa Avenue/Highway 39 exit, drive north to Foothill Blvd, turn right one block to Alameda, and then turn left for about half a block. Veterans Freedom Park and public parking is on the right.

Our destination is the West Fork of the San Gabriel River National Scenic Bikeway: seven miles of single lane, paved road closed to automobile traffic, situated right next to a swiftly flowing stream fed year round by Cogswell Reservoir. Nestled in the mountains north of Monrovia, the West Fork is by far one of the best bicycling ventures into L. A. County's backcountry, featuring spectacular scenery of the Angeles National Forest so close that you can touch it. Sheer rock walls, fragrant chaparral, an abandoned fishing lodge, and vintage bridges are some of the many sights we'll pass as we ride the Bikeway. To get there, we'll start by gradually, steadily riding up Highway 39 past two major reservoirs and occasional views of Mt. Baldy. This road goes nowhere, so car traffic will be light. More info.

 
Hollywood Blvd. Bike Ride
When: Sunday, September 15; Meet at 10 a.m.; Ride at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Meet at Sunset Triangle
Save the date! Join us on our ride down historic Hollywood Blvd.! We'll meet at the Sunset Triangle and roll down Hollywood to the Farmer's Market. There, you can go shopping, stop by our outreach table, (and even volunteer) and perhaps participate in a yoga class or cooking demonstration. The ride is about 3.5 miles and 20-30 minutes long. See Facebook event.
 
MANGo Pop-Up
When: Saturday, September 21; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More info in newsletter.
 
Glendale Bike & Ped Count
When: Wednesday, September 25; 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. & 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
More info in newsletter.
  
Glendale Bike & Ped Count
When: Wednesday, September 25; 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. & 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
More info in newsletter.
 
Tour de Co-ops
When: Saturday, September 28
Where: L.A.-area co-ops
Save the day for Tour de Co-ops, a bike ride to visit all of the local co-ops (including LACBC's own Bici Libre) and raise funds for them. See Facebook event.
 
New Belgium Tour de Fat - San Diego
When: Saturday, September 28; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Golden Hill Park, San Diego
Take a weekend trip down south to support our friends at the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and the San Diego Mountain Biking Association for beers, bikes, and bemusement for Tour de Fat. Remember, you can enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Tour de Fat if you join LACBC or renew your membership by September 12th!
Other Events Around Town

LACBC Local Chapters

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]

 

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