LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

January 16, 2014 

In this issue
Cycletracks Update: City of L.A. Submits Application for Green Lane Project
Celebrate LACBC's Sweet 16 at Our Bike Prom on February 22
Updates from Around L.A. County: Take the San Gabriel Valley Bike Plan Survey
Next Active Streets L.A. Community Event on February 1
Breaking Away Screening & Operation Firefly Fundraiser on February 12
Learn More About Our Climate Ride Team at a Meet & Greet on February 12
Experience Central Ave. Map and Ride Recap
Thanks for Supporting Our End-of-the-Year Campaign
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: The Eastside Riders Bike Club Is Changing the Cycle
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

Cycletracks Update: City of L.A. Submits Application for the Green Lane Project


Success! On January 14th, the City of Los Angeles submitted its application for Round 2 of the Green Lane Project to receive technical assistance from the nation's leading bikeway design experts, one of our key asks in the cycletracks petition! Winners will be announced in March 2014.

 

Thanks to all of you who signed the petition in support of cycletracks in Los Angeles and helped to spread the word! This is a very positive step for the City of L.A. in truly bringing cycletracks to L.A. 

The Mayor's Office has also lent critical support in the state legislature to the the California Bicycle Coalition's design reform bill to legalize cycletracks, and and the City last month installed bollards along the buffered bike lanes through the 2nd Street tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles.

 

LACBC submitted our own letter of support to the Green Lane Project, reiterating our campaign goals for making L.A. a healthy, safe, and fun place to ride a bike:

  • Adopt an "8 to 80" design standard for the Mobility Element's Bicycle-Enhanced Network (BEN) and 2010 Bicycle Plan's Neighborhood Network, 
  • Appoint a new LADOT General Manager who is committed to innovative street design, 
  • Accelerate implementation of cycletracks by incorporating the BEN into the Mayor's Great Streets Initiative, 
  • Install L.A.'s first cycletracks on Figueroa in 2014, 
  • Apply for round 2 of the Green Lane Project to receive technical assistance from the nation's leading bikeway design experts, 
  • Ensure adequate staffing of the bikeways and pedestrian groups at LADOT to satisfy pent-up demand for these improvements across the city, and 
  • Work with Metro to increase investments in next generation bikeways and pedestrian infrastructure across Los Angeles County, concentrated around transit stations and schools.

LACBC is committed to continuing our partnership with the City of Los Angeles to build support for bicycle projects that serve L.A.'s diverse neighborhoods. We commit to to working with community-based organizations to promote bicycling and its many health, environmental, and socioeconomic benefits, particularly in underserved communities. As a countywide organization, LACBC also commits to sharing knowledge with our local chapters and cities throughout the County so that the benefits of this work are not confined by city boundaries.

 

You can read more about our goals on our initial campaign blog post and check out our letter of support.

Celebrate LACBC's Sweet 16 at Our Bike Prom on February 22
BikeProm 

Let's party like it's 1998. That was the year "My Heart Will Go On" (and various remixes) flooded the airwaves, Google began helping us find what we were looking for, and Bill Clinton denied some stuff. 1998 also marks the birth of LACBC, making 2014 the year that we celebrate our Sweet 16!   

 

Sweet 16 Bike Prom Benefiting LACBC

When:  Saturday, February 22; 8:00 p.m. to 12 midnight

Where: American Legion Hall Post 206 - 227 N. Ave. 55, Highland Park

Purchase tickets: Purchase tickets hereEarlybird tickets are $8 for LACBC members and $16 for nonmembers. Prices are $15 and $25 after February 7th. Each ticket includes one raffle ticket.

RSVP and spread the word via our Facebook event.

 

You're invited to our second annual Bike Prom, where we'll be dancing, crowning the bike prom queens and kings, having a mega raffle, taking our official prom photos (check out photos from last year), and dressing in our best 1998-inspired prom attire.

Updates from Around L.A. County: Take the San Gabriel Valley Bike Plan Survey

San Gabriel Valley:
Input is currently being sought on the the SGV Bike Plan. If you live and/or ride a bike in the San Gabriel Valley, please fill out this online survey by January 31st.

Beverly Hills:
SantaMonicaBlvdAfter last week's meeting, an additional meeting of the Blue Ribbon Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22 at 6 p.m. in the same room (Municipal Gallery, 2nd Floor, Beverly Hills City Hall).

When: Wednesday, January 22; 6 p.m.
Where: Beverly Hills City Hall, Municipal Gallery, 2nd Floor - 455 North Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

There will not be public comment at this meeting, so any comments must be submitted in advance through the website or emailed to [email protected].

The Committee will make a recommendation on whether to widen Santa Monica Boulevard by an additional 3 to 6 feet and, if yes, whether to stripe a bike lane.

More information about the process and Better Bike notes from the first three meetings can be found here.

South L.A.: Bike lanes have been striped along Grand Ave. from Washington to 30th. Check out this Tweet from LACBC member Niall Huffman for a photo. 

East Hollywood: Bike lanes are in the process of being striped on Virgil Ave. between Melrose and Santa Monica. Celebrate these new lanes with Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell this Saturday, January 18th at 9 a.m. at Sqrl at 720 N. Virgil in East Hollywood. More info on the Eco-Village website.

We'll be pushing to see these bike lanes eventually extended in both directions.
Next Active Streets L.A. Community Event on February 1
ActiveStreets

On Saturday, February 1st, LACBC, T.R.U.S.T South LA, and LADOT will be talking with residents of South L.A. about making their neighborhoods better for walking and biking. The first phase of the Active Streets project is focused on Budlong between MLK and Slauson and 54th street between Normandie and the 110 and we want to hear what South LA residents have to say about their streets.

Active Streets L.A. Community Event
When: Saturday, February 1; 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Where: Vermont Square Library & Park - 1201 W. 48th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90037

There will be lots of information as well as bike safety trainings, free bike repair, family activities as well as snacks and a raffle. As this event is co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Public Library,  we hope to encourage participants to stop in the library to get a library card or check out a book!

 

See you on February 1st!

 

Fun fact: The Vermont Square Branch of the Los Angeles Public library system was designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument (#264) by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in June 1983 as the oldest remaining library in the city system. It was the very first library to be built by the City of Los Angeles.
Breaking Away Screening & Operation Firefly Fundraiser on February 12
BreakingAway

LACBC is partnering with Laemmle's NoHo 7 to screen the 1979 cycling classic Breaking AwayBreaking Away tells the story about a bicycle enthusiast in a small college town spending his post-high school summer trying to sort out his future, while chasing after the girl of his dreams, and training for the two biggest races of his life. 

When: Wednesday, February 12; 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Where: Laemmle NoHo 7 - 5240 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 91601 (Take the Red Line or Orange Line there!)
Purchase tickets: Our earlybird tickets are now sold out.  Please purchase tickets directly from Laemmle Theaters for $11.
RSVP and spread the word through our Facebook event.

Proceeds from the screening will benefit Operation Firefly, our education and bike light distribution program intended to make sure people riding bikes in Los Angeles are riding safely at night. A raffle will also accompany the screening and will include a replica Cinzano cycling kit from Pella Sportswear, along with gift certificates/prizes from local NoHo businesses.

Support LACBC in what we do best: Making the communities of L.A. County healthy, safe, and fun places to bike!

If you have any questions about the event, please contact [email protected].

Learn More About Our Climate Ride Team at a Meet & Greet on February 12

 ClimateRide

You're invited to join Team LACBC on Climate Ride California! We are once again a beneficiary and you can join the brand-new epic 4-day pedaling adventure in Northern California through wine country.

 

Right now, we're recruiting members for our new Team LACBC on the California ride. You can be part of the fun and raise funds for LACBC at the same time! Team LACBC was the top team in last year's California ride. Let's bring the trophy (OK, pint glasses) back home this year!

 

Climate Ride California (May 17-20, 2014) is a 4-day, fully-supported cycling adventure that begins in San Francisco, heads north up the coast and through Wine Country to California's Capitol in Sacramento.

 

Meet & Greet

with Blake Holiday (CR Director) and Greg Laemmle (Team LACBC Captain)

 

Come to The Federal Bar for a Meet & Greet with Climate Ride Director Blake Holiday and Team LACBC Captain Greg Laemmle before the Breaking Away screening, and hug two kittens with one arm*! It's your chance to ask questions and possibly meet fellow Team LACBC riders in preparation for May's Climate Ride California.

Team LACBC Climate Ride Meet & Greet
When: Wednesday, February 12; 6 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Where: The Federal Bar - 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood
Please RSVP to [email protected] so we can get a head count.

  

Climate Ride Bike Talk Podcast Now Up

 

Also, listen in to last week's podcast of Bike Talk at BikeTalk.com, where we talked about Climate Ride and our team!

 

* This is LACBC's animal-friendly alternative to "kill two birds with one stone," courtesy of JJ Hoffman.

Experience Central Ave. Map and Ride Recap
 
On January 12th, residents of South LA, community advocates and supporters met at the offices of Watts Labor Community Action Committee to ride a five mile stretch of Central Avenue. The ride, organized by Community Health Councils, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Trust South LA and East Side Riders Bike Club (learn more about them below), charged the group of riders with the task of mapping community business assets that might best be served by bike lanes on Central Ave. Using a technology engineered by USC, riders took pictures with their cell phones and uploaded images. Go here to check out some of the cool businesses in this area.
 
Stay tuned for the next ride exploring this historic corridor!
Thanks for Supporting Our End-of-the-Year Campaign

Thanks to all who donated to our end-of-the-year campaign to support a healthy, safe, and fun L.A. County in 2014! Together, you helped raise thousands of dollars.

Our campaign has come to an end, but we encourage you to donate, become a member, or renew your membership any time during the year.
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: The Eastside Riders Bike Club Is Changing the Cycle
Changing the Cycle - ESRBC
Changing the Cycle - ESRBC
ESRBC

L.A. County is full of bike clubs from different places and with different perspectives! One of the clubs that we we've had the pleasure working with (through initiatives like Active Streets L.A. and campaigns like Ride Central, among other things) is the East Side Riders Bike Club. Since 2008, ESRBC has been riding for social change by encouraging healthy lifestyles, volunteering locally, and bringing folks together throughout South East Los Angeles.

Check out this video to learn more about how ESRBC is changing the cycle.
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

Touring L.A. County with LACBC and Where to Bike: Through the San Gabriel Foothills - River Bikeways and Historic Towns

When: Saturday, January 18; Meet at 8:30 a.m., ride at 9:00 a.m.

Where: Classic Coffee - 148 North Glendora Avenue, Glendora, 91741 (Meet in the public parking lot behind Classic Coffee)

This is the 2nd edition of the very first Touring LA County ride--a tour in the San Gabriel foothills along the northeastern fringe of urban Los Angeles. Rich in history, variety and natural beauty, the area is home to some of L.A. County's earliest small cities: Monrovia (incorporated in 1887), Azusa (1898) and Glendora (1911). Two river bike-path systems--along the San Gabriel and the Rio Hondo--tie together the ride, passing along the Emerald Necklace, an evolving string of pocket parks and greenways. The route also includes the Royal Oaks Bike Trail (a rails-to-trails path on the old Red Line trolley right-of-way) and a foray into Monrovia Canyon Park, with its forest and streams. More info.

 

West Valley Community Ride

When: Saturday, January 25; 9:00 a.m.

Where: Councilmember Bob Blumenfield's District Office - 19040 Van Owen, Reseda, 91335

Join Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, the LAPD, and LACBC to ride Reseda on a community ride to explore the West end of the Valley! This will be about an hour long ride at a leisurely pace. At the end of the ride we will have an information table so you can learn more about what we do, how you can get involved, and ways we can work together to make the West Valley more bike-friendly. See Facebook event.


2nd Town and Country Ride with PVBC

When: Saturday, January 25; meet at 1 p.m.

Where: Meet at Southeast corner of 1st and College in Claremont Metrolink parking lot

Join local chapter Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition for the 2nd Town and County bike ride through Claremont, La Verne and San Dimas with us. There will be some canyon climbing in San Dimas with fun stops throughout the ride. It will be at a causal pace, 20 miles. See the Facebook Event.

 

Active Streets L.A. Community Event

When: Saturday, February 1; 10 a.m.

More info in newsletter.

Sunday Funday Ride

When: Sunday, February 2; meet at 10:00 a.m., ride at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Meet at NoHo Red Line Station by the stairs

Save the date for our upcoming Sunday Funday Bike Ride, led by LACBC board member and Sunday Funday MVP Greg Laemmle! We'll have more details on this 20-mile ride in next week's newsletter.


Team LACBC Climate Ride Meet & Greet

When: Wednesday, February 12; 6 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
More info in newsletter. 

 

Breaking Away Movie Screening & Operation Firefly Fundraiser

When: Wednesday, February 12; 7:30 p.m.

More info in newsletter.

 

Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Ride & Run

When: Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23

Where: L.A. Chinatown

Ring in the Lunar New Year by riding or running, and celebrate the Year of the Horse! We've partnered with the exciting Chinatown Firecracker Ride & Run the past few years by providing bike valet for the event. And this again this year, register with this link so that LACBC will receive a $7 donation for each registration. 

 

Sweet 16 Bike Prom benefiting LACBC

When: Saturday, February 22; 8:00 p.m. to 12 midnight

More info in newsletter.

 

Venice-Mar Vista Bike Ride

When: Sunday, February 22; 10 a.m.

Where: Meet at Mar Vista Farmers' Market - 

Join LACBC West Neighborhood Bike Ambassadors Kevin and John for a leisurely 8-to-10-mile bike ride in the Venice and Mar Vista area. Check our Facebook event for more details.

 

14th Annual Los Angeles River Ride

When: Sunday, June 22

Where: Start at Autry Museum or Long Beach

Save the date for our biggest ride and fundraiser of the year! Explore the L.A. River on supported rides for all ages and abilities. We'll have more information about the ride soon.

LACBC Local Chapters - Join when you become an LACBC member or renew your membership!


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