News Cycle: 2/11/21 – Measure M funds allocated across the County, new cycling book, Chinatown
- Kevin Shin
- Feb 12, 2021
- 6 min read
The News Cycle
February 11, 2021
Help us bring bikes to people in need with #LACountyBikeMatch!
Stay in the Know
Check out this newly published book from MIT press, on how to make cycling safe, practical, and convenient for all: Cycling for Sustainable Cities.
Our collab project has been chosen for the National Science Foundation Civic Innovation Challenge!
It’s official! Our project, in collaboration with UCLA and the Chinatown Business Improvement District, has been selected as one of twelve other projects in the Mobility and Communities track of the National Science Foundation Civic Innovation Challenge. LACBC will serve as lead community partner for this project. At this stage, we are currently developing surveys for LA bicycle commuters and residents of the Chinatown region to help us gather important information on commuting preferences and trends that will help inform our system. We will be releasing the surveys to the public shortly, so stay tuned!
To celebrate the Lunar New Year, LACBC is sharing a self-guided route that takes riders through LA’s Chinatown, highlighting some of the important locations that tell the story of Asian-American cultural contributions to the LA community and also the history of how Chinatown has evolved over the decades.
Check out the rest of the rides we’ve created so far on our website!
Federal Updates with Local Implications
State Level Updates with Local Implications
General LA Updates
Measure M Cycle 1 funding has been approved for the first round of projects under the MAT Program!
Voted for by Angelenos at the ballot box in 2016, this
Measure M funding will go towards 16 approved projects and eight (8) on the waiting list for this first round. There are two categories of projects: Active Transportation Corridors and First/Last Mile Connections. Check out the regional updates below for more details by looking for the Measure M alert.
Caltrans wants your input
Have a moment to provide some feedback to Caltrans on pedestrian/biking issues along some state routes?
Check out their survey! It’s pretty easy.
Are you an essential worker that uses Metro Bike Share?
The 365-Day Pass for Metro Bike Share is available at $75 for eligible essential workers.
To see who’s eligible and for the full details, click here.
LA Metro moves forward with Traffic Reduction Study, previously known as the Congestion Pricing Study
The program is looking at the feasibility of implementing a variable fee that would be collected to enter core communities in an effort to limit the amount of private vehicle travel. The aim would be to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in the process. The study is intended to ask many of the questions the public has raised, such as the traffic impact on surrounding neighborhood streets, financial impact on lower income communities, and how public transit options would need to be improved to make them viable alternatives for people who wish to avoid the fee.
LACBC wants to see all funds collected from any such fee invested in a targeted way to improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure that will connect historically disinvested communities to better public transportation and to offset costs for POC-owned small businesses that have no choice but to use a private automobile for their transportation needs.
You can learn more by attending one of the public information sessions about the Traffic Reduction Study coming up on Feb 16 and Feb 27.
From Chapter Areas
Culver City
On the 1st of February, the Culver City Council voted 5-0 to proceed with its Move Culver City plans.
This “quick-build” tactical urbanism project will transform the spine of Culver City into a far more complete street, featuring dedicated bus lanes for the entirety of the 1.3 mile stretch, and protected bike lanes for much of it (shared with bus lanes in some segments). In the face of well-funded opposition from large, corporate real estate owners and their team of lawyers, Bike Culver City and our allies mounted a coordinated organization and mobilization effort. The results were inspiring: More than 250 pages of written correspondence submitted to council, plus 60 public comments delivered during the meeting, the overwhelming majority in support of the project. This pivotal infrastructure project is targeted for rollout in May, 2021.
Culver City E Line Station – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $2.3 million. Includes physically separated cycle track + other improvements
Carson & the South Bay Area
Draft Environmental Impact Report work has begun for the C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance project.
The deadline to submit comments on what issues you’d like studied is March 15. For more info on the project click here. You can submit a comment by using their online contact form or by attending one of the virtual public scoping meetings on Zoom:
Wed, Feb 24, 4pm-6pm. Telephone: 646.558.8656 Webinar ID: 860 4119 8859
Sat, Feb 27, 11am-1pm. Telephone: 646.558.8656 Webinar ID: 828 3990 2680
Redondo Beach Blvd in Redondo Beach & Lawndale – Active Transportation Corridor
Approved for $6.6 million for 3.3 miles of ped/bike improvements between Flagler Lane and Dominguez Channel.
LAX-Aviation – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $3.6 million to improve ped & wheel access to C Line (formerly the Green Line) and future LAX/Crenshaw Line transfer station.
Central/Downtown LA
LADOT’s Survey to receive input on the 4th St and New Hampshire intersection improvements is still up.
If you live, work or ride in the area, make sure to provide your feedback! It even gives you a chance to select your preferred drought-tolerant plants that should be included in the landscaping!
Santa Clarita
The City of Santa Clarita will be repairing the pourable joint sealant on the bike trail that runs over Bouquet Canyon Road by Chi-Chi’s. The work is expected to take 1 day to install and 24 hours to cure, so trail users should only be inconvenienced for two days. This portion of the trail will be closed during the work with appropriate detour signage. The joint seal will be covered overnight as it cures.
Santa Monica SPOKE
26th/Bergamot E Line Station – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $890K at Olympic/26th for bike route & missing crosswalks
Walk Bike Burbank
Burbank Channel Bikeway should now be open!
West Hollywood & Surrounding Areas
Santa Monica/La Brea Bus Stop – First/Last Mile Connections
Approved for $488K, mostly pedestrian focused
Hollywood Walk of Fame, First/Last Mile Connections
Approved for $7 million for ped & bike updates near the Hollywood/Highland and Hollywood/Vine B Line Stations.
For more Hollywood-area updates visit http://heartofhollywood.la
Various – First/Last Mile Connections
Approved for $750K each for a total of $3.8 million.
Mostly pedestrian focused, areas include: Fountain between Hayworth & Harper; intersection of Santa Monica & Greenacre, Fairfax, intersection of Santa Monica & Poinsettia, intersection of Santa Monica & Hayworth.
Thank you to all of you who have supported LACBC by opting in to donate a slice of your Lime ride!
Non-Chapter Regions
East LA
East LA Civic Center L Line Station – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $900K to improve access for peds & bikes to the L line station’s East LA Civic Center stop.
Northeast LA
LADOT’s survey for improvements at the intersection of Avenue 50 and Meridian and other streets in Highland Park is still open. Make your voice heard on what it’s like to use these streets.
Pasadena
Huntington-Main/Fremont in South Pasadena – Active Transportation Corridor
Approved for $6 million. More info + maps here at Streetsblog LA.
San Fernando Valley
Sepulveda G Line Station – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $3.6 million for a variety of ped/bike improvements
Van Nuys/Vanowen – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $4 million for ped & bike improvements at bus stops, Metrolink station and connectivity to G Line
San Gabriel Valley
1st/Riggin/Portrero Grande in Monterey Park, Montebello, Rosemead, South San Gabriel – Active Transportation Corridor
Approved for $6.4 million
South Central
Avalon/MLK/Gage – Active Transportation Corridor
Approved for $5.8 million.
WAITLIST – Slauson Corridor Project – Active Transportation Corridor Requested: $8 million
Slauson A Line Station- First/Last Mile
Approved for $4.5 million Slauson A Line Statino (formerly the Blue Line), mostly pedestrian focused
Western/Slauson Bus Stop – First/Last Mile Connection
Approved for $3.6 million. Connected to Rail to River Active Transportation Corridor
Gateway Cities/Southeast LA County
Randolph in Huntington Park, Bell, Commerce, Maywood – Active Transportation Corridor
Approved for $6.7 million. 7 mile bicycle/lane trail connecting to LA River
Florence A Line Station – First Last Mile Connection
Approved for $5 million. Pedestrian focused
Apply to be on the Gateway Cities Council of Governments
One responsibility is to review proposed bus service changes in the Gateway Cities area. Check out the full list of responsibilities and eligibility. Deadline is March 26.
Support LACBC while securing your bike
When you make a purchase at Seatylock through this link, a portion of your purchase goes to support LACBC!
South LA Cafe is a community coffee shop, market, and cultural center.
It’s located at 1700 Browning Blvd, in South Central Los Angeles. Stop by South LA Cafe and try their house coffee and avocado toast! This is a great way to get your morning started or as a refueling stop during your ride!
Eso Won Books is an Independent and Black-Owned bookshop that has served the community for over 30 years.
The bookshop is located at 4327 Degnan Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008 and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-4pm.
Book Spotlight
The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Dierdre Mask examines the history and origins of the addresses on houses, buildings, and apartments. In many parts of the world, your address can reveal your race and class. Mask looks at the fate of streets named after Martin Luther King Jr., the wayfinding means of ancient Romans, and how Nazis haunt the streets of modern Germany. The flipside of having an address is not having one, and we also see what that means for millions of people today, including those who live in the slums of Kolkata and on the streets of London. The Address Book illuminates the complex and sometimes hidden stories behind street names and their power to name, to hide, to decide who counts, who doesn’t—and why.
Pick your copy up in-person or line at EsoWonBookstore.com!
Click here to learn more on what to do if you are involved in a bicycle crash. If someone you know was killed in a bicycle crash, here are some resources to guide you through this difficult time.
If you would like to share a few words about someone you know that passed away while riding, please reach out to us through email (info@la-bike.org) or by using this form.
The Safety Corner
Hi! My name is Anna and I am an intern at LACBC. Over my college winter break I was certified as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The experience was both incredibly rewarding as well as very informative. In the next series of newsletters I will share a few things I learned that might be useful both on and off the bike, especially during the ongoing pandemic.
First rule to always remember: is the scene safe for me? In a wilderness context this is usually thought of when we are going to help others. However, in current times it’s important to make sure you are prioritizing your own safety and well-being in your day to day. Always remember to check in with yourself!
The Learning Corner – For the Urban Planning Nerds Among Us
Photos from our Weekend Raffle Prize Pickup!
It was great being able to see some of you this past Saturday! Thanks to those of you who came by to pick up your raffle prizes from the holiday party.
Did we miss something? Send us your LA County bike-related updates and events, and we’ll include them in the next newsletter (two weeks from now). Email info@la-bike.org.
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
PO Box 17733
Long Beach, CA 90807
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