The long planned and fought for Westwood Blvd protected bike lanes could finally be happening.
Streetsblog’s Joe Linton writes that LADOT is moving forward with a proposal for 2.2 miles of bus lanes and protected bike lanes, from the E Line station at Westwood and Exposition to the UCLA campus, along with another 1.1 miles of bus-only lanes.
Councilmember Katy Yaroslovsky has urged the city to speed up construction of the project following February’s 99 Ranch Market crash, when an elderly driver slammed into the building, killing three people and injuring at least six others, after hitting and injuring a bike rider.
Despite the work of advocates, any hopes of a bike lane south of Santa Monica Blvd were dashed in the early 2010s due to intense opposition from local businesses and the wealthy Westwood South of Santa Monica Blvd Homeowners’ Association, coupled with double-dealing by former CD5 Councilmember and all-around schmuck Paul Koretz.
However, as Linton explains,
In the past, elected officials, nimby homeowners, and city departments colluded to keep the boulevard car-centric and deadly. This began to change with the 2022 election of City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who pledged support for walkable, bikeable neighborhoods and “getting Angelenos out of their cars.”
Even under Yaroslavsky’s leadership, Westwood Boulevard improvements are taking a long time. Yaroslavsky and LADOT have been working on the fully-funded $10 million Westwood Boulevard Safety and Mobility Project since early 2024.
LADOT is asking for your input on the project. Fill it out, because there’s no reason to believe the opposition will be any less intense this time around.
The only difference is the councilmember won’t be in the pocket of wealthy local homeowners.
Image from LADOT via Streetsblog.
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Charges were finally filed against the pickup driver who killed a 67-year old woman riding an ebike in Desert Hot Springs over a year ago.
Cellphone records show Oscar Pinuelas was using Instagram and Pandora on his phone right up to when he slammed into Laura Harker’s ebike from behind, even though she wearing a brightly colored bike helmet and clothing.
Pinuelas remained at scene, but apparently the CHP only recently examined the cellphone data and made an arrest.
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ActiveSGV invites you to the opening of the Emerald Necklace Mobility Hub a week from tomorrow.
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BikeLA invites you to their annual Bike Fest fundraiser next month.
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A Chicago group says they were “blown away” by the bike lanes in Minneapolis, asking if they’re the best bike lanes in America.
Although the key words there are “in America,” because we may have a ways to go to catch up with China.
Yes, China.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
A reckless driver drove his car onto an Ohio bike path, despite two missing tires, then stole another car at a park after that one became disabled, and returned to the continue along the bike path. No word on whether anyone who was actually supposed to be on the bike path had to bail out of their way.
Police in Gloucestershire, England told ebike riders they need insurance and a license, and need to pay the road tax, apparently confusing the rules for ebikes with motorcycles. And even though the UK’s road tax was halted 89 years ago.
But sometimes, it’s the people on bikes behaving badly.
A 43-year old Liverpool, England man “swerved dangerously into traffic” on his bike and rode towards a family walking with baby carriages in an attempt to evade the cops after they spotted him riding on the sidewalk while using his phone; he was fined the equivalent of slightly more than $380 after being convicted of dangerous cycling. Then again, if he’d been in a car, that whole family could be dead right now.
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Local
KNBC-4 reminds you about this Sunday’s CicLAvia — Heart of LA. Unless of course you’re going to Pasadena’s CatCon, instead.
The LA City Council voted unanimously to set up a donation-funded fund to maintain the instantly iconic 6th Street, including removing trash and other waste from the pedestrian walk and bike lanes; the city recently hired a firm to restore the lighting on the bridge after thieves stole all the copper wire.
Long Beach police released photos of the alleged hit-and-run semi driver who killed 68-year-old Kevin Moran as he rode his bike on the sidewalk; police initially absolved the driver, saying he might not have known he hit Moran, before concluding it was in fact a hit-and-run.
State
A Hesperia man had his ebike stolen at gunpoint after a passing driver pulling a U-Haul got out of his car with gun in hand, announced he was taking the bike, and fired a shot past the victim when he initially refused to hand it over.
Oakland’s plans for calming a dangerous street only include proposals for painted bike lanes, and exclude the protected bike lanes advocates argue would be necessary to tame the street.
A suspect was arrested for a Santa Rosa hit-and-run, nearly two weeks after a bike rider was killed and left lying in the street until the body was found the next morning. As I’ve said before, cases like this should be charged as 2nd degree murder, because the driver made a conscious decision to flee the scene and leave the victim to die alone in the street.
National
The New York Times recommends the best e-cargo bikes. And for once, I can’t object to any of their picks.
Aussie Lachlan Morton is attempting to break the record for the fastest ever Pony Express run, set in 1861 when a relay of riders carried Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address to California; Morton hopes to ride the historic 1,966-mile Pony Express route from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California faster than the record of seven days and 17 hours. Of course, he has the advantage of paved roads, and doesn’t have to worry about anyone shooting at him until he passes through Nevada.
A new hardcover graphic novel celebrates the life of early Black cycling champ Major Taylor, known as the world’s fastest man for his exploits on the track at the dawn of the Jim Crow era; the book is available on Amazon for 30 bucks, and probably well worth it.
New green bike lanes are hitting the pavement in the Biggest Little City on Earth.
The Texas driver who killed rising professional boxer Hannah “Hanarchy” Rapp in July was formally charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for backing his car into Rapp at a high rate of speed as she was riding with her boyfriend, after he gestured angrily following a too close, too fast pass; he faces life in prison when if he’s convicted.
Oops. New York is suing a Manhattan law firm and its principals, accusing them of running a personal injury fraud scheme that allegedly sought tens of millions of dollars from the city over bike crashes that never happened.
Gothamist says the hottest way for celebs to show they’re real New Yorkers is to record themselves riding a Citi Bike bikeshare.
Lawyers for the New Jersey driver who killed the hockey-playing Gaudreau brothers two years ago blamed the victims for the crash, saying they were riding their bikes in the roadway, making it impossible to avoid the crash. Even though that’s exactly where they were supposed to be, and the driver was allegedly drunk, speeding and passing a slower car on the grass shoulder of the roadway. But yeah, it’s their fault. Schmucks.
International
A new Canadian-made bike helmet has rocketed to the top of Virginia Tech’s safety ratings, scoring a 4.61, over two points better than the second place helmet. Thanks to Megan for the link.
Nice. A London bike shop focuses on giving jobs to ex-offenders to give old bikes new life, as well as offering training workshops in prisons to teach bike mechanics to inmates before they’re released.
Cadillac F1 driver Valtteri Bottas completed his ride from last weekend’s race in Malaysia to this week’s Singapore Grand Prix, dodging pythons and cobras, and jumping over an iguana on the 250-mile ride.
Competitive Cycling
Last year’s Tour de France Femmes champ Pauline Ferrand-Prévot says Dutch cyclist Dylan van Baarle’s helmet “definitely saved his life” when he was struck by a driver while on a training ride Wednesday, just weeks before their wedding.
Egan Bernal denied persistent rumors that he intends to retire, as the 2019 Tour de France and 2021 Giro winner says he will definitely be at the starting line next year.
Finally…
Apparently, cheating in a marathon by hitching a ride on a bicycle is too much for Brooks running shoes. Pro cyclists don’t have the strength to race a “proper bicyclist” on a normal bike.
And what’s wrong with this picture?
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
