Note: This story has changed considerably following the initial report. As usual, I’ve left the original version as is and added the updates below, so you can see how our understanding of the events has developed. So please read all the way to the end to get the full story.
The victim, identified as 37-year old Marvin Cortez, was struck by a 25-year old Calabasas man while riding on the wrong side of Stunt Road, south of Mulholland Highway, around 9:25 am.
Cortez was reportedly riding north in the southbound lane when the driver rounded a blind curve, and crashed into him head-on.
He was taken to a hospital, but died in the ambulance before he arrived.
Stunt Road is a popular route for road cyclists in the hills between Malibu and Calabasas; it’s possible Cortez cut the corner while descending, and was in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
There appears to be some confusion about where he is from. The story leads off by calling Cortez a Los Angeles man, but concludes by saying the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner did not disclose his city of residence.
This is at least the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Update: BikeLanesLA casts doubt on the initial reports, pointing out that it’s unlikely Cortez would have crossed the rumble strips at the center of the roadway.
I honestly don’t believe a rider crossed the yellow rumble strip while descending. pic.twitter.com/G3QXMuM8PR
Update 2: A crowdfunding campaign has been established to raise funds to help pay memorial expenses for Cortez. As of this writing, it has raised over $27,000 of the $35,000 goal.
Here is how Melanie Gideon, who established the campaign, describes him.
Marv found his greatest joy in the simple, beautiful things—riding his bike like the world depended on it, sharing quiet moments with those he loved, and making everyone around him feel seen, heard, and cherished. Whether it was through his endless jokes, his goofy grin, or the calm comfort of his silent presence, he had a rare gift: he made life feel lighter, even on the heaviest days.
He was the small, funny guy in the room—the one whose energy made everyone feel at home. He didn’t need the spotlight to shine; he was the reason the room was warm in the first place. Marv was the kind of friend who’d sit with you for hours, say nothing, and still make you feel more whole just by being there. He always showed up—reliably, gently, and fully himself.
And he found his greatest love in Johanna. Their time together was filled with deep connection, laughter, and shared joy. It was a love that grounded him and made his vibrant spirit even brighter.
Update 3: A witness to the crash contradicts the original report.
Kate says she was hiking with two friends on the Calabasas Peak Trail, and was just above the trailhead when they all heard a loud engine reverberating through the canyon, even before they saw a black American muscle car roaring south towards the ocean, “like it was on a racetrack.”
They were alarmed by the speed he was traveling at, then moments later they heard a loud “pop” and saw debris flying through the air.
From where they stood, they saw the car in a ravine, and watched as the driver got out and walked up to the road so he could see what he had done.
Other bike riders soon arrived and surrounded the victim as she called 911. She saw them searching for something, possibly the victim’s bike.
The ambulance came speeding up the roadway, yet still not as fast as the driver had been going. Then departed slowly after the paramedics unhurriedly tended to Cortez, which suggested to her that he may have died on impact.
She isn’t sure about the speed limit, but thought it might be 25 mph due to the many switchbacks on Stunt Road, well below the speed the driver appeared to be doing before the crash.
The location near the trailhead places it between two sweeping curves, which should have slowed the driver. That suggests it may be more likely the driver was on the wrong side, rather than Cortez, if he rounded the curve at speed.
It’s also possible that both Cortez and the driver were in the same lane, traveling in the same direction at the time of the crash, which is the understanding Kate and her friends had, although she stresses that they can’t be sure.
It may be that reports Cortez was on the wrong side of the road rely only on the word of the driver, who has a vested interest in blaming the victim, whether consciously or not.
Kate also mentioned that they had said hello to a very friendly man “with brown hair and a beard” riding a bicycle, and hoped it wasn’t Cortez.
If it wasn’t, it’s very possible he may have seen what happened, or at least saw the driver before the crash.
And yes, Kate says she and her friends remain very disturbed by what they witnessed. As someone who counsels trauma victims, she now finds herself dealing with what she usually helps others with.
Having witnessed something like that myself, I can testify it remains troubling years later.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Marvin Cortez and all his loved ones.
June 13, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on When Streets Are For Everyone says everyone, they mean everyone; and join Bike LA for South LA CicLAvia feeder ride
Day 164 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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It was a light news day in the world of bikes yesterday, so let’s get right to it.
I mean, it’s not like anything else happened Thursday, right?
At Streets Are For Everyone, our mission is simple: improve the quality of life for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers alike by reducing traffic fatalities to zero. This mission does not exclude any Angeleno from our work. We strive to make streets safer for everyone, regardless of their mode of transportation, income, housing status, or immigration status. That means pushing for equitable design, advocating for justice, and demanding infrastructure that protects our most vulnerable neighbors.
The ongoing immigrant raids across Los Angeles, including the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops (and now Marines), did not make the streets safer. In fact, they worked to sow fear and discord across our communities.
Long after this current moment of ICE raids is over, our most vulnerable neighbors will continue to live in fear of moving around the city, of taking the bus, or simply walking down the street.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
The news director for a Wisconsin radio station complains about having to jam on the brakes to avoid a couple of stop sign-running bike riders. On the other hand, reckless drivers don’t seem to bother him at all. And why do people always feel the need to remind us that getting run over by a car or truck “doesn’t end well for the bicyclist,” as if that will somehow come as a surprise to anyone?
Santa Cruz County is encouraging residents to get out of their cars by launching their own ebike incentive program, with vouchers ranging from $300 to $1,200. That compares favorably to LA County’s program offering absolutely nothing.
Say what? Hawaii’s governor targets a bill prohibiting “high-speed electric devices” from the state’s roadways, arguing that it could ban electric cars and probably violates the US Constitution clauses regulating interstate commerce and banning discrimination against groups and individuals.
Writing for Streetsblog, a New York man channels the spirt of 1970’s bicycle philosopher Ivan Illich, arguing that he would probably agree with the mayor’s 15 mph speed limit for ebikes, and wouldn’t be a fan of bicycle delivery riders, either.
No one else was around when a well-known Canadian paracyclist came to, after he was run down from behind while training in Whitehorse, forcing him to flag down a motorist with one good arm because the other one is now paralyzed — yet somehow, police aren’t even treating it as a hit-and-run.
June 12, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on More bike and transportation bills advance in CA legislature, LA committees advance bike bills, and tariffs raise their ugly heads
Day 163 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
AB 382 lowers the speed limit around schools from 25 mph to 20 mph.
AB 720 reforms automated red light cameras to make the system more equitable and effective.
AB 1014 would give city’s more flexibility to lower speed limits on non-freeway state routes.
A number of bills further regulating ebikes also moved forward.
However, AB 981, which would have established a pilot program to require intelligent speed assist for drivers convicted of reckless driving, was held over for next year.
On the other hand, a bill that would have redefined electric motorbikes that exceed the state’s 28 mph speed limit for Class III ebikes died due to opposition from the DMV and the motorcycle industry.
And thankfully, AB 612, giving fire departments more authority over bikeway planning, died a merciful death. As we’ve seen, fire officials frequently oppose projects that would improve safety over misplaced fears it could slow their trucks; firefighters claimed protected bike lanes on Venice Blvd in Mar Vista caused dangerous delays, but LAFD’s own stats showed response times only dropped by a few seconds after the lanes were installed.
Meanwhile, Calbike says they’re working with Caltrans to “ensure the agency takes active transportation safety seriously and better implements Complete Streets on its highways,” after accusing the agency of ignoring a 2024 law mandating Complete Streets.
Exactly what the industry doesn’t need as it struggles to recover from the post-pandemic bike bust.
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Sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Apparently, former KNBC sportscaster Fred Roggin is spending his retirement working as a Palm Springs commentator, tackling the ever-popular subject of bike riders rolling stop signs. Never mind the drivers who do the same thing in their multi-ton SUVs.
The Phoenix New Times examines the case of a Latino man shot in the back by police during the altercation that followed a pretextual traffic stop, after two cops pulled him over because he was riding his bike without a light near a drug house; he somehow allegedly pulled a gun and fired a shot at them, despite being dogpiled by both of the officers, whose body cams conveniently fell off during the struggle.
That’s more like it. Boulder, Colorado has taken an old storage space next to a bus stop and converted it into a free garage for bicycles — which is a great way to encourage more people to ride.
Heartbreaking news from Texas, where a 12-year old Houston boy was killed by a hit-and-run driver after he was chased by a dog before losing control of his bike and falling into traffic. Seriously, there’s a special place in hell for anyone who would take off and leave a kid to die in the street.
This is why people keep dying on our streets. An Illinois driver took off after striking a kid riding his bike in a crosswalk, and had to be stopped from fleeing by a witness — yet police cited him for a couple of lousy traffic violations, while giving him a walk on the hit-and-run.
A Toronto city council committee concluded that only bicycles should be allowed in bike lanes, which are currently governed by a mixture of rules depending on what type of lane it is.
The International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency issued a joint statement condemning the Enhanced Games, a pro-doping alternative to the Olympics where failing a drug test means not taking any. So if Lance is still looking to make a comeback, the door is wide open.
June 11, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Good news and bad news as CA legislature hits halftime, and “oopsie” shouldn’t get killer drivers off the hook
Day 162 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
Among the winners so far are AB 954, aka The Bike Highways Bill, and AB 891, Quick-Build Project Pilot Program.
The former would set up a pilot program to connect existing bikeways into bike highways, while the latter would instruct Caltrans to use quick-build designs to improve state roads.
Among the other bills also passing in the Assembly was AB 366, allowing interlock devices for drivers convicted of DUI.
Bills passing in the state Senate included SB 71, streamlining CEQA environmental review requirements for public transportation, bike and pedestrian projects that would reduce car dependency.
Also passing the Senate was SB 445, which imposes a deadline on local agencies to review permits for Complete Streets and sustainable transportation projects.
Dying for this year were a bill that would have placed a statewide bond issue to fund sustainable transportation projects on next year’s California ballot, and one to allow victims of climate disasters or their insurers to sue oil companies to recoup their losses.
Meanwhile, the long awaited Stop As Yield, aka Idaho Stop, law that would allow California bike riders to treat stop signs as yields — and possibly roll through red lights after coming to a complete stop — will have to wait until we have a new governor in two years.
It wasn’t introduced this year because Gavin Newsom already vetoed two previous versions of the bill.
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This is why people keep dying on our streets.
Life is cheap in Los Altos, where a man walked without a day behind bars for the distracted driving death of a 38-year old woman riding a bicycle after he was sentenced to probation and community service; he had faced up to six years for felony vehicular manslaughter. Not a single year, as the story suggests.
And life is equally cheap in Michigan, where a former cop walked without a day behind bars for killing an 83-year old man riding a bicycle, after he was sentenced to 12 lousy months of probation; the victim had just finished a ride across the country, and was on his way back home to Florida.
So what’s the point of even having traffic laws, if overly lenient judges won’t even hold drivers accountable for killing someone when they break them?
Just saying “oopsie” shouldn’t be good enough.
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Local
No news is good news, right?
State
A San Francisco woman has filed suit against Waymo after she was doored by the passenger of a Waymo self-driving cab, and prevented from taking evasive action by another Waymo cutting across the bike lane.
CNN recommends the best bike shorts for a more comfortable ride, according to “seasoned cyclists.” Which raised the question of how were they seasoned, and whether they should be grilled, baked or air fried.
Hundreds of people turned out for a Slow Roll memorial ride to remember a 38-year old Ohio woman who was killed when an 18-year old driver crossed onto the wrong side of the road, slamming head-on into her and another woman riding their bikes together, along with a third person who escaped the crash. Maybe if we had a turnout like that when someone gets killed here, we could see some real change in LA, for a change.
Streetsblog says if New York’s mayor really wants to improve traffic safety, the city should take advantage of a one-year old state law allowing it to lower speed limits to 20 mph, rather than scapegoating ebike riders, since NYC drivers injure over 9,600 pedestrians each year, leaving less than 40 due to all other causes.
The BBC has finally realized that bicyclists with bike cams aren’t “vigilantes” or “grassing snitches,” belatedly concluding that cameras help bring dangerous drivers to justice and are often the only recourse riders have. Although California law doesn’t allow them to be used against drivers for traffic violations or misdemeanors, technology be damned.
A new Chinese-made ebike conversion kit promises to install the first time in just three minutes, and ten seconds thereafter, while offering one of the smallest and most portable sizes yet; a crowdfunding campaign will launch soon offering an early bird price of just $349. Although how that could be affected by Trump’s on-and-off tariffs is TBD.
CalBike and other advocates had a modest ask from California’s nearly $20 billion 2025 transportation budget: give back $400 million stripped from the Active Transportation Program (ATP) in 2024, as the legislature promised to do in last year’s budget. Yet the legislature’s version, released today, includes no additional funding for the ATP.
Last year’s cutbacks limited the program to funding just 13 projects for safe biking and walking infrastructure across the state. The missing funds could immediately jumpstart 30 local infrastructure projects that applied for funding and are ready to break ground.
That $400 million works out to just two percent of the massive transportation budget.
Two. percent.
Also known as a rounding error in the whopping $321.9 billion state budget. But the state would rather go against its own climate goals to keep funding highways, at a time when the state is literally burning.
So if you don’t feel comfortable on California streets, you can rest easy knowing that drivers will still be able to go zoom zoom, thanks to the money that didn’t go to improve your safety.
At least until induced demand catches up with them.
Although you can probably guess how many Class IV bike lanes Caltrans built between 2018 and 2023, after the legislature approved them in 2015.
Yep. Just this side of zero.
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Streets For All asks you to support three bike-related issues at Wednesday’s joint meeting of the Los Angeles City Council Transportation and Public Works committees, in person or by commenting in advance.
Item #5 looks at using cameras to better enforce bike lanes, item #14 would assign the maintenance of bike paths and lanes to Public Works, and item 15 is the long awaited HLA implementation ordinance.
The Studebaker Road Complete Streets Project brings corridor-wide infrastructure improvements to Studebaker Road, spanning nearly five miles from 2nd Street to Carson Avenue. This initiative aims to enhance mobility, safety, and efficiency for residents and visitors who travel along the corridor.
By building a safer, more accessible active transportation network, the project will transform an area currently dominated by car travel. The corridor connects key destinations, including Long Beach City College, CSULB, McBride High School, Sato Academy, Tincher Prep, El Dorado Park and Library, Alamitos Bay, and the 2nd and PCH retail center. These improvements will benefit pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers alike, fostering a safer, healthier, and more inclusive Long Beach.
This project is part of the Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, a historic initiative dedicated to enhancing Long Beach parks, community facilities, mobility access, and streets. Learn more at lbelevate28.com.
Join the Culver City Pride Ride on June 28th to roll loud and proud as we celebrate inclusion and diversity in our amazing community! All wheels are welcome, including bikes, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, roller skates, unicycles, and tricycles. RSVP required. pic.twitter.com/FAmkLDr217
An innocent person once again paid the price for a police chase, after a 68-year old Philadelphia man was injured when a cop chasing a driver crashed into his bicycle, as well as the suspect vehicle, after following the driver into a bike lane; fortunately, the victim was hospitalized in stable condition.
And that’s after Metro has already backed off on several improvements originally promised in the Twenty-Eight by ’28 plan, including adding more bus and bike lanes, as well as completing the LA River Bike Path before the Games.
But they also listed reimagining LA’s transportation system in time for the Games.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, and following two major wins in 2024 at the city and state levels, PeopleForBikes is working alongside local advocates and bike companies to champion an overhaul of Los Angeles’ transportation system to include more safe and connected bike infrastructure. Leveraging the attention on and injection of funding into Los Angeles ahead of 2028, we are proud to support the Festival Trail, a multimodal network that links and expands on existing projects to connect residents and visitors to LA28 venues and several of Los Angeles’ famous attractions without needing a car. We are also advocating for mobility hubs that feature bike share stations and bike parking at major transit stations. At the state level, we supported legislation that would provide $3.5 billion for active transportation projects in Los Angeles.
These investments in preparation for the Olympics can benefit Los Angeles far beyond 2028 by supporting mobility opportunities for all Angelenos, particularly in communities that have been historically underserved by public transportation. This is also a chance to show that transformation in one of America’s most car-centric cities is possible and provide a model for other cities to transform their transportation networks to cater the needs of all road users, regardless of whether people walk, ride a bike, take transit, or drive a car.
Let’s hope they can get something done.
Because the city hasn’t given us any reason to believe they can do it on their own.
He required multiple transfusions to replace the blood lost when the string slit his throat, severing his windpipe, even though it seems unlikely that a normal kite string could do that kind of damage.
People who were riding with him suggested that the string could have been intentionally strung across the bike lane, or that it could have been coated with glass for kite fighting.
A woman was also injured when the string struck her hand and forehead, moments before injuring the man, who was riding just behind her.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Irate Salt Lake City drivers complained about getting stuck for multiple light cycles and surrounded by angry bicyclists during a growing, weekly bike ride, as motorists honked, called the riders names and yelled at them to obey the law. Someone should at least teach that group how and when to properly cork an intersection.
A San Francisco man faces a felony hit-and-run charge for last month’s crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl riding her bike with her mother. Although under California’s lenient hit-and-run penalties, he’ll face no more than four years behind bar — which will likely by plea bargained down to a slap on the wrist.
As the NYPD continues its misguided crackdown on scofflaw bike riders by issuing criminal summonses instead of traffic tickets, the state legislature considers a Stop As Yield law, aka Idaho Stop Law, that would legalize treating stop signs as yields, and red lights as stop signs, taking away tools they use to for pretextual stops and to target riders. California isn’t likely to get one until Gavin Newsom leaves office, since he’s already vetoed it twice.
Good news from Melbourne, Florida, where 15-year old boy reclaimed the bicycle he inherited from his dad, who died of Covid, after it was stolen while he was working as a lifeguard; he got it back with the help of his swim coach and the local police, as well as hundreds of people who shared the news on Facebook.
Something doesn’t add up in the UK, where two men face murder and attempted murder charges for the alleged hit-and-run death of a 16-year old boy who recently arrived from Yemen, striking the teen as he was walking after first crashing into an ebike rider — raising questions of why police think the act was intentional and who was the intended target.
She gets it. A Belgian writer wants to know why an unlicensed DUI driver was released by police after killing someone riding a bicycle, asking what’s the message that sends about accountability on the country’s roads.
You’ve got to be kidding. Life is cheap in Cyprus, where a 42-year old driver walked with a lousy $1,370 fine for killing a 62-year old man riding a bicycle while traveling at nearly twice the posted speed limit, and was banned from driving for five whole weekends.
Day 157 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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Life is cheap in New Zealand.
A road raging driver got just two lousy months of community detention — think curfews and electronic monitoring — and a year of probation for brake-checking two-time paracycling world champ Eltje Malzbender as she was training with a friend on a three-wheeled bike in 2020.
Brian David Mills pled guilty to cutting them off with his van and jamming on the brakes, after yelling “get off the road you fucking bastards,” then fleeing without stopping.
Malzbender took the brunt of the impact on her head, but was lucky to escape with relatively minor injuries.
The judge imposed the lenient sentence, despite what was described as Mills’ “sporadic history of careless driving and violence offenses” stretching back to the late 1980s.
Mazbender recovered in time to compete in the Tokyo Paralympics a year later.
She used paracycling to recover after she was left for dead on the side of the road by another hit-and-run driver in 2016, suffering a traumatic brain injury that left her with lasting injuries including loss of short term memory, co-ordination and the ability to speak.
There’s a special place in hell for anyone who would deliberately injure any disabled person, regardless of what a judge says.
Or should be, anyway.
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Sad news from Italy, where Enzo Staiola, who played the soulful-eyed son in the 1948 Italian cinematic masterpiece Bicycle Thieves, died in a Roman hospital.
Just because they let the kids walk a whole two blocks without adult supervision — for the first time.
But the 76-year old driver gets a walk, because police said it was just an “oopsie.”
“In such cases, adults must be held accountable for their responsibilities to ensure a safe environment for their children,” police said in a statement.
As long as the adult in question isn’t operating a motor vehicle, apparently. Or responsible for designing a dangerous roadway.
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Gravel Bike California explores the bike culture at the Cub House LA Invitational Bike and Car Show + Swap Meet.
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Ab Oklahoma City man was apparently murdered by a road raging driver, after the 37-year old driver was found dead in the street with a gunshot wound, as police concluded he was killed after a confrontation while riding his bicycle.
A pair of San Francisco petitions are calling for protecting transit funding from Newsom’s budget cuts, and keeping the currently car-free Market Street from reverting into a “traffic-choked car-sewer” after the mayor allows driverless Waymo vehicles in.
A “modern-day Paul Revere” plans to ride his bike to every Boston Dunkin’ today, eating a Dunkin’ Munchkin at all 92 locations, and covering 80 miles while consuming 5,000 calories to mark National Donut Day.
A group of British conservation volunteers are accused of leaving a forest a mess, while sending a message that bikes and kids aren’t welcome, after digging up an unauthorized mountain bike track in a Sheffield nature preserve.
The milk of human kindness must be running low in Singapore, where Facebook users were quick to blame a bike-riding victim after she was struck by a left-turning driver, whose view was obscured by a stopped delivery van.
June 5, 2025 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Is something rotten in the state of Metro, make Warner Center more bikeable, and help spend OC Measure M funds
Day 156 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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To paraphrase the bard, something may be rotten in the state of Metro.
BTS alleges Metro was set to award Lyft a nearly $200 million contract to operate the city’s bikeshare system after illegally structuring the bid to benefit Lyft.
On May 22, the Metro Board of Directors was set to approve Lyft’s $198 million proposal to operate Metro Bike Share, a countywide rental system of 1,800 public bikes.
It’s possible this is nothing more than a last-ditch effort by BTS and Metro Bike union members to retain the contract they’ve held since 2016.
But if there’s any truth to it, we deserve to know.
And something needs to be done to ensure a level playing field, and guarantee they select the best people for the job.
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Here’s your chance to help make car-centric Warner Center more bikeable and walkable, as Los Angeles moves forward with plans to remake the current office desert.
The city is looking for feedback at the Woodland Hills Farmers Market on June 21st, a short walk or bike ride from the Sherman Way G (Orange) Line Station.
HELP SHAPE THE WARNER CENTER ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION HUB
The Warner Center Active Transportation Hub project supports the transformation of the Warner Center area into an active transportation hub for jobs and housing. Active transportation includes walking, biking, scootering or using a wheelchair – any form of human-powered mobility.
Thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the Open House! If you missed it, check out the meeting presentation online.
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT
Visit Our Booth at the Woodland Hills Farmers Market
Saturday, June 21, 2025 | 9 am – 2 pm
5650 Shoup Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Drop by and tell us
What would make you want to walk, bike, or roll more often in Warner Center area?
As long as we’re on the subject of public meetings, the Orange County Transportation Authority, aka OCTA, wants to know how you want to spend Measure M transportation funds.
Annual Measure M Hearing set for June 10 to Ensure Accountability of Taxpayer Funds for Transportation
Taxpayer Oversight Committee will hold its 34th public hearing to ensure transportation funding is being delivered as promised to Orange County voters
ORANGE – The Taxpayer Oversight Committee will hold its 34th annual public hearing to ensure that Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, is being delivered as promised to Orange County voters.
This year’s public hearing is scheduled for:
6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, at the Orange County Transportation Authority headquarters, 550 S. Main St. in Orange.
The independent, 11-member oversight committee was formed to monitor OCTA’s use of Measure M funding, approve all changes to the Measure M Transportation Investment Plan, and hold annual public hearings on the expenditure of funds generated by the half-cent sales tax. The original measure was first approved by voters in 1990 and overwhelmingly renewed in 2006.
The renewed Measure M is continuing to fund balanced and sustainable transportation improvements through 2041, estimated to invest approximately $14 billion in all. The voter-approved plan allocates 43% of funds to freeways, 32% to streets and roads, and 25% to transit, and includes two environmental programs focused on preserving natural habitats and improving water quality through stormwater capture systems.
The first Measure M helped fund more than $4 billion worth of transportation improvements. These include enhanced freeways, smoother streets, synchronized traffic signals, improved intersections, and regional Metrolink rail service – which continues to be funded by Measure M.
OCTA remains committed to relieving congestion, maintaining infrastructure, expanding travel choices for seniors and people with disabilities, and protecting the environment.
Measure M also supports projects that reduce travel times, improve safety, and coordinate traffic signal systems across cities.
Those unable to attend the public hearing can submit comments by visiting octa.net/PublicHearing.
All written comments must be submitted by noon on Monday, June 9.
Written comments may be addressed to:
Andrea West Clerk of the Board Orange County Transportation Authority
550 South Main Street
P.O. Box 14184
Orange, CA 92683-1584
For more information about Measure M or the Taxpayer Oversight Committee, visit octa.net/TOC.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
A San Diego letter writer says the San Diego Association of Governments, aka SANDAG’s, approval of a $27 million Complete Streets project to reconfigure University Ave “proved once again that it is run by a consortium of incompetents.” Because he recently drove to Balboa Park without seeing a single bus in the bus lane, or a bike in the bike lane, which apparently serves as conclusive proof no one ever uses them.
No bias here. An Idaho county judge jerked back the permit for a bike park, just ten days before it was due to open, after the owners had built a network of world-class mountain bike trails on their own dime.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A visitor to the Boston suburb of Somerville says they were nearly struck by reckless bike riders three times just trying to cross a street, requiring “evasive maneuvers that would make a Cirque du Soleil performer break a sweat.” Although commenters said having to take a step back isn’t the same as getting hit, and oddly, they’ve never had a problem there.
They’ve got a point. A British bike advocacy group urged Parliament to reconsider a plan for on-the-spot fines equivalent to $677 for bicycling violations in pedestrian zones, arguing that the considerate bike riders are easy to catch, while speedy and/or aggressive anti-social ones will get away scot-free.
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Local
Caltrans is resurfacing a 20-mile stretch of PCH through the harbor area — likely without building the bike lanes and pedestrian improvements required under the state’s Complete Streets policy — ensuring this stretch of LA’s killer highway will remain that way.
Sad news from Merced, where a 27-year old man riding a BMX bike was killed by a hit-and-run driver, who later called police to say he had hit “something;” police blamed the victim’s black clothing and a lack of reflectors, saying the driver was unable to see him from behind on the dark street.
A 16-year old Albuquerque, New Mexico boy, the oldest of the four kids charged with fatally running down a Los Alamos scientist in a stolen car as he was biking to work, will remain in custody pending trial after a judge ruled she couldn’t ensure public safety if he was released. No shit.
An unsigned op-ed by “avid cyclists” says Boston’s “willy-nilly installation of bike lanes is the epitome of virtue-signaling,” and that encouraging senior citizens to use bikes as a means of transportation “is tantamount to inviting them to die or suffer serious injuries,” insisting they’re not being hyperbolic. Although it’s worth noting that Boston has an average of seven bicycling deaths per year affecting people of all ages, which makes it seem kinda hyperbolic.
Like other bicyclists we’ve heard from in San Diego, the OCBC expressed concerns about riders risking injuries by colliding with the raised barriers separating them from traffic.
Sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
When you’re carrying meth and magic mushrooms, and trying to hide an $1,100 bike behind a bush outside Cheyenne, Wyoming, make sure it’s yours — and doesn’t have an AirTag on it.
Los Angeles is narrowing the sidewalk on a 500-foot stretch of Balboa Blvd to make room for more cars — specifically left turn lanes — in a process Streetsblog’s Joe Linton describes as “harmful to city budgets, pedestrians, cyclists, climate, air quality, historic preservation, etc.” After all, who needs sidewalks anyway, right?
MSN reposted the San Diego Union-Tribune article we linked to yesterday about the California Ebike Incentive Program’s apparently successful third attempt at managing the 128,000 people who attempted to apply for a voucher last week, for everyone who couldn’t see it, like me. And I was even quoted in it.
A writer for Cycling Weekly says bicyclists have a right to be angry about infrastructure, but it’s not worth fueling a culture war by haranguing people online. I’ve learned through long and painful experience that it’s just not worth engaging with the haters on social media, because it’s an argument no one ever wins.
LA28 announced venues for an accessible 2028 Paralympic Games, with most of the events located in Downtown LA and Exposition Park. Although it’s questionable how competitors and spectators will get to the games when the city isn’t building the bus and bike lanes they promised to make them car free.
