Tag Archive for North Spring Street Bridge

Bike lanes finally appear on DTLA’s North Spring Street Bridge, and scofflaw drivers force closure of new 6th Street Viaduct

July 27, 2022 / / 2 comments

The good news is I’m feeling a little better tonight, thanks to the wonders of modern pharmaceuticals.

The bad is that this helps happening far too often. That tells me there may be something more going on than just migraines, which really shouldn’t happen on a near daily basis.

Photo of North Spring Street Bridge by Joe Linton for Streetsblog.

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Streetsblog reports the long-stalled bike lanes were finally installed on the North Spring Street Bridge.

The new lanes come four years after they were arbitrarily blocked by former CD1 Councilmember “Roadkill” Gil Cedillo, who was removed by voters in May.

Maybe now there’s finally hope for the lane reduction on North Figueroa, which Cedillo also killed.

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This is why we can’t have nice things.

Surprisingly, LAPD Chief Michael Moore put at least part of the blame on irresponsible carmakers.

Moore placed some of the blame on commercials for high-end cars which show spinouts that are not safe for a city street.

“I ask all of us, including manufacturers of high-end, high- performance vehicles to exercise corporate responsibility in how they go about their work and what they promote,” Moore said. “We see the antics of people trying to replicate this, resulting in serious injuries and deaths and violence.”

And yes, he’s talking to you, Dodge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GouegyoQK8Y

Although apparently, closed doesn’t always mean closed if you’re on two wheels.

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Turns out that AI image generator DALL-E is actually pretty good at designing livable streets.

https://twitter.com/betterstreetsai/status/1551267903290351616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1551267903290351616%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curbed.com%2F2022%2F07%2Fdall-e-walkable-streets-betterstreetsai.html

https://twitter.com/betterstreetsai/status/1551614988111986690

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Nice to see a driver admit to going too fast on Stadium Way, and putting others at risk.

[deleted by user]
by inIdiotsInCars

Thanks to Kevin for the heads-up, who says he forwarded the video to LADOT and new CD1 Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez.

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They get it. Now, anyway.

The Bike League is finally considering equity and accessibility in their Bicycle Friendly Community awards, with an emphasis on “building and connecting low-speed and low-stress bike networks.”

https://twitter.com/AccessUc/status/1551991455664615424

And while we’re on the subject, NACTO wants you to know that yes, disabled people ride bikes. And trikes, tandems and ‘bents, too.

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Imagine this on Broadway or Hollywood Blvd.

https://twitter.com/_dmoser/status/1551471563295170566

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What you get with the best bike you can buy at Walmart.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Once again, someone has sabotaged a mountain bike trail. Top Irish ‘cross racer Seán Nolan was seriously injured when he crashed into a wire someone stretched across the trail for exactly that purpose. Nolan was lucky to escape with four broken ribs, two fractured vertebrae and partially collapsed lung, while noting it could have been much worse. Let’s be honest — sabotaging a trail like that is nothing less than anti-bike terrorism. And should be investigated and prosecuted that way.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A Rhode Island man will be eating meals through a straw for awhile, after breaking his jaw when his bike was hit head-on by someone riding an ebike on the wrong side of a bike path; the ebike rider gave police a false name, address and phone number.

Police in Charlotte NC arrested five bike riders ranging from 15 to 39-years old on a charge of reckless driving, and confiscated their bicycles, accusing them of being part of a group that disrupted traffic and allegedly punched a stranger.

A teenaged Irish boy walked for allegedly knocking a 17-year old girl off a train platform with his bike after a judge dismissed the charges, citing insufficient evidence.

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Local

More on the new and improved curb-protected bike lanes taking shape on Reseda Blvd.

It could be more comfortable to ride in Pacoima soon, where the city is topping surface streets with a reflective coating that can lower street temperatures as much as 10 degrees.

Pasadena is implementing the Safe System in an effort to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries, which is basically Vision Zero by another name. But maybe they could say they give a damn about people on bicycles, too, who also make up a “disproportionate number” of traffic fatalities in the city. 

A man riding a “motorized scooter” was killed in a collision when he was cut off by a left-turning driver in Lancaster Sunday night.

 

State 

A webinar on Thursday, August 4th will discuss how building bike lanes is a matter of political will, and explain how to build and harness it.

A writer in a California town lets go of fear and learns how to ride a bike at 48-years old, after being discouraged by her mother as a child.

Bad news from San Diego County, where a 42-year old bike rider suffered life-threatening head injuries when he was struck by a driver early Monday morning.

San Francisco Streetsblog editor Roger Rudick may be out of commission for awhile, after he was injured in a crash while riding his bike.

 

National

Government Technology says even major car-dependent cities like Los Angeles and Houston are serious about auto traffic on highways. Although you’d be hard pressed to find any sign of it here.

This is why people keep dying on our streets. The 29-year old driver who killed a Utah man and injured his 17-year old daughter as they were riding bikes was allegedly high on heroin at the time of the crash, and had four previous drug convictions, as well as convictions for burglary, theft and forgery. Just one more example of keeping a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late.

Adventure Journal goes chasing ghosts in Utah’s John’s Canyon.

The law enforcement-friendly US 5th Circuit Appellate Court tells Texas cops that simply being a Hispanic person on a bicycle is not probable cause for stopping a Hispanic person on a bicycle.

Unbelievable. A Chicago bike rider was awarded $2.25 million after he was the victim of a hit-and-run on-duty cop, who didn’t bother to stick around or report the crash to his supervisors. How the hell can we expect cops to do something about hit-and-run when they do it, too? Thanks to OC bike lawyer Edward Rubinstein for the link. 

He gets it. A writer for Chicago Streetsblog says education, infrastructure and driver accountability trump bike helmets for keeping bicyclists safe. And before anyone complains, I never ride without a helmet. But they should always be considered the last resort when all else fails, not the first. 

Finishing our Chicago trifecta, a Chicago bike ride will visit historical sites related to the 1919 Chicago Race Riots, including 38 glass bricks scattered through the city — one for each of the 38 people killed.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of us, although the team might wish he wasn’t, since he’ll be starting training camp on the injured list after falling off his bicycle.

New York is considering a bill that would use cameras to catch drivers illegally blocking bike lanes, although the measly $50 fine may not be enough to stop anyone.

Jersey City NJ Councilwoman Amy DeGise faces a hit-and-run charge for leaving the scene after hitting an alleged red light-running bike rider.

New Jersey’s Rutgers University is evaluating popup bike lanes using reality-capture technology, traffic cameras and lidar footage. Along with chalk and a pool noodle.

Vox calls out the deadliest road in America, particularly for pedestrians, on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

 

International

Cycling Weekly considers the best road bikes under the equivalent of two grand, concluding you won’t find carbon frames in that price range anymore; the magazine also looks at the best hybrid commuter bikes for under $600.

What happens when the Edmonton, Alberta edition of the World Naked Bike Ride runs headlong into a trucker’s Freedom Convoy.

The UK’s “cheeky” tandem-riding couple completed their naked ride down the full length of the country, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, despite getting hit by a driver who somehow couldn’t see two naked people on a bike directly in front of him. Then again, they could have just done it on a Brompton.

A Hamilton, Ontario city council candidate was the victim of a hit-and-run driver when she was forced to dive out of the way when the driver tried to squeeze past her bike.

Life is cheap in Ireland, where a truck driver walked with a suspended sentence for killing a 19-year old Dublin bike rider.

Horrifying story from India, where 15-year old girl fatally slashed the throat of a 40-year old man on a bicycle, after he failed to move out of the way when she repeatedly honked the horn on her scooter — failing to realize the man was deaf.

The new 79-pound, Chinese-made Himiway Zebra ebike promises to carry up to 400 pounds, with an 80-mile range.

A New Zealand man built his own DIY wheelchair bike so he could take his 89-year old wife who suffers from dementia, for a ride.

He gets it, too. An Aussie urban design expert says cities should put bike lanes on the fast track, because “the benefits of more cycling infrastructure pedal themselves.”

 

Competitive Cycling

Danish cyclist Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig took stage three of the Tour de France Femmes, one day after crashing in stage two.

The sport director for the Parkhotel Valkenburg team defended their decision to keep Nicole Frain in the race, after she allegedly cause the collision that knocked Marta Cavelli out of the race, saying criticism on social media brought Frain to tears; Australia’s Amanda Spratt was also forced to withdraw.

Race favorite Annemiek van Vleuten hasn’t made an impact in the TdFF yet, as the Dutch cyclist battles a stomach virus.

Bicycling is apparently more concerned with how women cyclists take a leak during the race. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you.

The Guardian offers photos from Europe’s grueling 2,500-mile Transcontinental Race, which kicked off Sunday in Flanders.

Former NBA great Reggie Miller says he’s committed to seeing how good he can be, in an effort to dominate the other racers in his age group.

 

Finally…

Your next ebike could have three wheels, front wheel drive and no pedals. Is it really a naked tandem ride if only the captain is bare?

And your bike mechanic might be willing install top shelf components on your Walmart bike if you ask nice.

But they won’t like it.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Roadkill Gil’s prints on Spring Street bike lane ban; former US mountain bike champ Ryan Fedorow killed in motorcycle crash

January 13, 2022 / / One comment

Is anyone really surprised to see Gil Cedillo’s fingerprints all over the death of the fully approved and funded bike lanes on the newly widened North Spring Street Bridge?

Cedillo, the councilmember for LA’s 1st Council District, seems to have an irrational fear and/or hatred of bicycles and the people who ride them.

Maybe he’s still mad that Santa never brought him one.

That extends to bike lanes, as well. Cedillo has apparently never seen one in his district that he didn’t want to stop, even going so far as to request the removal of every planned bike lane in CD1 from the city’s mobility plan.

That includes the desperately needed, shovel-ready lane reduction on deadly North Figueroa, which he claimed to support — right up to the moment he took office, and began a series of rigged public meetings to justify killing a project with broad popular support.

Something that earned him the moniker Roadkill Gil, as needless deaths continued to mount on the corridor, and in his district.

And now, newly uncovered evidence has confirmed long-held suspicions that he was behind the endless delays, and ultimately, the de facto cancellation, of the planned bike lanes on the North Spring Street Bridge.

The $50 million reconstructed bridge crosses the Los Angeles River north of downtown, connecting Lincoln Heights with Chinatown.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton offers an extensive timeline spelling out the whole sad project, from approval of the retrofit in 2011 to the final construction, sans bike lanes. Along with the endless promises that they would be installed at some vague point in the future.

Streetsblog requested, and yesterday received, a copy of the 2021 change order removing the bike lanes from the project via a public records request.

And sure enough, it specifies that Cedillo’s office had them removed, claiming “safety concerns,” that somehow couldn’t have been rectified up to this point.

After all, they’ve only had ten years to address them.

The good news is, Cedillo is up for re-election to a final term this year. Maybe someone can step up and make this his final term, instead.

Photo by Joe Linton from LA Streetsblog.

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Tragic news from Temecula, where former two-time national mountain bike champ Ryan Fedorow died Tuesday from injuries he suffered in a motorcycle crash on Sunday; he was 39.

His girlfriend was critically injured in the crash.

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Heartbreaking story from Sports Illustrated, as former 7’6″ NBA star Shawn Bradley talks for the first time following the bicycling collision that left him paralyzed from the chest down — and contemplating whether his family would be better off without him.

Naturally, the minivan driver was never charged, claiming she gave Bradley enough room, which doesn’t explain why he ended up tumbling over her car. And even though she left the scene, before returning later.

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Something tells me sales were flat here in Los Angeles.

But clearly, it’s still a thing.

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Evidently, trail rage is a thing now, too.

The only time my Iditarod-mushing brother ran into something like that, it was at the hands — or hooves — of an angry moose who didn’t take kindly to sharing the trail with a bunch of dogs. Fortunately, they all came out of it okay, if a little banged-up and moose shy.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

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Sometimes, infrastructure is what you make of it.

https://twitter.com/BikePortland/status/1481055697127485441

Thanks to Mike Burk for whetting our appetites.

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Credit BikeLA Redditors for putting together a list of rides coming up this weekend.

https://twitter.com/BikeLAredditors/status/1481523429656313857

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

A Brooklyn man was struck with a baseball bat with no warning as he rode his bike, and for no apparent reason; his attacker whacked him once then ran off without a word.

Unbelievable. A British man with 25 previous convictions somehow managed to avoid jail for blocking a bike-riding couple on a pathway, while hurling drunken racist abuse and claiming it was his path. Apparently, you need at least 27 convictions to get jail time there.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A Milwaukee bike rider faces a charge of 1st degree intentional homicide for an alleged road rage shooting that took the life of an immigration lawyer after the pair exchanged words; he’s claiming the shooting was in self-defense.

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Local

Sad news right here at home, where longtime transit advocate and Streetsblog contributor Dana Gabbard has died of natural causes.

 

State

Congratulations to Costa Mesa on hiring Brett Atencio Thomas as the city’s first Active Transportation Coordinator.

Police in Huntington Beach are offering a $5,000 reward for information on who fatally shot a 43-year old man in 2014, the homeless victim was found in an alley next to his bike the next morning.

Sad news from Fresno, where a recumbent rider in his 50s was killed in a collision with a truck driver, who apparently overlooked him in broad daylight.

Streetsblog’s Roger Ruddick calls on San Francisco to ban cars for the full length of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park.

 

National

Bike Radar reviews the new ebike roadie built by America’s only remaining Tour de France champ, which doesn’t look a bit like one.

Maui, Hawaii is considering plans for a 25-mile bike path on the west side of the island, which would include the tourist destinations of Lahaina and Ka’anapali.

A Las Vegas sports site recommends five bicycling destinations outside the city.

The twin Western Colorado towns of Nucla and Naturita, with barely 1,000 residents between them, are hoping to become the next big mountain biking destination, with plans for 50 over miles of new trails. Although they might want to figure out where all those new visitors are going to eat and sleep first.

Kindhearted Texas firefighters pitched in to buy a new bike for a young boy after his was destroyed when the porch and siding of his house caught fire.

Pittsburgh church groups are calling on the state attorney general to investigate the case of a Black man tased to death by cops for the crime of riding an apparently discarded bicycle around the block without permission; he was zapped eight or more times within minutes before dying.

Philadelphia is addressing two problems at once by installing small bike corrals in front of fire hydrants, to keep drivers from blocking access for firefighters by parking in front of them, while providing much needed bike parking.

A New York advocacy group says the city’s bike program is no longer a leader or innovator, and needs fast action to regain it’s former status, let alone improve safety.

A New York man has been extradited to stand trial in the death of a Florida woman, who was killed when he reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel and slammed into the 44-year old mother as she rode her bicycle in a bike lane at eight in the morning.

Florida has restored a 2.2-mile segment of the 100-year old Old Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys for use as a scenic bike and pedestrian bridge.

 

International

Giant is recalling over 20,000 Giant and Liv bicycles made in 2021 due to defective handlebar stems that could come loose and dump you off your bike.

Keep an eye on your bike if you’re riding in the London boroughs of Hackney and Westminster, which have the city’s highest rates of bike theft.

France will once again debate whether to mandate bike helmets for adult riders, with a proposed €135 — or $155 — fine for anyone caught without one. As has been the case everywhere else, expect homeless people and people of color to bear the brunt of it. 

Barcelona has doubled its bike lane mileage in just five years while eliminating 3,500 parking spaces, in a successful effort to give the city back to people instead of cars. Then again, Los Angeles doubled its bike lane mileage virtually overnight just by counting each side of the road separately. 

A writer for CleanTechnica finds ebiking in Lisbon, Portugal is a bumpy ride.

Turkey’s Antalya region is aiming to capture a large segment of the $60 billion European bike tourism market, assuming they can build the infrastructure to accommodate it.

 

Competitive Cycling

Canadian Cycling considers five things to look forward to this year in pro road racing.

 

Finally…

Repeat after me — when you’re out on parole with a long criminal record, and carrying fentanyl, weed and high-capacity AK-47 magazines on your bike, put a damn light on it, already.

And teach your toddler early that brakes are for quitters.

https://www.tiktok.com/@thatmountainlife/video/6970753882280463622?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdk79lclgtez2i.cloudfront.net%2F&referer_video_id=6970753882280463622&refer=embed

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
 
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