Bike News | LA County Bicycle Coalition www.la-bike.org

Are You Bike Friendly? CD 11 Candidate Mike Bonin Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:08 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | 3 Comments
Tags: council candidate surveys, Mike Bonin

LACBC asked each of the candidates running for City Council of the City of Los Angeles to respond to our questionnaire. We hope our members will find the candidates’ answers insightful into how each candidate proposes to make our streets safe, balanced, and livable. Responses are posted by Council District, in the order they were received. Here are responses from CD 11 candidate Mike Bonin.

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

My most powerful cycling memory is strongly associated with a sense of growth, freedom and joy. In the mid-1990s, shortly after getting clean and sober after years of addiction, I started bicycling. I can vividly recall cruising down Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica late at night, feeling the wind in my hair and the breeze on my face. I can still feel the sensations I felt as I biked from my home near Venice Beach, up the beach bike path to the Palisades. I can remember soaking in the air, the noise, the beautiful natural environment, and the diversity of the people in Los Angeles.

Those memories are so powerful because they never went away, and I feel them every time I get back on a bike. For me, bicycling is about freedom, joy, appreciating life, and feeling grateful.

2. The Department of City Planning is in the process of updating the City’s Mobility Element for the first time in decades. What policies would you prioritize for inclusion in the Mobility Element? What role do you see bicycling playing in the City’s transportation system, if any?

The update to the Mobility Element creates an enormous opportunity to spark change and to begin to give birth to a better Los Angeles – a Los Angeles with a range of viable transportation choices.

We deserve a choice to walk, cycle, take a bus or take a train. But absent viable options – efficient, integrated, comprehensive systems of alternative transportation – the choices are too few and too meager. Fifty percent of all trips taken in our city are within a 3 mile distance, but people will continue to take too many of those trips by automobile unless we improve our bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

We need to consider walking and bicycling as a component of all other transportation modes. We need to implement complete street standards so that we ensure high quality pedestrian and bicycle access are part of our planning decisions and public roadway improvements. And we need to provide all residents, workers, and visitors with efficient, convenient, affordable, and attractive transit services

We also need to make safety an urgent priority. For far too long, safety has been regarded as a performance measure of our road system rather than a goal. That needs to change and we need policies that:

Emphasize safety over speed. We need to design our roadways in a way that prioritizes the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
We need to better track collisions on our roadway with an annual review that will guide us on addressing safety concerns before they rise to epidemic proportions.
We need to reevaluate the effectiveness of the State’s speed limit requirements on street safety and performance.
And we need to educate. We need to promote awareness to all road users on safe driving, walking, and bicycling habits.

Data should drive our decisions. We need to develop a comprehensive, integrated transportation database for the City so that we can make informed decisions about our transportation system.

We also need strong environmental leadership to convert existing street and transportation infrastructure to more renewable and energy efficient sources. This should be a priority in all that we do, but especially with our transportation system.

And we need to hold regular open street events like CicLAvia. So that the public has the opportunity to experience and re-imagine what our streets could be.

(What role do you see bicycling playing in the transportation system?)

One of Los Angeles’ greatest flaws is that our transportation system is focused almost exclusively on a single mode. It must be a public policy imperative to right that wrong by expanding the number of transportation choices available to the public. We have to focus on moving people not cars.

Bicycling is an integral part of a sustainable transportation system, and I envision bicycling playing a critical role in the future of this City. Bicycling is efficient, environmentally friendly, healthy, cost effective for cities and affordable for users. The infrastructure necessary to support cycling creates great streets that complement neighborhoods, instead of degrading them with congestion and speeding automobiles. Bicycling is a real and promising complement to the transit system that will continue to expand in the coming years thanks to Measure R. I believe that bicycling as a mode of transportation is great for cities and great for neighborhoods, and failure to view its inherent value to this City would be ridiculously short-sighted.

3. Just a few months ago, Los Angeles was honored as a Bronze-level Bicycle-Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Do you believe the city should pursue a Silver-level designation, and if so, what steps would you take in the first year of your term to move LA up to the Silver level?

The City’s priority should be to lead in innovative bikeway facility design and implement programs that foster safer conditions on the road for bicyclists. Recognition is great, but our goal should be to create roadway conditions that support cyclists on the road and encourage others to take to two wheels. If we can achieve those goals, then the recognition will follow.

We need more bicycle facilities, but we also need higher quality facilities that provide protected lanes. Recent research has confirmed the value of building quality facilities by demonstrating that risk of injury drops by 50% riding in a bike lane, and by 90% in a protected lane. I intend to bring higher quality facilities and innovative bikeway design to the 11th District.

We need to calm traffic on our roadways. Historically, the City addressed automobile congestion by building more capacity at the expense of other transportation modes. Now we’re faced with roads that were built for peak hour congestion, which only encourages off-peak speeding. Speeding needs to be addressed. I believe there are simple policy changes we can make in how we comply with the California Speed Trap law that could lead to positive changes. For instance, we should send police officers out to conduct targeted enforcement on a street prior to conducting speed surveys. By suppressing speeds in advance of conducting the speed survey we may be able to push speed limits down. Complementary to that effort, we need to re-engineer our roadways to calm traffic where necessary. Reducing lane widths, jut-outs, roundabouts and speed bumps are all tools that I will direct LADOT to use in the 11th Council District so we can ensure the safety of all road users.

I also want to explore education opportunities. Establishing a diversion program that allows cyclists to have their citation dismissed in return for completing an education program could help deter dangerous behavior. The diversion program could also be made available to members of the general public who want to learn how to safely ride in an urban setting.

Bike to Work Day should be a monthly or weekly event. The City needs to actively encourage the public to explore other modes of transportation. I will occasionally bike to work to demonstrate this commitment and help promote cycling.

There is a critical need to collect data. With all the technology available to us we should not be making transportation decisions on an ad-hoc basis. We need to be able to quantify the benefits so that the public can see that sound investments in their transportation system are being made.

We may not be able to get all of this done in year one, but that is all the more reason to reach consensus quickly on the best programs and policies that will advance bicycling in this City, and begin the work immediately.

4. In 2011, the City Council unanimously adopted the Bicycle Plan proposing a comprehensive 1,600-mile bikeway network across the City. What steps would you take to ensure implementation of Bicycle Plan projects in your district? Are there any specific projects in the Plan you would prioritize?

I want to be sure that we build more bicycle facilities, but also high-quality facilities. I want the 11th District to be synonymous with innovative and higher quality bicycle facilities. If we want to create a truly bicycle-friendly city then we need to build more separated bicycle lanes and more bicycle-friendly streets. Most of the public finds the idea of riding in a bicycle lane on a major street terrifying. But if you put them in a separated bicycle lane or a local neighborhood street with traffic calming measures in place, they’re going to feel a lot more comfortable. And if they’re comfortable, they’ll make that trip again. That will grow ridership.

The programs under Policy 3.1.3 of the Bicycle Plan could significantly expand our network of bikeways as well as the funding available to expand bicycle programs. Moreover, by adopting strategies that allow vehicle trips to be mitigated through Bicycle Plan programs we move ourselves away from the narrow auto-centric focus and open the City to investing in multi-modal improvements.

5. Studies have shown that people on bicycles spend more per month in local business districts than those arriving by other modes. What steps would you take to ensure that local businesses in your district are able to benefit from better access by bicyclists?

At the most basic level there is a fundamental need to connect our neighborhoods with local businesses. Building comprehensive local networks of bicycle facilities is the place to start, whether they be bike lanes, protected facilities or Bicycle Friendly Streets. We also need to provide adequate parking. However, in order to truly take advantage the business community has to be informed and engaged. Not only do they have to be informed but government has to listen to what their local needs are. LA is full of diverse communities with a variety of needs, and I believe they are best served by engaging in a dialogue. I would directly engage the LA Area Chamber of Commerce and local chambers of commerce to do that. I would also hold and publicize “Open Constituent Office Hours” at local establishments that have bike corrals or bike valets.

6. The LA Weekly recently wrote a feature story documenting that almost half of traffic collisions in the City of LA are hit-and-runs, according to LAPD records. Many victims of these traffic crimes are people walking and bicycling. What steps would you take to reduce the rate of hit-and-run and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted?

In most cases, a hit and run will not be successfully investigated or solved unless there is swift response from the LAPD, allowing them to capture fresh information from eyewitnesses and track down leads. In order to make that happen, we need to more wisely and efficiently deploy LAPD resources. I intend to focus intently on making sure we get more of our cops out on the streets, and not chained to desks at police stations doing paperwork. In order to achieve that, I would seek to equip every officer with an Ipad or tablet, and appropriate software allowing them to more quickly and easily file reports without having to spend hours at the station and accumulate hours of overtime. This will permit officers to spend more time on the streets, and provide greater resources for response to hit and runs, property crimes, etc.

7. In the event of a collision, the survival of those injured could depend on a prompt emergency response, yet it’s recently been disclosed that response times for the Los Angeles Fire Department frequently exceed national standards. What would you do to address budget and staffing cutbacks affecting the LAFD to ensure a faster response for all those who need emergency assistance?

Public Safety will always be my highest priority. In recent years, Los Angeles has become one of the safest big cities in America – and we need to keep it that way. We need to increase the number of cops on the streets, stop the cuts and restore funding to the Fire Department, and better prepare for emergency situations. Excessive response times for emergency services are simply unacceptable. If elected, I intend to push the LAFD to develop and implement an “LAFD Service Restoration Plan,” and I will push to deploy “Motorcycle Response Teams” staffed with firefighter/EMTs to provide rapid initial response to medical emergencies in remote areas in the hills and canyons.

8. A recent proposal has been floated to assess all property owners to bring streets into a state of good repair. Do you support the proposed bond measure, and do you believe any changes should be made to the proposal to serve all those who travel on city streets, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users?

I believe a bond measure will be necessary to significantly improve our streets and reduce the ridiculous backlog in street repair. But I do not think the proposed bond measure was well-structured. When I take office, I would like to revive the idea, but make sure that it provides also for bicycling needs, sidewalks, ADA ramps, and alleys. (We also need to incorporate stormwater capture efforts to the greatest degree possible.) To structure a new bond measure, I would take a community organizer’s approach and hold workshops and meetings around the city to build support and define the scope of the proposal.

9. LACBC has formed Neighborhood Bike Ambassador groups in each part of the City to work with local businesses, neighborhood councils, homeowner associations and other stakeholders on bicycle issues. Will you commit to meeting with the local Ambassador group in your district on a regular and ongoing basis? Would you be willing to lead a regularly scheduled bike ride with your constituents?

Hell, yes! Not only would I be willing to lead regularly scheduled bike rides but I want to organize constituent meetings in our great outdoor spaces in the mountains, beaches or urban landscape. I want to lead the way by encouraging an active community.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

I generally feel safe because I’m experienced, because I’ve made considerable efforts to educate myself regarding bicycle safety, and because I’ve learned the hard way (bicycling Lincoln Blvd – what was I thinking?!?!?) But while I generally feel safe, the vast majority of the public does not feel the same way. To remedy that the City needs to create safe bicycle facilities and also actively educate and encourage the public.

One of the biggest barriers to achieving higher bicycle ridership is fear. Studies have demonstrated that there is an inverse relationship between the volume and speed of motorized traffic and the level of cycling. We also know that the risk of serious injury to an individual cycling decreases as the level of cycling within an area increases. What that says to me is that creating safer conditions on the road will not only induce greater ridership but it will also further protect those out on the road by virtue of increasing the number of cyclists.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 9 Candidate Ana Cubas Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:08 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | 1 Comment
Tags: Ana Cubas, council candidate surveys

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

I was 10 years old when I received my first bicycle – it was a used bike with training wheels. My family and I were very poor and we couldn’t afford a new bike. I loved my bike and soon took off the training wheels. While a graduate student at Princeton, my only mode of transportation was a sporty Trek bike with a basket where I would put my groceries and books in.

The policies that I would prioritize for inclusion in the Mobility Element would be policies that target specific objectives from community members. I would sit together with community members and discuss what their needs are and what they envision. The specific policies that I would prioritize would be bicycle safety literature and distribution, violator training program for motorists, and LAPD bicycle peace officer standards and training program. Educating our communities about the importance of bicycle safety is the first step to improving transit.

Yes, I do. I plan to work with LACBC and other non-profits to educate communities about bicycle safety and to work with local businesses to become more bicycle-friendly.

To ensure that the implementation of the Bicycle Plan projects in my district, I plan to work with students from local colleges and LACBC to identify which streets urgently need a bike path and to ensure that safety standards are met.

With the help of business owners, LACBC, and other non-profits I hope to increase the amount of bike racks along areas of small businesses and ensure that the Bicycle Plan runs along the most populated sections of the district.

Educating LAPD and the public about bicycle safety is a step that I would take in order to decrease traffic crimes. I would also hold meetings with the help of the neighborhood councils, LAPD, and other community organizations to ensure that high-risk areas for bicyclists are addressed.

I will address the budget cuts to LAFD by collecting business taxes owed to the city of LA. There are hundreds of millions of dollars that are uncollected. These revenues could be used to restore services at LAFD. This would decrease response times.

No, many tax increases have already been made. We need to look into other areas for funding other than taxes.

Yes.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

No, and it is because of the low measures that the city has taken to care for bicyclists. I would work with local community groups, non-profits, and LACBC to ensure that more individuals feel safe riding a bicycle in Los Angeles. As mentioned before, I plan to educate communities about the importance of bicycle safety. After this step is taken, communities and organizations can work more closely to address which areas need immediate attention.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 9 Candidate Terry Hara Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:07 pm | Posted in Bike News, LACBC Events | Leave a comment
Tags: council candidate surveys, Terry Hara

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

During my time in the LAPD, I was continuously involved in enhancing police equipment – I recall our successful efforts in enhancing police bicycles to better serve the community. Police officers were provided with heavy duty motorized bicycles to meet their needs without having to sacrifice the environmental benefits that come with having police on bicycles. This is just one of many examples of the LAPD serving the community with the environment in mind.

Bicycling is friendly to the environment and beneficial to our health. Public safety and the perception of safety can be a deterrent to bicyclists if they feel their safety is at risk. Improving public safety is a key component to not only bicycling but to transit ridership. Public safety is one of my key priorities and I intend to improve upon the progress that has been made.

As I stated in the previous question, bicycling can only be beneficial to our community and believe that a Silver-level rating is something worth striving for. The city was awarded the bronze-level award for its commitment to adding some 1,600 miles of bicycle lanes. Given the commitment to bicycles lanes, we should concentrate infrastructure and resources in areas or corridors which are heavily travelled so as to build up local bicycle lane networks throughout the city.

The 2010 Bicycle Plan’s purpose is to promote and increase bicycling in the city of Los Angeles as a means of recreation and transportation. The stated goals of the plan are to increase the type and number of bicyclists, make streets a safe place to ride a bicycle and make the city of Los Angeles a friendly place to ride bicyclists.

I am very disappointed in the Bicycle Plan’s weak presence in South Los Angeles – a community that has been disenfranchised from developments such as this one time and time again. As Councilmember, I want to fight for South LA’s fair share and make sure that the residents of South LA can also benefit from the bikeway network.

Above all, safety is a big factor when it comes to bicycling. Public safety, education and proper facilities all contribute to the safety of bicyclists. Implementing these objectives should take priority.

Bicycle routes and facilities must connect residential areas with retail, office, schools and libraries. Currently, there are opportunities for improvement of bicycle routes within the district. Businesses located within the district and along major avenues would benefit from planned bicycle routes along these corridors.

This is a problem that needs to be dealt with proactively through education – we need to develop traffic safety curriculum for driver, pedestrians, and bicyclists. As the streets become more congested with various types of transportation, its incumbent upon all of us, not just bicyclists, to understand the hazards and understand the importance of paying attention.

I would do everything in my power to restore the cutbacks affecting LAFD’s response due to budgetary issues. It is important that we have our emergency services at its peak deployment so that the city can retain its Class 1 service.

The bill proposes 20-year $3 billion bond to repair the streets of potholes. This translates to homeowners paying a $24 additionally in property taxes and over $120 in the 10th year. While the drivers and bicyclists in Los Angeles stand to gain from repairs, a bond measure such as this imposes fees to all homeowners. The City of Los Angeles needs to take care of fixing roads and expanding its other public services without raising taxes. The city can achieve this by streamlining the services it provides.

Absolutely. I am committed to advocating for alternative methods of transportation and want to provide the resources necessary to that end.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

Safety is a very important factor when riding a bicycle in the city. The City of Los Angeles is currently developing its bicycle lane network. As of yet, the bicycle routes are not fully inter-connected. This means that bicycle lanes end abruptly leaving cyclists with no choice but to ride in the car lanes. Doing so puts the safety of bicyclists at greater risk of being struck. A fully developed, inter-connected and integrated bicycle network is essential. Other factors which may enhance safety are controlled bike lane signals, separated lanes with buffers. These are some safety features that avid bicyclists in San Francisco and Portland demanded and received.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 7 Candidate Krystee Clark Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:06 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | Leave a comment
Tags: council candidate surveys, Krystee Clark

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

One of the most dynamic bike rides to encounter is the beachfront path near Venice. I remember the first time I rented a bike there. I was entranced by the views and the people watching and was carried away by the salty air. I assumed the path would eventually end and I would know when to turn around and head back. That is a very long path. It got dark, and the rental place closed before I made my way back to where I had started. I was sore for 3 days after that ride. But what a great memory!

We desperately need to reduce the amount of cars on the road in order to combat environmental, health and financial problems for our future. Bicycling is an important transportation option that needs to be encouraged and will assist the City in meeting many of our air quality and sustainability goals. Priorities should be safe and maintained streets, smooth pavement free of potholes, clear signage and adequate nighttime lighting. We must expand and improve safe enviornments for bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable users like the disabled, children, elderly and equestrians.

Most Angelenos work within a 5-mile radius of a transit station. We must integrate more bicycle options into our transit system by increasing rack space on buses and trains. We need more rental kiosks and storage facilities near jobs, schools and cultural centers. Mobility hubs are a great idea. We need to expand all bike parking options. Artistic racks are a great way to add character and identity to a local neighborhood thru useful public art.

Los Angeles needs to strive to remain innovative and world-class City in every way possible. That includes the pursuit of a Silver- level Bicycle friendly designation. We have made great strides to rid our City of automobile dependence and we need to act on that momentum. Infrastructure support needs to begin on the proposed Backbone, Neighborhood and Green Networks, with a focus on the LA River trail system and Neighborhood networks in order to encourage riders that are at a novice level.

We must continue to promote car free days, street closures and Bike to work week. Advocacy groups and programs will be key to help us create the change we need. We also must establish bicycling as an official mode of transportation in the State of California.

Many communities in my District suffer from dangerous amounts of traffic and car congestion. I would support reducing posted traffic speeds to encourage safer conditions. I would increase the supply of quality bicycle parking and storage in all City facilities, schools and commerce centers. Create incentives for car free employees. Include bike racks in the definition of street furniture and increase the bike rack capacity of Metro and Municipal bus lines from two to three and find a way to establish racks for taxis. Continue the Bicycle Advisory Committee and make sure the Backbone and Neighborhood networks receive top priority.

The City is currently updating the Sylmar Community Plan and bike lanes must be analyzed properly and remain continuous. We must encourage bicycle use as a healthy choice and continue to raise a culture that does not include cars as a priority. Bikes are downright “Hip” in some neighborhoods. Local restaurants and bars have become showplaces for tricked out vehicles. We need to promote this trend.

One of our largest groups of future cyclists is woman. We must encourage this demographic with safe streets, improved parking options and equipment that tailors to carrying cargo. If daily errands can be done conveniently and safely, our neighborhoods will quickly become more neighborhood driven and bike friendly. As we phase out our current parking meters, the existing posts can be retrofitted to use as bike racks. Consider incentives for adding racks outside of local establishments. We need to require public hearings for the proposed removal of an existing or designated bicycle lane or path.

Public education and service announcements are effective in educating the community and the cost is negligent. Make sure drivers know their fate will always be worse if they run from an incident. Hit and run accidents deserve consequences like mandatory jail time and vehicle confiscation.

Use hot zone maps to determine potentially dangerous areas and make sure those areas are covered by surveillance cameras and neighborhood watch groups. Increase lighting on designated paths.

One way to help our Police and Fire departments cut down their response times is by clearing up the 911 dispatch lines from unnecessary callers. Education by way of TV and social media will help the confusion of when to call and when NOT to call 911. Teaching the public proper emergency protocol and alternative numbers for information will save precious time and possibly lives in our communities.

Another way to increase response times is with technology. We must equip our Fire trucks and stations with the most state of the art equipment available like GPS to ensure the quickest response times possible. Basic street maintenance can also enable trucks to get to emergencies faster. We need to work smarter not harder. I will fight to ensure the North Valley gets its fair share of City services.

The proposed bond has many flaws. I was proud of the Neighborhood Council system for standing up for their rights by getting the measure postponed until further investigation could be made.

We must make sure that all schools are exempt from such a tax and that fair and equal distribution of funds will be ensured. All rehabilitation and reconstruction projects need to serve all road users including motorists, transit users, bicyclists, pedestrians, wheelchair users, equestrians and the elderly. Changes must be tailored to the unique attributes of our neighborhoods.

I will commit to meeting with Neighborhood Bike Ambassador groups on a regular basis. I am afraid I am a good enough cyclist to be leading bike rides, but I will embrace and promote the lifestyle.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

I am not a secure cyclist. Our infrastructure is not adequate for the amount of cars on the street, let alone bikes. Painting stripes on primary streets is not enough for me to feel safe. I would encourage buffer zones, grade separations and more turn signals to create less stressful conditions. I stick to dedicated paths and trails tailored to recreational riders.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 5 Candidate Paul Koretz Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:05 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | 1 Comment
Tags: council candidate surveys, Paul Koretz

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

My fondest memory on a bike was doing the California AIDS Ride in 1996. I hadn’t been on a bike for a long time, and trained to do over 500 miles for charity. (I was told that I was the first elected official to do the ride at the time—don’t know if any have done it since.) It was a great experience, riding with thousands of people who were crazy enough to do such a ride because they cared about people with HIV and AIDS. Most were not great cyclists on the natural, although most had trained more than I, but a wonderful group of people taking on a tough task because they wanted to help those in need.

It was quite a challenge. Some days were extremely hot, and on one of them, I must have been extremely dehydrated. The medical volunteers stopped me at several of the rest stops and tried to convince me to stop for the day (I must have looked like hell) but I was too stubborn. On the last day, I had to ride standing up the whole way, because my backside was too sore to sit. But it was truly a peak experience.

The Mobility plan that is currently being crafted is a strong look at traffic movements in the City, and I fully support having a smart, long term look at how we plan for the movement of our residents. Naturally, I think that bicycles must play an integral role in this system, and because of that I have and will continue to push for more comprehensive and far reaching ideas to spread the ridership of bikes in LA. With the expansion of the Subway to the Sea, and the EXPO Light Rail, the City has taken the position that mass transit is the future of this region—the usage of bicycles as a method to travel in between those systems is key to further reduce the use of cars and accidents.

As I mentioned previously, I have been one of the most vocal proponents of bicycle routes and pedestrian friendly planning. In 2010, I authored a MOTION which requested that the Planning Department submit quarterly reports on the Bike Plan’s implementation, and have been an advocate of its development in my own district. I certainly believe that the city should pursue Silver-level designation, as the Council and Mayor have consistently been pushing for more bike usage as a great alternative to vehicular traffic. With the expansion of CycLAvia, and the beginning of Bike Nation in the city, we are only at the beginning of a bike friendly LA.

As I stated earlier, I was the author of a MOTION which requested that the Planning Department report on the status of the bicycle plan regularly. In addition, I have when appropriate, sped up the implementation of bike paths within my district. A good example is the recent resurfacing of National Place in West LA and Motor Avenue in Palms, both streets are traffic bearing and were slated to have bike paths placed on them in future years—however because they were recently resurfaced I requested that the Department of Transportation push them up. However, in both of those cases I made sure that my office consulted with the local Home Owner’s association and the local Neighborhood Council. I am an advocate of bike paths so long as we implement them intelligently and with the input of local stakeholders.

The City Council is currently in discussions with Bike Nation, a company which is pioneering a unique LA focused way to have bike share become a reality in our city. The start of the plan is likely to start closer to the center of the City, butI will work to have the very next part of this plan open up in my district. Although the 5th district is known for congestion issues, we also have many wonderful bike friendly communities that would stand to benefit greatly from an implementation plan. From Westwood to Century City, Encino to Palms, I am confident that Bike Nation will come to my district and aide both pedestrians and local businesses alike by increasing bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

One of the hallmarks of my first term in office is the accessibility that constituents have to me. From the start, I have made sure that my deputies and I go to as many meetings as possible: from Home Owner’s groups to Neighborhood Councils, to Neighborhood Watches and houses of worship from all faiths, including schools and everything in between—because of that I have made problem areas a priority for both the Department of Transportation and the LAPD to oversee.

One of the most walkable communities in my district is the Pico-Robertson area, which on its own is one of the most dense Jewish-Orthodox communities in Los Angeles, and certainly in the United States. I have worked closely with Captain Evangeline Nathan, Commanding Officer of West LAPD Division and her officers on attending community meetings, logging complaints and ensuring that issues are heard and dealt with. In Palms and the Melrose/La Brea portions of my district, I work with two other LAPD divisions on similar outreach efforts and visibility in spite of the fact that each of those communities have large vehicular traffic with high pedestrian counts. No matter what part of my district, from Encino down to Palms, I have made traffic safety—vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle—a high priority, whether that means traffic studies, signal timing changes, re-striping or community meetings.

In Palms, I have asked CalTrans to proceed with a left turn arrow, traffic upgrade, at the intersection of Motor and Venice. In Pico-Robertson, I have requested and received federal grants to start the implementation process of adding additional traffic signals for increased pedestrian safety. In the Melrose / La Brea district, I have increased traffic signal times to accommodate the local community’s needs. In Encino I have directed the Department of Transportation to monitor Ventura and adjacent streets to ensure smoother movement of traffic. In every corner of my district, I have concentrated on innovation, safety and access.

From my first day in Council, I have been a vocal leader against the defunding or cut back of our LAFD. In fact, one of my earliest votes in Council was a “No” vote against the scale back of the department—something which I did because “I do not vote for things that kill people”, which is what I said during Council. This year, I led the fight during the budget deliberations to have the LAFD funded at an extra amount of 40 million dollars—at the same time I have held the leadership’s feet to the fire by openly questioning the methods that they use to analyze timings and statistics (CF : 12-0431-S2 ), months before the issue was brought into the public light by the LA Times piece in November of 2012.

I am a friend and supporter of the LAFD—in my district I made sure that stations which were limited inappropriately were restored to their proper capacity. Fire Station 58 on Robertson Boulevard was one of the stations most deeply cut, and now they are back up to full staffing—something which I made a priority immediately after I learned that the station had been cut so far back.

I also think we need to break down and analyze each element of a response and figure out how to save time. For instance, 911 calls go directly to LAPD. If they determine it is an LAFD call, then it is transferred there. Having a separate number for fire emergencies could save 30 seconds to a minute per call. There are several changes like that which could save seconds or even minutes. That means some additional lives saved, and nothing is more important than that.

It is important for the Council to continue to work with staff, the leadership and our partners in UFLAC, as well as the residents and community members at large. As I have stated before, the answer to every question before the Council must be arrived at with care and cooperation from all parties involved.

At this time, I support the 3 Billion dollar bond measure that was brought forth by Councilmember Mitch Englander in concept. I am certainly in favor of better streets, and in fact I have ensured that each year the number of resurfaced streets grows in my district, however, I am not a supporter of the bond measure without it first being vetted by our residents, Neighborhood Councils, homeowners associations and other community groups. This is a concept brought forward to respond to our residents, whose most frequent complaint is the terrible condition of our streets. Yet community leaders and residents overall responded in horror to the proposal! We clearly need to lay the groundwork, do the education and vetting and get community buy-in before we move forward.

My staff will be happy to meet with the local Ambassador group in my district. My own appointee to the City’s Bicycle Commission works closely with me on implementing the city’s bike plan and has met regularly with my constituents on the subject. Being out of practice and shape, leading a bike ride might not be the right term, but I would join an easy, pretty flat bike ride in the fifth district with my constituents!

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

Honestly, I probably ride my bike so rarely because I don’t feel safe on commercial streets competing with cars for the same space. I felt very safe on the AIDS Ride because we had our own lane blocked off from San Francisco to West Hollywood. I am keenly aware that we are only scratching the surface on making this City a true bike friendly area. In order to further that goal, I believe that we must push forward with the Bike Implementation plan, proceed diligently and work with the community at each stage of the plan to move biking in LA forward, coordinate with Bike Nation on a smart network of bike sharing in Los Angeles and continue to stripe more lanes each and every year. I feel the safest on a separate bike path, such as that located at the beach, or the Orange Line, or that which will eventually span the EXPO line. I am fighting hard to make sure the EXPO bike path does get completed.

Are You Bike Friendly? CD 3 Candidate Cary Iaccino Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:03 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | Leave a comment
Tags: Cary Iaccino, council candidate surveys

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

My daughter loves cycling. Of course at 3 years old, I’m doing all the work. I can’t wait to get her pedaling along this Summer with a tandem add-on. She started out in a child seat behind me, and the backpack is always stocked with her favorite snacks and drinks. She has graduated to tricycles and small bikes with training wheels. She’s the one who really got me riding more consistently, especially since she always tells me, “faster!”.

One important ideal of the Mobility Element is the concept that the streets must be made safe for everyone to share and utilize to get where they are going safely. In other words, more cycling infrastructure planning is a compliment to an overall multi-modal strategy that both brings our neighborhoods to life and maintains a safe and shared transportation for anyone, including motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. With the adoption of the backbone network, it is important that we carry out the implementation of bicycle-friendly options throughout the City to make commuting a viable alternative, and not just a recreational opportunity in selective areas. In addition to bike lanes, paths, and many other dedicated space for safe cycling, there must also be increased rapid transit connecting the many parts of the City, and all such modes must include ample opportunities for travelling with a bicycle. The Mobility Element team is currently looking at several candidates for streets to look at peak-hour dedicated bus lanes and Reseda Blvd. running through Tarzana and Reseda is a top candidate, to my understanding. I support this in principal and would insist that there was a premium put on assuring plenty of room for bicycle commuters to utilize the new lines.

L.A. is a World Class City. There is absolutely no excuse to not aim for the highest designation when being ranked among the world’s Bicycle-Friendly cities. This is an important key in the goal to getting more cars off the road and reducing traffic and emissions and increasing safety and accessibility. In addition to an everything-on-the-table strategy for bicycle infrastructure, in my first year I would get directly involved in the expansion of CicLAvia and aim to expand it to more areas of the City. In the Los Angeles City Council, CicLAvia advocates can expect me to be a consistent champion for its expansion. With a City Council about to have many brand new members, it’s important that we can count on a new group who will carry forward what has quickly become one of this City’s best new traditions. I would also help to inform more people of the existing bicycle co-ops around the City, namely the Valley Bikery, and assure that everyone knows about these important affordable resources and look to partner with cycling organizations to expand these co-ops to more areas.

With this distinction of a Bronze-level Bicycle-Friendly Community, it’s fair for L.A. to pat itself on the back and we have certainly made some impressive progress. However, it is important to take note that we have further to go and we must implement much of what is being considered.

I am a cyclist. I am proud to be endorsed by prominent cycling advocates in the City such as, Heidi Sickler – Former Mayor’s Office Transportation Deputy, Lead Point-person in launch of 1st CicLAvia, Alex Thompson – Co-founder of Bikerowave, and Hank Truxillo – my co-founder of Ride Reseda. I will be a strong advocate for the implementation of the backbone network and will ensure that each proposed spine in my district gets prioritized and that our City departments are working together to put these in place as general improvements are made. In addition to fitting into the normal infrastructure repair schedule, I will push for expediency on important streets in the plan and will direct my staff to prioritize the development. Right now in CD3 there are a couple of notable projects that I will keep actively involved in. The L.A. River Master Plan is making progress with bike paths connecting Reseda to Canoga Park and it will take a dedicated focus and insistence to complete the project connecting all the way to the Headwaters in Canoga Park from the beginning of the current project near Reseda Park. I have partnered with the Trust for Public Land to move along a major open space project (the Los Angeles River / Aliso Creek Confluence Project) and cycling infrastructure is a key element in this project. TPL can count on my support to move this project forward. Another project is the Westfield Village development in Woodland Hills. In the long process engaging the community, Westfield has agreed to connect to the backbone (next to Topanga Canyon) and has promised a number of components to encourage cycling to and from the facility, as well as a safe throughway for commuters. I will insist on these promised components coming to fruition in the development of the property.

This starts simply by acknowledging it. Slowing people down in our business districts is a no-brainer to increase commerce and bring more customers to our businesses, who are often struggling and need every little jolt of assistance they can get. Everything from safe routes to bicycle racks to dedicated events (akin to CicLAvia) will be on the list to connect more cyclists to our businesses.

This starts at a mindset, or as I previously stated, a simple acknowledgement. There has to be a greater conversation about understanding the rules and how to share the road with one another. These conversations really aren’t taking place in a real way and there is an ongoing adversarial relationship between motorists and cyclists because of it. Understanding one another and an agreement to better share the road is a great place to start. The LAPD Bicycle Advisory Committee is an important part of this conversation. I also know that it is often difficult for cyclists to ensure their rights are upheld in the same way that a predominantly motorist-based culture can count on. I am proud to have signed onto the Cyclists’ Bill of Rights and will stand by the principles within it and instruct my staff to be a resource in the event of hit-and-runs and to work closely with West Valley and Topanga Divisions here in CD3 to follow through on prosecutions.

The bottom line is a need to cutback in other areas and it is critical that Fire/Public safety, and other core services, our number 1 priority. To really enable us to increase staffing levels and resources for individual battalions, we must increase revenues and stop having to consistently cut and cut. The way to increase revenue comes down to improving the business climate and making L.A. less hostile to businesses. There are many very specific approaches to achieve this, and as a small business owner, I am in the best position to champion this mentality at City Hall.

I am aware of the proposal and I am committed to a REAL plan to fix our streets. I am open to looking at this proposal and I am encouraged that some of our councilmembers are talking about a long term plan to repair our infrastructure in this way. I will look at this plan, as well as others and I will commit to the delivery of core services and a long term look at fixing our streets. And, of course, any plan absolutely must include the right balance of components to serve all modes of transportation. The cycling community can expect to be at the table to discuss these opportunities.

I’m already doing this. I am the co-founder of Ride Reseda, a weekly ride where all are welcome and the exploration of our local environs by bicycle is always mapped out to encourage riders of all levels and ages. And, as the immediate past Chairman of the Reseda Neighborhood Council, I am quite committed to the value of the partnership of our NCs and other community groups and local businesses. I look forward to partnering with the Neighborhood Bike Ambassadors in CD3.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

Sometimes I feel safer than other times. It depends on the street and time of day. If there are bike lanes or pathways, I feel more comfortable. Simply stated, much of the aim of cyclists, and specifically active cycling advocates, comes down to a desire to make streets safer for everyone. To the cycling community, who most likely would have read all the way through to this answer via the LACBC post, I say THANK YOU. Thank you for fighting for cyclists’ rights and for safer streets and for the benefits this means to me and my family.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 1 Candidate Jesse Rosas Responds

February 21, 2013 at 6:01 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | Leave a comment
Tags: council candidate surveys, Jesse Rosas

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

I learned to ride a bike back in the days when training wheels were not common-place. I fell many times, and had to have my mom push me along as I learned to balance. The day I finally was able to keep pedaling after she let go, I remember I suddenly had this feeling of freedom, of control, and of the air rushing past my face. Like I was soaring through space. This experience empowered me to learn things, even if they are difficult or painful, because the reward could be well worth it.

Some of the policies I believe are important include raising the general awareness of drivers about cyclists, and also providing more bike lanes which are prominently displayed both via signage and on the road itself. I think the initiative the city is taking in allowing the community to participate in this change is something to be admired and to be taken further. If we are going to make progress, we need the voices of all the people to be heard.

Aside from the changes to bike lane prominence and increased availability & visibility mentioned above, I think increasing the level of greater community involvement in the cycling community is important. Encouraging events like CicLAvia will help to expand the awareness in the community of the importance of cycling and the fun and life it brings to the community.

I would encourage full participation of the community, especially the business corridors through which new bike paths will run, so as to create a welcoming atmosphere for a project that I will support to its completion. The Figueroa corridor is of particular importance for CD1 and I will focus my efforts toward this project in the Plan.

First I would put up more quality bike racks so cyclists feel secure stopping to enjoy the local businesses. I would also encourage the area to become more pedestrian-friendly by better illuminating crosswalks for after dark, and increasing police foot-patrols so bike theft and walking after dark are no longer large concerns in the mind of the public.

I believe that with increased community involvement and participation in cycling and community events will engender a greater appreciation for others and a more friendly atmosphere, which may lead to fewer hit-and-runs. However due to the fact that there are simply some negligent people out there, perhaps some 24 hr cameras in places with few witnesses would discourage people from committing hit-and-runs. Cameras would be prominently displayed and in hard to reach places to avoid vandalism. This would remove any question of liability and allow officers to pursue certain leads. I would limit this though, because otherwise we start to invade the privacy of the community.

I will try to increase the funding for the LAFD, as well as try to influence the importance of a larger portion of their budget going toward equipment and staff that would decrease response times to emergency situations.

Under the new proposal, Property Owners would become wholly responsible for the sidewalk in front of their property, despite the fact that taxes are already paid to the city to maintain the sidewalk. While I think property owners could shoulder some of the responsibility of keeping their property clean, this should come along with a decrease in taxes to correlate with the supposed decrease in city involvement.

Definitely yes to both of those questions. Without hesitation.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

I feel relatively safe to a certain point. I would feel much better if bike lanes were solidly painted on the roads so there is no mistaking their presence for anyone. I would also feel more secure with more bike racks on which to lock my bike.

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 1 Candidate Jose Gardea Responds

February 21, 2013 at 5:58 pm | Posted in Bike News, Resources | 1 Comment
Tags: council candidate surveys, Jose Gardea

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

Growing up in Echo Park I used to ride my bicycle in the neighborhood. I have great memories of riding to Dodger Stadium to watch a game and I felt safe on my bike. I believe there was a greater respect for bicycles and pedestrians at that time and we need to bring back that culture of safety by emphasizing all modes of transportation equally.

Additionally, my wife’s family is from Guadalajara and I have had the amazing opportunity to witness their “Via Recreativa” or car free Sundays program. I would like to implement CicLAvia on a more frequent basis and even try a weekday CicLAvia to promote commuter cycling in Los Angeles.

I would emphasize safety, accessibility, and good connections to multiple modes of transit that connect people to the places they need and want to go. I would prioritize a complete streets policy, walkability standards, as well as citywide urban design guidelines for bikes and pedestrians such as enhanced sidewalk widths and new street standards. Bicycles play a crucial role in building out any transportation system and will help us meet critical goals such as reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and greater transportation equity for all Los Angelenos.

I have had the pleasure of serving as Chief Deputy to Ed Reyes for the past twelve years. Councilmember Reyes was honored to recently accept the bronze level Bicycle-Friendly Community award on behalf of the City of Los Angeles at MacArthur Park in the First Council District. It is a great first step to receive this national award but as the second largest city in the United States I know we can do more. I would focus on the five Es of the League of American Bicyclists application criteria; Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation & Planning by continuing to push for implementation of the City’s bicycle plan, striving for greater outreach and community engagement as well as incorporating bicycle planning into new developments and infrastructure from the outset. The City’s new bicycle parking ordinance is one example of this. I also think education for both cyclists and drivers is extremely important in expanding a vibrant bike culture in Los Angeles.

The current implementation priorities for Council District One include:

-N. Figueroa from San Fernando Road to Colorado
-Mission from Broadway to Ceasar Chavez
-Cypress Avenue near Florence Nightingale Middle School (Avenue 28 bike lanes were just added)
-Venice from Crenshaw to Main Street
-Vermont Avenue from Venice to Wilshire Blvd.
-2nd Street from Beverly/Glendale Blvd. to Broadway
-Sunset from Douglas to Figueroa. For this project we are proposing a shared bus/bike lane that will both close the gap for cyclists on Sunset as well as provide a dedicated bus lane to reduce bus travel times particularly for the shuttle operated by Metro on game days at Dodger Stadium.

Many of these projects span multiple Council Districts and I am proud to have been endorsed by Councilmember Huizar whose neighborhoods border Council District One. I will work with my colleagues to implement projects holistically and I would like to work with the community to identify additional projects. The current priority projects are extremely cost effective; I would like to emphasize this to the public as well as work to make sure we have continued funding for implementation of the bike plan.

When we implemented the road diet on 7th Street, local bicycle advocates like you and other community organizers went door to door to speak to businesses about the project. We received extremely positive feedback and the biggest request from businesses was for additional bicycle racks as well as signage around driveways where there could be potential conflicts between vehicles and cyclists. In addition to making sure they receive this supportive infrastructure I would like to work with Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and small business owners to document any increase in consumer activity since the bike lanes were installed. This will help make the case for future projects in the City.

This is an extremely important issue that will require solutions at many levels. This includes teaming with LAPD to institutionalize better reporting and enforcement procedures, seeking cooperation from City Attorney to prosecute these cases, and working with DOT and the City’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinators on infrastructure improvements such enhanced signage, ped/bike amenities, and more visible crosswalks so that there are less ped/bike/vehicular collisions.

The current redeployment plan is based on old data of past worst-case scenarios by the Fire Department. I would put this aside in favor of developing future scenarios that help us understand where the greatest needs are neighborhood by neighborhood. This will help us implement a targeted strategy that includes prompt emergency response for all those who need emergency assistance including cyclists.

I do not support the current bond measure unless greater accountability is built into the proposal. The City’s Prop K, LA for Kids Program, is a good example of a bond that has accountability to the public and measurable outcomes. I would support the inclusion of language regarding performance criteria and I would also support the incorporation of complete streets into the proposal.

Yes, I look forward to meeting with and supporting the work of our Neighborhood Bike Ambassadors. I would like to lead regular bicycle rides as well as walks throughout the district. I would also like to bring constituents to the LA River and its tributaries to see the great work being done in the watershed.

10. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

I do not think the streets are as safe as they should be for cyclists. The City needs a comprehensive strategy that includes more protected bike lanes, education, and the goal of creating a greater culture of respect for those who share the road. I also believe that by increasing bicycle infrastructure and safety on our roads we will have the added benefit of making our city safer for pedestrians by reducing the conflicts on sidewalks in dense parts of City like Council District One.

Are You Bike-Friendly? Kevin James Responds

February 6, 2013 at 8:30 pm | Posted in Bike News, LACBC Events | 2 Comments
Tags: CicLAvia, Kevin James, LA Bike Plan, mayoral candidate surveys

Photo: Andrew Wong, WYTe Studios

LACBC asked each of the candidates running for mayor of the City of Los Angeles to respond to our questionnaire. We hope our members will find the candidates’ answers insightful into how each candidate proposes to make our streets safe, balanced, and livable. Responses are posted in the order they were received.

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

A close friend told me about a close friend of his – Doug Caldwell. Doug was truly a rocket scientist. He designed the cameras for the space shuttle. He was working with LADWP to try to set standards for new homes that would usher in a new era in energy efficiency. My friend told me that Doug Caldwell was killed while riding a bicycle on August 20, 2010. Doug’s story reminds me that bike safety isn’t just a policy, it’s about real people. Background: http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/details-on-the-august-death-of-cyclist-and-scientist-doug-caldwell-driver-walks-with-no-ticket-or-charges/

2. Just a few months ago, Los Angeles was honored as Bronze-level Bicycle-Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. Do you believe the city should pursue a Silver-level designation, and if so, what steps would you take in the first year of your term to move LA up to the Silver level?

Improved engineering to offer more options for bicycle users of all ages and abilities; education for bicyclists and motorists on how to share the road. Whenever possible, install more bike lanes and bike paths. My City Hall opponents have taken hundreds of millions of dollars from special revenue funds that could have been used to achieve these goals. (They raided these funds to pay for employee raises that the city cannot afford to pay). A key example is the Special Parking Revenue Fund intended to relieve parking pressures around the city by building parking structures that would have cleared right lanes of parked cars — right lanes that could have been used for bike lanes. There are also some innovative ideas that might be implemented to reduce the danger to cyclists from drivers getting out of parked cars (adding a warning light to parking meters to warn cyclists when a car has recently pulled in).

3. The Mayor controls four votes on the Metro Board of Directors, which makes transportation funding decisions for the entire county. In LA County people walking and bicycling make up nearly 20% of all trips and 39% of roadway fatalities, yet these modes only receive 1% of transportation funding. What steps would you take to rectify this inequity?

The steps I will take to address this issue for bicycling are addressed throughout this questionnaire. For pedestrians, we need to focus on sidewalk, curb and gutter repairs. The City wants to burden homeowners with the cost of sidewalk repairs and to shoulder homeowners with liabilities resulting from damaged sidewalks. I will make sure that homeowners are not burdened with the added responsibility of repairing the city’s sidewalks outside of their homes. There are, however, some homeowners and business owners that are willing to share in the cost of sidewalk repair voluntarily. For those people, the city should make permitting for such repairs as easy as possible. We should also utilize the benefits of the 50/50 plan for those people who voluntarily want to benefit from the plan.

I would also put a stop to the raiding by city officials of the special revenue funds that are used for improvements and maintenance of our infrastructure.

In making street and sidewalk repairs a priority, we must prioritize a plan for long-term fiscal solvency for the City, including collection of a portion of the City’s more than $500 million in non-tax receivables, millions more in tax collections, and other available funding sources that have been ignored by the mismanagement of current City leadership. Furthermore, new technologies enable us to do more in this area with less money. Two technologies that are particularly promising are “full depth reclamation” and “pervious concrete.” Full depth reclamation is simply the recycling of roads in place – it is a proven cost saving method of road repair. The City of Santa Ana was recently able to rehabilitate 80 miles of asphalt streets over 3 years at about half the cost by using full depth reclamation compared to the traditional methods of removal and replacement. Pervious concrete is simply concrete that allows water and air to pass through it – it reduces stormwater runoff and recharges the underground water supply. There are also plastic sidewalk technologies available now that assist in the prevention of tree trunk “heaving” that causes so much of the sidewalk damage we experience today.

4. The Department of City Planning is in the process of updating the City’s Mobility Element for the first time in decades. What policies would you prioritize for inclusion in the Mobility Element? What role do you see bicycling playing in the City’s transportation system, if any?

Accelerated street repair and sidewalk repair. Improved planning of public transportation projects. Improved connectivity. Acceleration of the city’s bike plan. And increased light synchronization, additional left-hand turn signals and right-hand turn signals for more free-flowing traffic on our surface streets.

5. In 2011, the City Council unanimously adopted the Bicycle Plan proposing a comprehensive 1,600-mile bikeway network across the City. What steps would you take to ensure implementation of Bicycle Plan projects continues during your administration? How many miles of new bicycle facilities will you commit to implementing each year?

The current bike plan calls for 200 miles every five years. Given current budget constraints, meeting that goal itself will be a challenge and accelerating it even more so. That said, with a long-term financial solvency plan in place (which I am the only candidate in the field willing to obtain through real pension and salary reform in City Hall), I will be able to make acceleration a priority.

The city has never even come close to meeting the bikeway miles set forth in any of its three (3) bike plans. In 1977, the city only built 230 of the goal of 600 miles. The 1996 plan had a goal of 673 miles but only achieved 104 miles. The 2010 plan  has a goal of expanding from the existing 334 miles to 1,684 miles over a 35 year period.  Yet, the more people that ride bikes in LA, the fewer cars that motorists that are not able to ride bikes have to deal with. That means traffic moves more rapidly through the  city, and there are more parking places available for the motorists that are driving their cars. The benefits of becoming a bike- friendly city are numerous. For local businesses, economic benefits come from cyclists parking near their shops. For neighborhoods and businesses, roads are safer as there will be fewer car-to- car accidents, and we will see safer communities because people on bikes are not separated by the walls of their car, car windows, and car radios enabling them to notice burglars, thieves, vandals and other local criminals that plague a community – cyclists serve as a form of community patrol whether they intend to or not.

Once Angelenos that are not bicyclists recognize the benefits they receive from more people in L.A. using bicycles to get around, the easier it will be to grow public support of acceleration of the city’s bike plan.

Disappointment surrounding LA’s transportation options generally, and the implementation of the city’s bike plan specifically, is understandable. Yet even with such frustration among Angelenos, our City leaders have failed to deliver efficient and effective transit. In order to turn the corner, we must turn to new leadership. The days of poor planning, shady bidding, irresponsible outreach, failed implementation, cost overruns, construction delays, and the lack of a common sense approach to smart transit must end – and will end with my administration.

6. Leading cities for bicycling, such as New York and Chicago, are implementing protected bicycle lanes (a.k.a. cycletracks) to encourage “interested but concerned” people to ride a bike. During your administration, will you direct LADOT to implement such innovative bicycle facilities to incentivize more Angelenos to take up bicycling?

This is something that could have already been started if my city hall insider opponents had not raided hundreds of millions of dollars from the Special Parking Revenue Fund. When funding is in place, this is something the LADOT should begin. We must also be careful that we don’t remove parking spaces that are critical for small businesses to survive (which is what the parking fund would have insured). We also need to make sure that over-capacity roadways are not unnecessarily burdened. My instructions to LADOT will include outreach to each community to make sure each stakeholder group’s needs are included in these improvement plans.

7. The LA Weekly recently wrote a feature story documenting that almost half of traffic collisions in the City of LA are hit-and-runs, according to LAPD records. Many victims of these traffic crimes are people walking and bicycling. What steps would you take to reduce the rate of hit-and-run and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted?

The first thing we must do is improve street safety to prevent these hit-and-run accidents in the first place. This goal demands that we work to better separate pedestrian, bike and vehicular traffic. As a former prosecutor, I will work with the District Attorney’s office and City Attorney’s office to establish a hit-and-run task force to explore and implement new technologies in the prosecution of hit-and-run crimes and will explore increasing the penalties for hit-and-run convictions. The public’s knowledge of increased penalties for hit-and-run convictions will provide added incentives for drivers to stop when an accident has occurred rather than making the mistake of running from the scene.

8. In the event of a collision, the survival of those injured could depend on a prompt emergency response, yet it’s recently been disclosed that response times for the Los Angeles Fire Department frequently exceed national standards. What would you do to address budget and staffing cutbacks affecting the LAFD to ensure a faster response for all those who need emergency assistance?

Public safety is a critical city service and top priority. LAFD needs a top-down review and restoration of its budget. The failure of current elected officials to recognize the problem disqualifies them from holding higher office. They were told in 2002 that response times were in the 40% range. They did nothing, and allowed the reporting flaws to go unnoticed and failed to follow up. In fact, when the response time went up from 40% to 86% without additional resources, not one of my opponents questioned the clearly-erroneous increase.

We must replace the current dispatch system with modern technology. We need GPS systems in our fire trucks. And, I will require that the LAFD be transparent about what the real response times are. Finally, one of the biggest factors in reducing response times is reducing traffic congestion, which interferes with emergency vehicles’ ability to reach residents in need.

9. CicLAvia has transformed how Angelenos view bicycling and walking in their City. Will you commit to ensuring that CicLAvia continues to receive adequate City support to ensure its future as the largest open street event in the country?

Yes.

10. A recent proposal has been floated to assess all property owners to bring streets into a state of good repair. Do you support the proposed bond measure, and do you believe any changes should be made to the proposal to serve all those who travel on city streets, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users?

As you know, the proposed bond measure has been abandoned, at least temporarily. Property owners should not bear the entire burden of the failures of our elected officials. Further, we can’t make L.A. any more hostile to business or more expensive to its residents. Increased taxation will restrict growth and only exacerbate the city’s financial problems. The money for repair of our streets, sidewalks, gutters and curbs will only be available if the next mayor stands up to special interests that are draining the city’s resources. I am the only candidate willing to stand up to those special interests.

11. Will you commit to meeting with bicyclists or their representatives on a regular and ongoing basis? Would you be willing to lead a regularly scheduled bike ride with your constituents?

Yes, as many members of the bike community already know from my years of covering their issues on my radio show, my commitment to making LA a more bike friendly city will continue throughout my years as Mayor.

12. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

Where dedicated bike lanes exist, I feel safer. Some of our bike paths force bike riders into traffic and force traffic across bike paths to make turns. There are some innovative steps that can be taken to improve bike safety, especially from the hazard of driver-side doors opening unexpectedly where bike riders ride next to on-street parking. Unfortunately, my city hall insider opponents have raided existing revenue funds that could have been used to accelerate the city’s bike plan and increase safety for everyone involved.

Are You Bike-Friendly? Eric Garcetti Responds

February 6, 2013 at 6:30 pm | Posted in Bike News, LACBC Events | 3 Comments
Tags: CicLAvia, eric garcetti, LA Bike Plan, mayoral candidate surveys

Photo: LACBC

1. Please share a memory involving a bicycle that has had a lasting effect on you (whether or not you were the one on the bicycle).

I grew up on a flat street in the Valley, and I remember the freedom of being able to bicycle safely to the park, to Little League, and to the bus stop.

I am proud to have been a leading proponent of making L.A. more bicycle-friendly. I installed the city’s first sharrows in my district, and now these safety markings are citywide and are a key part of the recently adopted bicycle plan. I played a key role in launching CicLAvia and in installing the first showers and bicycle lockers at City Hall to promote bicycle commuting.

I would push L.A. forward toward Silver and even higher as Mayor. First and foremost, I would focus on increasing cyclist safety. The key metric that I would focus on is bicycle ridership, and I would focus on incentives to increase, including monthly Ciclavia’s, better on-and-off-street bike parking, and planning and innovations designed to increase cyclist safety.

I would build on my record to better align funding based on how people are actually getting around. As Councilmember, I led the way to establishing the city’s first Pedestrian Coordinator at the Department of Transportation, which has led to an unprecedented focus on pedestrian issues that are based on innovation, metric based planning, and results.

As Mayor, I would continue to elevate the importance of bicycling and walking not only within the City of Los Angeles, but regionally as well. Traffic and mobility transcends city limits and so I would examine County and Metro transportation financing through that lens. I would also appoint Metro Board members who share my view that there is no silver bullet to solving our traffic challenges. We must improve bus, rail, bicycle, and pedestrian transportation, and also focus on innovation. I’m proud to have deployed car sharing in my district, an app that helps people find parking and get off the road quicker (up to 30% of traffic can be caused by people circling for parking), and to have been a proponent of bike sharing.

My commitment to active transportation advocacy is also reflected in my past appointments of Herbie Huff and Joe Linton to the City Bicycle Advisory Committee and Deborah Murphy to the City Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

The update of the former Transportation Element, now named the Mobility Element, is long overdue. For too long we have been prescribing the same one size fits all approach to our transportation challenges and expecting to get different results. Clearly, the status quo must go.

In Hollywood, we worked with local stakeholders to survey every street and created new street standards that take into consideration our transit system, our major transportation corridors, and our historic resources.

The Mobility Element must expand the toolbox that our planners and engineers have to address transportation related impacts and to encourage bicycling, walking and other alternative solutions. In my Council District, I have led the way in prescribing innovative solutions that were outside of the current menu of options. We installed the city’s first bicycle sharrows, prioritized on-street parking spaces for car-sharing vehicles, unbundled parking and promoting shared parking, created a parking app to help drivers find available parking spaces, and directed LADOT to begin evaluating the establishment of a pedi-cab program. I have led on transportation through the application of practical solutions. The Mobility Element must do the same.

As Mayor, I will approach cycling as a key part of our city’s transportation system. First of all, bicycles are already on our streets, and we must address that fact in terms of infrastructure, safety and planning. Looking ahead, our next Mayor must support bicycling as a viable option for short trips and as a way to link with public transit.

As Mayor, I would continue to support the work of the Bicycle Plan Implementation Team to educate, inform, and gather input necessary to implement the Bike Plan. I am committed to seeing the adopted Bicycle Plan through and pushing even farther. We must challenge ourselves, innovate and draw from best practices across the globe to make L.A. a bikeable city.

6. Leading cities for bicycling, such as New York and Chicago, are implementing protected bicycle lanes (a.k.a. cycletracks) to encourage“interested but concerned” people to ride a bike. During your administration, will you direct LADOT to implement such innovative bicycle facilities to incentivize more Angelenos to take up bicycling?

Yes. As Mayor, I will look at all ways to improve bike safety both to protect cyclists and to encourage more people to bike. That’s why I deployed the city’s first sharrows (road designations to increase bike safety) in my Council District. That led to the installation of sharrows citywide, and they are a key feature in the newly-adopted bicycle plan.

As Mayor, I will work with LAPD and the City Attorney to approach hit-and-runs not as simple traffic accidents but as crimes of violence – it is violent when tons of metal encounters a cyclist or pedestrian. I will also advocate for safe passing laws in Sacramento. I will prioritize cyclist safety as we build out our cycling infrastructure, from markings to barriers. A focus on safety not only protects cyclists, it encourages more people to start cycling.

I’ve been leading the way on response times. I introduced the legislation to bring the fire department back to full strength and stopped the plan to permanently cut 318 firefighters and paramedics.

In addition to resources, another problem affecting response times is the “junk data” the fire department has been relying on. I joined Councilmember Englander in launching an iniatitive called “Firestat,” which is modeled after former LAPD Chief Bratton’s innovative Compstat program that has played a key role in reducing crime in L.A.

I’ve also called for common sense fixes such as GPS units in all fire trucks and ambulances and the immediate dispatch when someone calls for help. Currently, city rules require the dispatcher to ask a long list of questions before sending help.

As Councilmember, I have supported CicLAvia since the beginning, by leading the way on identifying city funds for the first CicLAvia, working with CicLAvia to provide outreach to my constituents during the first CicLAvia that went through my district, and dedicating my staff to help navigate the City bureaucracy.

As Mayor, I will support monthly CicLAvia’s throughout Los Angeles.

This proposal requires more study, and is currently being reviewed by the Public Works Committee. As with any transportation initiative of its kind, I believe it should address auto, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian travel.

11. Will you commit to meeting with bicyclists or their representatives on a regular and ongoing basis? Would you be willing to lead a regularly scheduled bike ride with your constituents?

Yes. Since I took office, I have met face to face with the people I serve by regularly walking door to door, holding open office hours, and making sure Angelenos always have a seat at the table. I set a rule that my office must return calls within 24 hours and I personally interact with constituents on the phone, on email, on Facebook and on Twitter. As an elected official, I was an “early adopter” when it came to starting a blog and a couple weeks ago, I did an AMA on Reddit. As Mayor, I will continue this approach of making government more accessible and will use technology to make it easier to get feedback from constituents.

12. Would you presently feel safe riding a bike in Los Angeles, and if not, what would it take to make you feel comfortable on our city streets?

I ride my bike on L.A. streets, but feel we can and must do more to improve bike safety, from markings to separation infrastructure as discussed above.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.

LA County Bicycle Coalition www.la-bike.org

Are You Bike Friendly? CD 11 Candidate Mike Bonin Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 9 Candidate Ana Cubas Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 9 Candidate Terry Hara Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 7 Candidate Krystee Clark Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 5 Candidate Paul Koretz Responds

Are You Bike Friendly? CD 3 Candidate Cary Iaccino Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 1 Candidate Jesse Rosas Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? CD 1 Candidate Jose Gardea Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? Kevin James Responds

Are You Bike-Friendly? Eric Garcetti Responds

More on LACBC

LACBC on Twitter

Follow LACBC’s Bike Blog

Tags

LACBC Photos

Blogroll

Meta

LA County Bike Map

Follow “LA County Bicycle Coalition www.la-bike.org”

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

More on LACBC

Follow LACBC’s Bike Blog

Tags

LACBC Photos

Blogroll

Meta

LA County Bike Map

Follow “LA County Bicycle Coalition www.la-bike.org”