Bicycle Fixation Weblog
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04/29/2010: "The First Two Letters in "Last" Are "LA""
While we're celebrating a tentative victory for community cycling here in Los Angeles, the rest of the world pulls steadily ahead. Not just Europe, not just Portland and Minneapolis, but even hard-edged no-nonsense New York City--despite a police department that seems to feed vampire-like on cyclist bile--is making real, honest efforts to support and promote transportational cycling.Last Tuesday the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to approve a single bike corral as a pilot project. But LA's DOT has expressed "doubt" that it would actually be built!
Imagine the Department of Traffic dragging its feet on a project that could park 25 customers where only two fit before! (Bike corrals typically replace two curbside parking spot for cars with racks for two dozen bicycles.) This is a no-brainer: more business, less congestion, healthier people, quieter yet more efficient streets...nah, we can't do it.
Meanwhile, here's what I just read on NYC's DOT website:
In response to the ever growing number of cyclists and to promote cycling as a healthy, environmentally-sustainable form of transportation, DOT in coordination with our Coordinated Street Furniture vendor, Cemusa, is installing Bicycle Parking Structures around the City. 20 have been installed to date out of a total of 36. Each shelter contains stainless steel bike racks for eight bikes. The design closely resembles the award-winning Bus Shelter, using the same high-quality materials. The ad panels are used to display the annual NYC Cycling Map and the "Look" Public Service Campaign or other bicycle promotional materials. These structures do more than just provide parking--they send a message that the City encourages cycling.Okay, these seem to be on the sidewalk, but still: not just racks but covered racks! And they've budgeted for three dozen of these!
Read all about NYC's bike parking programs at NYCDOT's website.
And as if that's not enough, even little Long Beach, on the southern edge of LA County, is ready to build its first bicycle boulevard and and its first bike corral, and has already painted sharrows and bike boxes on some major streets. Play the Streetfilms video below for details:
Damn right I'm jealous!
