Los Angeles Sharrows: Pre-Installation Studies

(Ed. Note: With the forthcoming release of the LADOT Bike Program SLM (Shared Lane Marking) Study, the LADOT Bike Blog would like to take you back to the summer of 2010 and share with you the methodology of our Sharrow study.  Confused?  Check out our Sharrows 101 post or our Sharrows Page.)

Over three weeks in late May and early June of 2010, LADOT Bike Blog took part in pre-installation studies for the LADOT Shared Lane Marking (Sharrows) Study.  The study documented the interactions between drivers and bicyclists when a bicyclist traveled at the position where Sharrows would later be installed.  At the end of the summer, LADOT Bike Blog again took part in studying the interactions between drivers and bicyclists, this time with Sharrows in place.  It all culminates with the release in the next few days of the LADOT Bicycle Program SLM report.

Newly installed Sharrows on 4th Street

While the LADOT Bike Blog will have another write-up on the results of the report (and what it means for Los Angeles’ streets), we first wanted to give you a look at the goals, the methods, and the standards we used for the Sharrow study.

We don’t just want Sharrows, we want Sharrows the right way.  We’re happy to give you a look at how we got there.

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The Great Bicycle Parking Survey of 2011

Bike Racks – Present and Future

via the Bicycle Fixation Blog

LADOT Bike Blog is looking for volunteers to help inventory all of LADOT’s installed bicycle parking.  If you’d like to help, contact us at ladotbikeblog@gmail.com.

The LADOT Bike Program has installed over 4,000 bicycle “Inverted-U” racks, and 454 meter hitches, throughout the City over the last 15 years.  This is only the beginning, as LADOT has averaged just under 100 new racks per month since the start of this year.

LADOT Bike Blog understands that safe parking is integral to encouraging bicycling in Los Angeles.  Potential bike riders are far more likely to ride when they are confident that there will be available, convenient, and safe bike parking once they reach their destination.  But even when plentiful bike parking is supplied, it’s still a crapshoot to find a bike rack near a destination unless the rider has been there before and already knows where bike parking is located.  Even worse, a bicyclist unfamiliar with an area may lock their bike to something less safe when an available LADOT bike rack is nearby.  To address these concerns, the LADOT Bike Program is launching:

The Great Bicycle Parking Survey of 2011

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New Website for the LADOT Bike Program Now Live

To commemorate the recently completed Bike Week LA, the LADOT Bike Program is excited to announce a re-design of our website.  The site is now live, so go take a look for yourself.  Along with our recently updated bike maps, and our continually updated maps of new bike infrastructure projects, the LADOT Bike Program is committed to getting ourselves 100% up-to-date.

Not to be confused with the LADOT Bike Blog, we’re instead talking about the LADOT Bike Program website, bicyclela.org.  What was once a comically retro, circa 2000 design scheme comes roaring into 2011 with a revamped layout and some brand new features.

The website of old...

...just got a facelift

Not Just a Pretty Face

Beyond a simple upgrade to the template, however, our new website offers connections to our Shortform channel (which allows us to curate videos), our Flickr page, our Twitter account, our Facebook page, and (naturally) access to the LADOT Bike Blog.

Poke around the new site once its up and let us know what you think

As our updated website is brand new, there are sure to be a few wrinkles to iron out.  Now that the site is live, let us know in comments what you think of the new design and if there are any bugs that we should fix.

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On 4/21, Metro Operations Committee Considers Lifting Peak-Hour Bike Ban

Bicyclists across LA County should get ready for an upcoming meeting of the Metro Operations Committee.  They’ll be meeting this Thursday, April 22 21 at 1:00 PM in the Metro Board Room at Metro Gateway Plaza.  Up for discussion: removing peak-hour restrictions for bicycles on all Metro Rail lines (here’s the report pdf).

You may soon be able to do this at any time of the day

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Ticket To Ride: A Handy Reminder About CicLAvia 4/10/11

What are you doing this Sunday?

In the wake of the recent BPIT meetings, we’ve posted a lot on what the plans for 7th Street may be. However, possibly the best way to go about thinking about what it would be like is to experience it for yourself in a safe environment in a couple of weeks. As you can see below, the route covers most of the proposed project boundaries.

CicLAvia Route for 4/10/11 (Click for website)

For those of you who were unable to join the CicLAvia team last time (check the link for some great photos and a taste of what to expect), the event seeks to “make the streets safe for people to walk, skate, play and ride a bike.” With a reported 100,000 people participating, efforts aim to repeat that success and further show the possibilities of using streets as public space. This includes thinking about the streets as accessible space with the potential for uses beyond whats current, raising awareness about how we have become accustomed to using the streets and how we would like to use them in the future.

There are going to be a variety of feeder rides that will be leading groups to the event (Click here for the list, courtesy of Ciclavia). KPCC also writes about some of the things they are looking forward to here (they also have a link to The Source blog for Metro reroutes). Highlights include the Mayor and Lance Armstrong opening the festivities in Little Tokyo at 9:30 AM, 1000bikes.org’s repair/support booth, Food Forward’s Grapefruit harvesting and giveaway and DODGEBALL (and I’m sure much more craziness that I can’t fit on this blog post, bu you’ll hear about through the links).

I feel the need to tell you this photo has not been altered (Courtesy of CicLAvia)

LADOT Bike Program is going to be pulling our bike trailer (or, as we like to call it, “the mobile bike program booth”) during the ride with all kinds of little giveaways and to assist with any errant flat tires. Keep an eye out for any of our Bicycle Coordinators and say “Hi” if you get a chance. I’m sure there’s a patch kit, ankle strap, LADOT pencil, pin, or postcard in it for you. Just look for the trailer:

Coming to a CicLAvia near you...

We hope to you see as many bike lovers out there as possible to support this great event. It really is the opportunity to show increasing support for bicycle culture as well as getting a feel for future possibilities.

SO GET OUT AND RIDE!

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Here is some stuff from around the blog-o-sphere:

Streetsblog LA: StreetsVid: A Chat with Joe Linton, Let’s Get Excited for CicLAvia

Huff Po: 10 Historic Buildings Along the Route

LAist: Hot Spots to Check Out

ADDED BONUS: Check out this post for ideas when hunger strikes.

Any more recommendations for the day are appreciated and encouraged in comments!

Check back for updates!

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“A Bike Love-in”: Villaraigosa Commemorates Adoption of New LA Bike Plan

It was a festival atmosphere at City Hall this morning as bicyclists from all over the City pedaled in to celebrate a new era for Los Angeles. As we’re sure you’ve heard, the Draft LA Bike Plan is “draft” no longer; the Bike Plan came before City Council yesterday and was unanimously adopted into the City’s General Plan.  Today was the celebration.  Check out all our photos from today on flickr or our facebook page.

The hoopla just getting started

When looking for reports on yesterday’s Council meeting, you can take your pick: the LADOT Bike Program Facebook Page, the BikeBlogChris Twitter feed, Streetsblog, Biking in LA, Good, LA Times, LA Now(twice), KPCC, Flying Pigeon, LACBC, CorbaMTB, the Daily Bruin, NBC4, ABC7, KCET, Venice Patch, Mar Vista Patch, LA Weekly, the Daily News, LAist, The Washington Post, The Contra Costa Times, and many, many others.

This morning, a gathering of City staff, elected officials, and the bike community came together to celebrate the new bike plan and reflect on what its adoption means for the City of Los Angeles.

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Busy Week: Bike Shops and Bike Corral Grand Openings

If you happen to be bicycle-inclined (and if you read this blog, we bet you are) there are quite a few things to celebrate this week in Los Angeles. A brand new, incredibly large, bike shop in downtown is having their grand opening on Wednesday. Two days later a brand new, incredibly awesome, bike corral is having its grand opening in Highland Park on Friday. Follow us below the fold for all the details.

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