LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 4.0 - Page 80

LAofAnaheim · #**1581** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 4:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

Is the ROW just south of the 105 still being used for freight? If so, is it possible to build a bike path on the ROW?

Want to jeopardize a potential rail ROW for a bike path? Build a bike path nearby or on the street....

LAofAnaheim · #**1582** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 4:54 AM**

Here's a flyer (with a picture) of what you can expect of the new 7th street

http://la-bike.org/sites/default/files/Allisonfiles/English7thStreetBikeLanesFactSheet_LACBC.pdf

Kingofthehill · #**1583** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:15 AM**

Hardly cutting edge - and downright sad compared to the new stuff in NYC, SF, Portland, etc - but hey, a new bike lane! Can't wait to use it! Isn't the Venice blvd bike lane being extended soon, too? Parts of Spring, Vine, Beverly, Olympic, Washington, and Virgil (all have relatively excess road capacity), would also make great streets for bike lanes.

Quixote · #**1584** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

Here's a flyer (with a picture) of what you can expect of the new 7th street

http://la-bike.org/sites/default/files/Allisonfiles/English7thStreetBikeLanesFactSheet_LACBC.pdf

I'm talking about the stretches where the curbs are painted red. I mean, surely we're not going to have a bike lane sandwiched in between two traffic lanes, right? The only logical conclusion would be to assume that they're replacing those sidewalk-adjacent traffic lanes with space for on-street parking.

Illithid Dude · #**1585** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 8:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

Here's a flyer (with a picture) of what you can expect of the new 7th street

http://la-bike.org/sites/default/files/Allisonfiles/English7thStreetBikeLanesFactSheet_LACBC.pdf

That is... incredibly disappointing, actually. Those are terrible. Plus, there is still a turn lane, which to me counts as a another lane. However, I don't think that is a new render, as they said they were going to have street parking on the outside of the bike lane, not the inside.

LAofAnaheim · #**1586** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 3:48 PM**

@kingofthehill and @Illiuth Dude

Wow, this constant negativity. It's so sad to get things done nowadays because people complain about everything. Wouldn't you rather have this than the current configuration?

First of all, what is different that NY, SF or Portland are doing? Is that a blanket statement or a fact? New York and Long Beach are the ONLY two US cities with physically separated bike lanes. SF or Portland just have bike lanes......like Los Angeles is proposing similar to 7th street.

Yes, SF or Portland do have some areas with green painted sharrows though..but a sharrow is NOT a bike exclusive lane (like the marked white areas). We would love that and more.

As somebody who rides through Westlake twice a week......this will be huge. Between Western/8th into downtown LA its always a guess of whether to take 7th, 8th, 9th, Olympic or Purple Line back home to 9th/Flower. A dedicated bike lane would ease that decision.

We can always criticize....but don't s*** all over it. You may hate 20% of the design....but I'm sure you appreciate 80% of it. Don't let that 20% rule your decision...hence the reason we cannot build stuff as people are nitpicky on one or two things and blow it up to the point that the whole project either 1) never follows through or 2) build mass hatred to change

By the way if you think this "terrible"..then why do people gloat about how good the bike lanes are on Main street in Santa Monica (hint: it's the same layout); or how they like the bike lanes in West Hollywood.

Relax people......

@westsidelife..the bike lane will be between a single travel lane and a parking lane. The corners will be kept for right turn only lanes to not interfere with the bike lane.

Kingofthehill · #**1587** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 4:30 PM**

Not even, LAofAnaheim. I also said:

Quote:

but hey, a new bike lane! Can't wait to use it!

I am happy that there is still some progress being made on the bike front. And though the design could be better (what LA native and cyclist doesn't want the best?!), I still view this as a positive development for Koreatown, Westlake, DTLA and Boyle Heights. Best of all, it is something that I will use on a regular basis; usually, I bike up 4th, but it dead-ends around Hoover - this will take me straight into Downtown. Cheers!

BrandonJXN · #**1588** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 6:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingofthehill

Hardly cutting edge - and downright sad compared to the new stuff in NYC, SF, Portland, etc - but hey, a new bike lane! Can't wait to use it! Isn't the Venice blvd bike lane being extended soon, too? Parts of Spring, Vine, Beverly, Olympic, Washington, and Virgil (all have relatively excess road capacity), would also make great streets for bike lanes.

Certain areas of LA should look at the bike path in Culver City. Not the Ballona Creek bike path but the bike path on Culver Blvd.

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?ftid=0...awiAKqqrmoCQ&sig2=ZU9oqszuLWcu31widdIKKg

DistrictDirt · #**1589** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illithid Dude

That is... incredibly disappointing, actually. Those are terrible. Plus, there is still a turn lane, which to me counts as a another lane. However, I don't think that is a new render, as they said they were going to have street parking on the outside of the bike lane, not the inside.

The new configuration is a big improvement. In the current configuration (2 lanes each direction, no turning lane) Cars get stuck behind cars making lefts, and sometimes dart into the right lane to get around them. This is a hazard for cyclists.

With the new configuration, anyone making a left goes into the turning lane, and the other cars say in their single lane and don't make lane changes. It creates much less surprises for cyclists.

I agree that having totally separated lanes or green painted lanes would be better, but this is a big step in the right direction. 7th is a busy street in the heart of Los Angeles, and now it will be much safer for cyclists. Spring and Main streets are next. Once we have a solid network through Downtown and City West, I think the city will start converting some of these to separated lanes, which will be more commonplace in other cities by that point.

DistrictDirt · #**1590** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAofAnaheim

New York and Long Beach are the ONLY two US cities with physically separated bike lanes. SF or Portland just have bike lanes......like Los Angeles is proposing similar to 7th street.

You forgot DC.

LAofAnaheim · #**1591** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:52 PM**

[QUOTE=DistrictDirt;5355432]You forgot DC.[\QUOTE]

That is very impressive. I guess NYC and Long Beach are the only protected bike lanes that were funded by the federal government?

LAofAnaheim · #**1592** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 7:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DistrictDirt

You forgot DC.

Very impressive! I guess Long Beach and NYC were the only ones federally funded by the US Government?

Quixote · #**1593** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 8:13 PM**

We are getting off topic here, but I'm enjoying the discussion.

Yeah, in looking at the rendering and on Google Street View, there is definitely plenty of space to accommodate green-painted sharrows like those found in Long Beach. But this will work for now...

I would LOVE to see separated bike lanes on Spring Street! Two lanes for traffic, two lanes for separated bike lanes, and widened sidewalks. NO on-street parking!

Illithid Dude · #**1594** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 8:34 PM**

Chicago and Portland also have grade-seperated bike lanes. Almost every city in Europe does, too. Comparing your city to other cities in America may not be the best thing, as other cities in America don't set a very high bar. And I'd be fine with green-painted bike lanes, but just painting a white strip seems lazy.

Quixote · #**1595** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 9:28 PM**

^ Chicago only has one and it was completed last month.

"Grade-separated" means above or below-grade. IOW, not at the surface level.

---

DistrictDirt: That photo is gorgeous. DC's urban core provides a high-quality urban lifestyle that is second only to Manhattan, IMO. I love that city.

LAofAnaheim · #**1596** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 10:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

We are getting off topic here, but I'm enjoying the discussion.

Yeah, in looking at the rendering and on Google Street View, there is definitely plenty of space to accommodate green-painted sharrows like those found in Long Beach. But this will work for now...

I would LOVE to see separated bike lanes on Spring Street! Two lanes for traffic, two lanes for separated bike lanes, and widened sidewalks. NO on-street parking!

Why no on-street parking? And why the emphasis on this?

If you go to any urban area within LA or other cities, you will notice they all have on-street parking. Why? Because it SLOWS TRAFFIC. Cars have to be on the lookout for parking spots. Plus, it provides a BUFFER between pedestrians and cars. Sit at the LA Cafe on Spring street during parking restricted hours and non-restricted hours. Let me know when the street feels slower.

Advocating for no parking, is actually advocating for faster car traffic speeds and giving more convenience to drivers. Wheras, when advocating for parking, you are actually trying to slow down the street.

On-street parking is good. Look at the areas of on-street parking (i.e. Main street in Venice, Santa Monica business district, Colorado in Pasadena, etc...) and then compare them to areas where there are no on-street parking.

What areas have more pedestrians and are thriving economically (hint: parking is NOT BAD)

Now, off-street parking garages is a whole another story.................

Quixote · #**1597** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 11:18 PM**

^ Because I'd rather have wider sidewalks. Otherwise, I normally agree.

And it's a moot point because I'm advocating for protected bike lanes right next to the curb:

sidewalk | protected bike lane | traffic lane | traffic Lane | protected bike lane | sidewalk

DistrictDirt · #**1598** Posted **Jul 22, 2011, 11:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

DistrictDirt: That photo is gorgeous. DC's urban core provides a high-quality urban lifestyle that is second only to Manhattan, IMO. I love that city.

This is what you get when you let Gabe Klein run your department of transportation. Rahm Emanual was right to snatch him up for Chicago.

Quixote · #**1599** Posted **Jul 23, 2011, 12:47 AM**

^ I actually see quite a few similarities between LA and DC. LA should do itself a favor by emulating DC's model of building transit villages around stations. It's been very successful in DC from what I understand.

LAofAnaheim · #**1600** Posted **Jul 23, 2011, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

^ Because I'd rather have wider sidewalks. Otherwise, I normally agree.

And it's a moot point because I'm advocating for protected bike lanes right next to the curb:

sidewalk | protected bike lane | traffic lane | traffic Lane | protected bike lane | sidewalk

Why have one or the other?

Look at that awesome photo of DC...notice that street parking? That looks nice.

As a bike rider, I feel safer biking on Main street in Venice or SaMo boulevard in West Hollywood WITH street parking than the "highway" known as SaMo boulevard in Century City WITHOUT street parking.

Anyways, as you said "moot point"...LADOT is already planning to make 2 sides of Main & Spring 24 hour parking. (Again, we found out at the Complete Streets DLANC meeting earlier this month)

Hooray!