Reyes, bicyclists in fast lane for first bikeway in downtown L.A.

(Photo: Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Monica Valencia
September 7, 2011 (213) 473-7001
Monica.Valencia@lacity.org

Reyes, Bicyclists in Fast Lane for First Bikeway in Downtown L.A.

WHAT: Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, joined by bicyclists pedaling into MacArthur Park, will celebrate the first commuter bike lanes in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation will paint the final bicycle marking to complete the first phase of bike lanes on 7th Street. The 2.2-mile bike lanes are striped from Catalina Avenue to Figueroa Street through Downtown, Koreatown and Westlake—three of the City’s most densely-populated neighborhoods.
WHEN: Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 9 a.m.
WHERE: MacArthur Park(at 7th and Alvarado Street)
WHO: Councilmember Ed P. Reyes
Jennifer Klausner, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Kang Hu, Senior Transportation Engineer, Department of Transportation
José Veliz, day labor organizer, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)

DETAILS: The 7th Street bike lanes are part of the City's Bicycle Master Plan, spearheaded by Councilmember Reyes. The next phase involves extending the 7th Street bike lanes an additional 2.9 miles through Downtown to Soto Street in Boyle Heights. The Plan lays out 1,680 miles of interconnected bikeways and calls for more than 200 miles of new bicycle routes every five years Citywide, including along the Los Angeles River. The Plan will be implemented in part using funds from Measure R, a half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2008 to fund transportation projects. The Plan was developed to encourage alternative transportation options and promote safe and healthy living, especially in Los Angeles' urban neighborhoods.

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Reyes Rolls With EPA, Bike Leaders at MacArthur Park

It's a beautiful day for a bicycle ride in L.A!

Today, I joined bicyclists who stopped at MacArthur Park during their Playa del Rey to Downtown L.A. Bike Tour. The 18-mile ride was led by officials from the City's Planning Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Los Angeles County Bike Coalition(LACBC) and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

"The event is designed to help bicyclists learn how to navigate downtown safely, while enjoying a sunny bike tour of our great City," said Reyes. "The event also supports ongoing bicycle projects, including a bike lane on 7th Street in downtown. This will incorporate a "road diet" where we reduce the vehicle travel lanes from two in each direction, to one in each direction. Bike enthusiasts can also look forward to added bike paths along the L.A. River."

In addition to MacArthur Park, the bike tour also included stops in Culver City, the County Cycling Collaborative(1250 6th St.)and Los Angeles City Hall. The ride was led by Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest, joined by Mitch Katz, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Director, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Jennifer Klausner, Executive Director LACBC, Barbara Romero, City of LA Planning Commissioner and Chief of Urban Projects and Watershed

Division for the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority.
"In Los Angeles, biking is not only good exercise and great fun, but is also a viable form of transportation for commuting to work or running errands," Blumenfeld said. "EPA, the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Health and Health Services, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, want to make the City and County of L.A. more bicycle-friendly by making every street safer for bike riders of all ages."

Klausner said: "We’re excited to partner with the EPA for the Playa to Downtown Ride to highlight the great work being done around L.A. County and in the City of Los Angeles to improve the bicycle environment. Bicycling can solve so many of the issues we face in our communities from environmental air quality and public health concerns to creating more livable communities with vibrant local economies.”