Bike Lanes Grow Overnight at UCLA

Bruin Walk chalked after initiation of Dismount Zone Policy

Along Bruin Walk on Monday, students were greeted by a makeshift lane, drawn anonymously in chalk and created for use by bikers and skateboarders. The pathway extended from the top of De Neve Drive to the area behind the Powell Building. Large capitalized chalk messages at Bruin Plaza declared “Resist the dismount.” (Daily Bruin)

Congratulations! There are plenty more bike lanes waiting for you to be born, and the background to this form of sidewalk art has been told wonderfully by Dan “Banana & Bicycle” Koeppel in his Paint Your Lane

But at UCLA the problem is bigger, and deeper. We have a Transportation Service on Campus in charge of bicycles. But they are not experts, they do not cycle, they do not “Improve Bicycle Accessibility to Campus” (The First Commandment in the Bicycle Master Plan). They have no cyclists to talk to, and so they start dreaming about cycling as a public safety issue.
True, there are some areas on Bruin Walk where uneducated bikes and pedestrians, all ears duly plugged, put themselves into danger. But to pull out CVC 21200 at a rate of 202$ is a bit harsh. And to say that it is consistent with the Bicycle Master Plan seems rather creative, or even deceptive: first because in my copy of the plan, the exclusion is limited to the period between 10:00am and 2:00pm, secondly the exclusion along parking structure 8 has been added without authority of the plan, and thirdly because the Bicycle Master Plan has plenty of recommendations which have not been acted upon – so why pull out the one which limits human powered transportation, and leave all the others in the drawer? Like, well, "Improve Bicycle Accessibility to Campus." And if cyclists use unsafe routes, as they sometimes do, perhaps it would be a good idea to provide a safe route for them, rather then simply serving them a simple street closure. You would think that a premier university in the country could somehow figure that one out.
But there is wider sense of injustice among cyclists: What do cyclists get in return for such restrictive policies? Why are there closing routes for bicycles, without providing an alternative route? Is there equity in the treatment of bikes and cars on the campus when safety is the issue? Or are those cyclists a lost cause, a tiny minority, not listened to, who will have to make do after the cars have had their share?

Which Way UCLA and VA (and National Cemetery)

The Westside Urban Forum is inviting to an event entitled: Which Way UCLA and VA: Friday Sep 18, 2009 7:00 AM, Regency Club, corner of Westwood and Wilshire.

7:00 AM is early, very early, but it is important, and de rigueur for every cyclist who has fought his way through the car-filed cemetery which surrounds UCLA, especially to the West. Panelists include our own Chancellor Gene Block, the Hon. Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, and Ronald Norby, VA Healthcare Network. Moderator Cindy Miscikowski, President of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners & former Member Los Angeles City Council.

Come ye all you urban planners and cyclists, and let us find out if the developers and politicians have woken up to the call of the bicycle. And if the bicycle bell is still in your pocket from last night's council meeting, leave it there, it may come in handy. Bring money too, allow $ 10 surcharge if you wait to register after the 15th, because there is a ticket requirement, but Parsons Brinckerhoff seems to subsidize student membership. And who is going to stay quiet just because of $ 15 (student non-members). Perhaps the UCLA Urban Planning has a fund for this?

The issues from saddle and handlebar:

The Westwood / Brentwood bicycle dis-connection called 405

The Hallowed Ground Land Grab: Why do cyclists need to risk their lives on Wilshire when a path across the cemetery is simple and easy. Let's have a discussion if endangering and discouraging cyclist (and re-routing the subway to the sea?) is the appropriate and best way to pay honor to those who are honored there. Clearly, given all its benefits, the bicycle is the most patriotic form of transportation, and both the VA and the National Cemetery could do more to welcome it

Does Nothing: Unfilled promises of the UCLA Bicycle Masterplan which requires improvements of bicycle access routes to UCLA

Who Killed the West LA Veloway: A Grand Dream (image above) from the early 1980ies, pursued with much local support, including employing a planner to work on it

The Los Angeles Country Club: Miles of rolling hills for the golfers, but not even a few feet for a decent cycle path?

(Of course, some of this has been said before by the so-called The Bicycle Rider in Beverly Hills (pseud.) and his rather angry booklet)

Jazz is not Dead

Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny, said the honorable Frank Zappa. The same is not true of the UCLA Bicycle Academy. It is neither dead nor does it smell funny.

Caltrans Comes to Visit

Yes, the Bicycle Coordinator of Caltrans district 7 will come for a visit. As a preparation, we created this map with some of the bicycle circulation issues known to mankind. UCLA has never much cared about what we have to fend with on our way to campus, despite a very direct language in the UCLA Bicycle Masterplan which demands improvements on access routes as the first priority.


View larger map on Google My Maps to add your own observations.

This map is interactive and open for all collaborators. Please click on this link to go to the Google Maps page, then click on My Maps and log in, and add your placemarkers with comments! Use the magnifying tool to place markers with precision and add description. This is a unique chance to get this looked at! Take note of of the specific dangers awaiting the cyclist, and refer to bicycle accidents you happen to know of.

Cycling with your Councilmember in Westwood

Early morning political cycling anyone? Tomorrow, Friday, February 27, 2009, the LA County Bicycle Coalition organizes the second Car Free Friday ride.

We start at 8 am - come early and raise you bicycle complaints directly with your Council member Bill Rosendahl

From West LA to Century City: Here is the route

1. Start at Corinth Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.
2. North on Corinth Ave.
3. Right on Ohio St., east on Ohio St.
4. Left on Sepulveda Blvd., north on Sepulveda Blvd.
5. Right at Westwood Park, ride through Westwood Park and Federal Building Area
6. Cross Wilshire at Veteran, north on Veteran
7. Right on Kinross Ave., east on Kinross Ave.
8. Right Westwood Blvd., south on Westwood Blvd.
9. Left on Santa Monica Blvd., east on Santa Monica Blvd.
10. Right on Avenue of the Stars, end ride in Century City Business Area.

There should be plenty of opportunities to raise the dismal state of bicycle approaches to UCLA, the lacking connectivity of SM Boulevard to Santa Monica, the state of the street surface, directly with your council member: Bring your complaints and bring your friends and bring a camera too – Just as this is an photo opp for the politician, it is also our opportunity to push for improvements with the council member directly.