‘West Hollywood City Council on Monday night will consider adopting a citywide policy, initiated by Mayor Pro Tem John M. Erickson and Councilmember Chelsea Byers, to plan and implement only protected bike facilities (Class I or Class IV) throughout West Hollywood. The Community Services Department, led by Yvonne Quarker and Hernan Molina, prepared the statement on the subject.
The recommendations include directing the Community Development Department (CDD) to develop a policy for protected bike facilities without removing any proposed bike facilities in the City’s General Plan, conducting outreach for input, and returning to City Council with options to amend plans to achieve this goal.
The background analysis highlights West Hollywood’s urban nature and its role as a pass-through location for commuters, leading to high traffic volumes on major boulevards. The document outlines the benefits of protected bike facilities, such as safety, promoting physical activity, inclusivity, environmental impact reduction, and providing safe spaces for vulnerable road users.
The document references past city plans that incorporated bike facilities, like the Santa Monica Boulevard Reconstruction in 1999 and the Design District Streetscape Master Plan approved in 2013, noting these facilities are not protected. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan approved in 2003 and updated in 2017 does not explicitly recommend protected bike facilities.
Staff analysis indicates that incorporating protected bike facilities is a complex process requiring thorough planning, interdepartmental coordination, and public engagement. It would significantly impact CDD staff, requiring amendments to current plans, additional staffing resources, and possibly hiring consultants for expertise and community outreach. It would involve data collection, analysis, public meetings, and ensuring legal compliance.
The proposed policy aligns with the Primary Strategic Goals and Ongoing Strategic Programs of Vision 2020, specifically “Transportation System Improvement,” and complies with the West Hollywood General Plan goals of providing safe circulation and public infrastructure and maintaining urban form and land use patterns that enhance quality of life.
The community engagement process will involve posting the agenda as required by law and reaching out to stakeholders such as the bicycle coalition and neighborhood groups. The Community Development Department’s Long Range Planning Division is primarily responsible for this initiative. Currently, there is no fiscal impact mentioned, and no attachments are provided.
This just seems performative. At the end of the day the “protected” bike lanes are very expensive and take up more space that may reduce traffic lanes causing more gridlock. Also, this position can be ignored or overridden by three votes at any time. So while this is nice posturing, it really is meaningless as they can’t tie the hands of future Council members.
“only protected bike facilities”
what the hell does that mean? So the few bicyclists get protected lanes, but the scooter riders still illegally ride and dump on the sidewalks, endangering pedestrians? I ask because not once in the agenda item, nor in the staff report are scooters mentioned. Of course, I’m not surprised since the bill was authored by John Erickson and Chelsea Byers, both of whom are, in my opinion…well, you don’t know want to know my opinion…
If protected bike facilities were such a priority/need than why weren’t they included into the Melrose Ave Design District street transformation ? Are they going to tear up what they just did?
Having a bit of a struggle defining an “only protected bike facilities.”
Should do it, whatever it is.
Thank you.
I don’t support spending a dime to help cyclists until they are ticketed for riding on the sidewalk and breaking other traffic laws. They are a selfish nuisance to pedestrians and drivers.
Seriously. We could find this city if tickets were given out to bikers running stop signs and jerks on scooters riding on the sidewalks.
and it’s not like we have tons of bike riders.
ALL OF THESE COMMENTS ARE THE TRUTH. EVERYDAY IN WEST HOLLYWOOD. ENTITLED PR1CKS.