Category Archives: Bicycle

Metro Bike Maps Now Appearing on Metro Red/Purple Line

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Metro Bike Map Decal at Universal City Metro Red Line Station.

New bicycle map decals are now showing up at Metro Red and Purple Line stations, thanks to the input Metro received through its Bicycle Roundtable meetings and Metro’s Communications Department.

The photo above shows a map installed at the Universal City Station. There are now reports that maps are posted at Civic Center and Westlake/MacArthur Park Red/Purple Line Stations. More maps will be installed at other stations over time.

The idea was suggested at Metro’s first Roundtable meeting, where the agency collected scores of specific requests to make Metro buses and trains more bike friendly. While there is more work to be done, the maps are a key early success for the program.

Survey: bikes on trains — what do you think?

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As we posted yesterday, the Metro Board of Directors officially lifted — effective immediately — the peak hour prohibition against bringing bikes on Metro Rail. The Board had previously asked for more information about crowds on trains before some seats are removed to accommodate more bikes — and Metro CEO Art Leahy said trains could grow longer and run more frequently as seats are taken out.

The idea is to help the increasing number of cyclists in L.A. County use their bikes to commute. What do you think? Can Metro Rail trains handle more bikes at rush hour? Will this help encourage more people to bike? Will it be a major turn off to non-cycling rail passengers?

Please vote and feel free to leave a short comment here with your views.

Take our Why I Cycle survey

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Hollywood/Western Biker Chick

Do you love to bring your bike on Metro? Tell us why!

Bikes are huge right now! CicLAvia was a rousing success, Metro just lifted its rush hour ban on bikes on trains and National Bike Month is days away. Because of this we thought it was a great time to launch a new series on the Source titled “Why I Cycle” to spotlight local bicyclists who have made the daring leap from car-dependent to car-free or at least car-light in Los Angeles.

If CicLAvia is any indication, cycling in L.A. has never been more popular (or important in light of rising gas prices, congestion and air pollution). More and more people are utilizing bikes for fun and transportation, and we’d like to reveal how they roll through personal accounts of bicycle use, and in particular, connections with L.A.’s Metro system.

Point your browser to thesource.metro.net/cyclesurvey, fill out the survey and we’ll spotlight your own story on the Source. We’ll publish survey responses over the next month to inspire and guide others in L.A. who are considering joining L.A.’s two-wheeled revolution.

And don’t forget, Metro is celebrating Bike Week L.A. on May 16-20.

Bike Week LA is on its way May 16-20

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For the 17th straight year, Metro will be participating in Bike to Work Day (Thursday, May 19) as part of Bike Week LA from May 16 through May 20. The events take place in May, but you can gear up for Bike Week by signing up now for the following programs:

  • Pledge to ride on Bike to Work Day. By signing up through the California Bicycle Coalition, you show that cyclists count. You will also be entered for a chance to win some great prizes.
  • Commuting Awards: Get around by bike? Nominate yourself or your friends and colleagues for an award. Metro will be rewarding those who take the longest and hilliest commutes as well as those who have demonstrated a commitment to getting around without the use of a car. Just fill out the online form between now and the end of April.
  • The Bike Buddies program on Bike to Work Day gives inexperienced cyclists the opportunity to ride with cycling veterans. If you are interested in getting some on-road experience, or you are an experienced cyclist who wants to help out, please register on our website.

Both fun and healthy, riding your bike is a great way to get around and avoid the pains of traffic and paying for gas. For more information about Bike Week, please visit our website.

 


Streetfilms asks: What is CicLAvia?

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The latest dispatch from Streetfilms — a member of the Streetsblog family — attempts to answer the fundamental questions of Los Angeles’ newfangled open streets event: What is CicLAvia? Why is it important? And what can you do when the streets are turned over from automobiles to people? Check out the video and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

 

Bikes make tracks on Metro trains

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Bikes at the Little Tokyo Gold Line station during Sunday's CicLAvia event. Photo by Waltarrrr, via Flickr.

Here’s a good post on Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky’s website about the effort to make room for more bikes on Metro Rail.

Excerpt:

Sunday’s CicLAvia ride through Los Angeles streets was not just a test of the city’s ability to embrace a car-free existence for a few hours. It also was a test of Metro’s ability to cope with the largest congregation of bicycle commuters it’s ever faced, as thousands turned to public transportation to get them to and from the 7.5 mile route.

And—while it’s certain that many riders encountered delays, crowded train cars or both—it’s clear that the event was a milestone in the agency’s evolving track record of accommodating bicycles aboard its subway and light rail trains.

I encourage cyclists to read the entire post — there’s a lot of good perspective from cyclists.

Yaroslavsky is a member of the Metro Board of Directors, which next week will begin to consider a new policy to lift the ban on bikes on Metro Rail during peak hours.

Metro proposes removal of peak-hour ban for bikes on rail

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Metro plans to remove the peak hour restrictions for bikes on Metro trains, and will present a recommendation to the Board of Director’s Operations Subcommittee on April 21.

The committee item, available here, recommends the removal of the weekday 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. bike ban on Metro Rail lines for some high-demand trains. Bicycles could be brought on all trains in all directions at all times if the ban is removed. If approved by the Board of Directors, changes would go into effect immediately.

The recommendation would better accommodate riders who use a bicycle for both the first and last segments of their trips, and overall, meet the expected growth in cyclists using Metro. The issue has been under study for the past year.

The current Bike-on-Rail policy has been on the books since September 2002and has, according to the Metro staff report to the Board, “impeded the full use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.” From the report:

“Elimination of the time restrictions would allow unfettered access to the rail system. This would encourage more people to ride transit knowing that they would be allowed to begin and end their trips using bicycles; reduce their carbon footprints as more cars come off the road and increase MTA ridership leading to a more sustainable environment.”

Also part of the committee item is a recommendation to remove seats in light rail vehicles on the Blue, Gold and Green lines to accommodate more bikes. Seat removal is expected to improve accommodations for bikes and other large items on trains. At this time, only seats on the Red/Purple Lines have been removed to create extra space. Due to train car availability issues, seat removal would likely be completed by mid-2013.

Following consideration of the item in the Operations Committee, the item would then go to the full Metro Board April 28.

If the Board approves the new policy, an amendment would also be submitted for Metro Board approval reflecting the change to the agency’s Customer Code of Conduct, which establishes public rules for utilizing the Metro system.

CicLAvia, v. 2.0!

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Photo by Steve Hymon/Metro.

From the saddle of my 17-year-old mountain bike, it sure looked like the second edition of CicLAvia was a big success on Sunday. The crowds seemed larger than the premiere event last October and the weather was perfect. It also looked like plenty of people, including yours truly, used Metro to reach the CicLAvia route.

The only hitch I saw was that just as the event was ending, the Red and Purple Line station at Union Station was closed for a couple of hours due to a suspicious package found on the tracks. Precautions, of course, had to be taken, although the package turned out to be harmless.

CicLAvia also has events planned for July and October. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tweeted Sunday that the next ride on city streets will be July 10. As someone who as a reporter once egged on the city to close streets for cyclists and pedestrians — just as many other cities around the world do — I think the city of L.A. deserves a lot of credit for pulling off two CicLAvias in just six months with more on the way.

I took the above photo from MacArthur Park looking west down 7th Street. Below are some photos posted today to Flickr.

Photo by Waltarrrr, via Flickr.

Photo by srd515, via Flickr.

Photo by srd515, via Flickr.


Metro Tips for Attending CicLAvia This Sunday

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photo by lasubwayblog, via Flickr

CicLAvia is this Sunday, April 10, and although more than three dozen Metro Bus Lines will be detoured along the nearly eight-mile route that day, Metro is an enthusiastic supporter of the event.

L.A. streets will be closed to cars except for key intersections, and will instead be open to walkers, bicyclists, skateboarders and anyone else looking for car-free street fun.

Metro is no doubt a great way to get to CicLAvia, with eight rail stations along or near the route. Metro will add capacity to the Metro Red Line and Gold Line throughout the day to accommodate attendees. Regular Sunday schedules will apply, which means trains will run at approximately 12-15 minute headways. To plan your trip on Metro Bus (or Rail) lines, use the Metro Trip Planner.

Metro does anticipate this event will be highly popular and there will be instances when trains are full. The agency recommends that riders plan accordingly by allowing more time to get to the event by transit.

If you’re with a large group and within a good riding distance to the CicLAvia route consider joining the many “Feeder Rides” to CicLAvia.

For those of you taking the train please keep in mind the safe operation of the transit system and follow these simple rules and tips when taking your bike.

  • Riding a bicycle in station areas and platforms is prohibited.
  • Stand with your bike in designated areas not blocking train aisles or doors (including operator’s door) and be prepared to vacate the designated wheel-chair area should a wheel-chair user board.
  • Bikes not permitted aboard Metro Rail include tandem, 3-wheeled, gasoline-powered, and bike trailers.
  • If trains are at standing room only, please wait patiently for the next available train with your bicycle.

See you at CicLAvia!