Bill sponsored by Metro to ease construction of bike lanes moves to Governor’s desk

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Here's some good news from last Frida, when a Metro-sponsored bill cleared the Assembly in Sacramento. The bill would allow class II bikeways — that's bike lanes along existing roadways, in plain English — to be built without agencies having to do time-consuming and time-gobbling environmental review studies to determine the impact of bike lanes.

In recent times, some anti-bike lane activists have tried to force agencies to perform the studies, alleging that re-striping streets to include bike lanes may cause more traffic — even when no vehicle lanes are lost.

Here's the update Friday from Metro's government relations staff:

Just a short while ago, AB 2245 (Smyth) passed on the Assembly Floor on a concurrence vote of 63-0. The measure, sponsored by Metro, would allow for a modified exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act for certain bike lane projects. The bill now moves onto the Governor's desk for signature.

 

Categories: Bicycle

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8 replies ›

  2. What is Metro’s view of bike lane projects that remove motor vehicle travel lanes on streets where Metro buses operate?

    • Hi Simon;

      Not to sound wishy-washy, but there is no over-arching response. I think the agency would look at different projects individually to determine their impact on transit service.

      That said, the agency has said in many different ways that it supports bike travel and wants to see more of it, in particular as a way to help people travel to and from transit. You see this in different ways: Metro allowing bikes on trains at all times, installing more bike parking at transit stations and including bike lanes/paths as parts of projects such as the Expo Line and Orange Line.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  4. Los Angeles has had to outsource the creation of EIR documents recently for about 80 miles of streets that may get bike lanes. This is a large financial burden considering the small amount of money that the city devotes annually to on-street bicycling infrastructure.

  5. Ballona Creek Renaissance is in the process of improving the bikeway and landscaping projects.

    How about extending Ballona Creek bike path to Centinela Creek given Centineal Creek already connects to Ballona Creek? Centineal has a county owned public-right-of-way on both side.

    This would connect Westchester/Fox Hills with Ballona Creek, Wetlands, the Marina, Venice and the Playas. The route could be built along north bank of the creek which is feasible and would take riders to La Cienega Boulevard and 405 FWY and to proposed Crenshaw Expo Line Station on Florence Ave. Therefore, you could get off at the Florence Ave. station and head to the beach on the path.

    • I believe not — I think this is going forward, not for projects studied in the past. Also, parts of the bikeway are not class II bike lanes. Metro sought the bill mostly because we’re a county agency and L.A. County is preparing to install more than 800 miles of bike lanes on county roads.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source