Recent Streetsblog CALIFORNIA posts about bike lanes

In SF, the Solution to Poor Bike Lanes: Just Get Rid of Them

By Aaron Bialick | Jul 20, 2015 | No Comments

The SFMTA wants to remove bike lanes and sharrows on King Street in SoMa’s South Beach area to discourage bicycling on the truck-heavy street, Hoodline reports. The agency wants to divert bike commuters to the parallel stretch of Townsend Street, but has no plans to install bike lanes there. The unprotected bike lanes on Townsend […]

In SF, Safer San Jose Avenue Advocates Fend Off Attacks From Angry Motorists

By Aaron Bialick | Jul 8, 2015 | No Comments

The redesign of San Jose Avenue took a step forward a month ago when Caltrans removed a traffic lane on a Highway 280 off-ramp leading on to San Jose, a.k.a. the Bernal Cut. The plan is the result of decades of neighborhood advocacy for safer streets, but it is running into opposition from motorists who […]

The Worst Bike Lane in the World?

By Melanie Curry | Jun 25, 2015 | 34 Comments

The title of this post may be a bit hyperbolic, but Orinda really deserves attention for this one-of-a-kind bike facility. As seen in the image above, a bike lane on Camino Pablo signals that bicyclists should go straight ahead—between two right-turn lanes that lead to a freeway onramp. Yes, the right turn from the middle […]

SFMTA Retracts Report of 651% Jump in Bike Traffic on San Jose Avenue

By Aaron Bialick | Jun 23, 2015 | No Comments

The SFMTA has retracted its report last week of a 651 percent jump in bicycling on northbound San Jose Avenue after a traffic lane was removed to widen the bike lane. The actual increase in morning peak-hour bike counts was 14 percent, said SFMTA spokesperson Ben Jose. In the evening peak hour, the reported 221 […]

Modesto, California: A Model for a Bicycle-Friendly City?

By Melanie Curry | May 27, 2015 | 13 Comments

The California central valley town of Modesto is not usually high on anyone’s list of cities embracing cutting-edge pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. But that may change soon. Modesto is one of the oldest cities in California, but like other central valley towns, it grew to accommodate car travel, with wide, fast streets, plenty of parking, […]

Eyes on the Bridge: What Glendale-Hyperion’s Missing Sidewalk Means

By Joe Linton | May 21, 2015 | No Comments

Above is a graphic created by Don Ward to show just how crappy the Bureau of Engineering’s Glendale-Hyperion Bridge plan is. The unsafe design was recently approved by L.A.’s Board of Public Works, and will soon come before City Council. Streetsblog USA profiled the board’s approval as a sign that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s […]

L.A. River Crossing: New Bike/Ped Bridge Proposed–but Sidewalk Gone from Nearby Existing Bridge

By Damien Newton | May 12, 2015 | No Comments

It was sort of a surreal moment. Even as Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell stood at the podium discussing the benefits of a planned new bicycle and pedestrian crossing over the L.A. River, the Bureau of Public Works released its recommendation (PDF) that the new Glendale-Hyperion Bridge would actually have fewer feet devoted to […]

SFMTA Proposes Short-Term Safety Upgrades for Octavia Boulevard

By Aaron Bialick | May 8, 2015 | No Comments

Ten years after Octavia Boulevard opened in the footprint of the former Central Freeway, the SFMTA has proposed a package of short-term safety fixes for people walking and biking, especially along the cross streets. The upgrades could be implemented by the end of 2016. Proposals in the works include a bike lane on westbound Page […]

Caltrans Asking for Input on Bikeway Design

By Melanie Curry | Apr 24, 2015 | 5 Comments

Last year’s Protected Bikeways Act from Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) created a new officially designated bike lane type, the Class IV bikeway, variously known as a “protected bikeway” “protected bike lane,” “separated bike lane,” or “cycletrack.” The bill also required Caltrans to create and publish design criteria for the new bikeways by January 2016. […]

10 Tips for Cities Ready to Replace Car Parking With Safe Space for Biking

By Michael Andersen | Apr 15, 2015 | No Comments

Michael Andersen blogs for The Green Lane Project, a PeopleForBikes program that helps U.S. cities build better bike lanes to create low-stress streets. A curbside parking spot is just 182 square feet of urban space. But for advocates of better American bike infrastructure, few obstacles loom larger. Right now in San Diego, a long-brewing plan […]