Now that the darkest day of the year has passed, here’s a hodgepodge of action items and points to ponder as the days grow slowly longer.
A few weeks ago, we asked you in this column and on our website to press the Expo Authority to restore funding for bicycle facilities at the soon-to-open Culver City light-rail station. Well, you did just that, and with letter writing and email help from cyclists and cycling groups all across Los Angeles County, and some direct advocacy from the Culver City Bicycle Coalition, it appears that the Expo Authority is reconsidering its position.
We have received some assurances that bicycle parking will be in place on opening day, a few months from now. That may be a somewhat threadbare start, but construction is slated to start in Spring 2013 on an actual bike station – also known as a Clean Mobility Center, or CMC. At the last Expo Authority meeting, Supervisor and Metro Board Member Zev Yaroslavsky directed the Expo Authority to create a “working group” with the CCBC to begin discussions on the CMC. Yaroslavsky seemed concerned that the CMC was being deferred and asked for a report on what can be built and when.
The CCBC is advocating the installation of showers with changing rooms, clear signs and pathway demarcation from Venice and Washington boulevards, with ramps and mountable curbs providing access to the parking lot from Washington, day-use bike lockers, restrooms and self-service repair stations, round-the-clock secure bike parking and access, room to expand as usage increases, and perhaps bike rentals and bicycle and accessories sales and repairs. We will also try to be involved in the process of selecting a CMC operator.
The Expo Authority is expected to deliver its report at a meeting on Jan. 5, at 2:30 p.m. at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple St., Los Angeles, in Board of Supervisors’ hearing room 381B. So this is no time to hibernate – a final push or two (or three) could do the trick. If you can’t be at the meeting, let the Authority and Metro know that modern bicycle facilities at the Culver City station are essential for making mass and active transit work in Culver City and for all the people who want to visit, shop and dine here. Metro’s email address is boardsecretary@metro.net.
The Culver City Redevelopment Agency is considering putting bicycle sharrows on Sepulveda Boulevard from Culver Boulevard to Ballona Creek. Join the coalition at the agency’s board meeting at Culver City City Hall on Jan. 9 to show your support for this important project – one of the first to put the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan into action.
Watch for news of a CCBC Facebook page (now in the early stages of development).
Heading into Southern California’s rainy season, have you been concerned about which bicycle frame material leaves you most susceptible to being struck by lightning? Are you concerned now? Doesn’t titanium conduct electricity better than carbon? Steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium – it doesn’t seem to matter. According to the National Weather Service, “Height, pointy shape and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. The presence of metal makes absolutely no difference on where lightning strikes. Mountains are made of stone but get struck by lightning many times a year. When lightning threatens, take proper protective action immediately by seeking a safe shelter” (check out lightningsafety.noaa.gov/myths.htm for more lightning safety tips). So get your bike down off the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook when it looks like a thunderstorm may be approaching.
As we look forward to longer and longer days, both rainy and sunny, the CCBC wishes everyone a very happy New Year.
Bike Safe, Bike Smart! is a weekly column promoting responsible cycling by providing information, education and advice about riding. It’s written by members of the Culver City Bicycle Coalition (CCBC), a local chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Join them for their family bike ride, the last Sunday of every month. Stay tuned for details about the January ride. For more information, visit ccbike.org or contact them at ccbicyclecoalition@gmail.com.