More bike lanes and better bike infrastructure would benefit all of Greater L.A. County’s citizens. Riding bikes certainly improves personal health, but it also offers a range of broader benefits, including reducing traffic congestion and noise in the city. It is an eco-friendly mode of transportation that helps lower greenhouse gas emissions. Here in Los Angeles, there are currently around 1,200 miles of bike lanes. However, this is not enough to meet the needs of the city’s growing population of cyclists.
Why Los Angeles Needs More Bike Lanes
According to the Los Angeles Times, an estimated 85% of L.A.’s bicycle fatalities happened on roads without dedicated bike lanes. Moreover, 77% of the fatal crashes involving cyclists occurred on multi-lane roads, often with three or more lanes in each direction. The article also pointed out that there are fewer bike lanes and more fatalities in neighborhoods with higher percentages of lower-income Black and Latino families.
Along with keeping riders safer than riding in traffic or on sidewalks, adding bike lanes would encourage more people to ride bikes, which would reduce the number of cars on the road. This would create a positive cycle of increased bike usage and decreased car usage, benefiting everyone in the city.
Improving existing bike lanes
The design of existing bike lanes in Los Angeles also needs improvement. Many bike lanes are simply lines of paint on the asphalt with no barriers to protect cyclists from traffic or parked vehicles. This makes cycling dangerous and discourages people from embracing it as a mode of everyday transportation. To improve bike safety, the city should invest in:
- Protected bike lanes: These lanes have physical barriers separating cyclists from traffic.
- Cycle tracks: These are dedicated bike paths wholly separated from the road.
Additionally, bike lanes should be well-lit and maintained to ensure they are always safe to use.
It’s time to act
Bicycle-friendly cities like Portland and Minneapolis or European cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam tout the many benefits of bike infrastructure. Now it’s L.A.’s turn. Investing in bike infrastructure promotes cycling, enhances safety, and encourages more people to choose biking as a mode of transportation.
