New Bike Lanes Spotted Around LA
This one seen on the Fletcher LA River Bridge heading east. There’s signage too, these seem to have been added by a new city department called “DIY” - I’m not sure what that stands for exactly, perhaps Department of Intertransit Youth or Department of Icycle Youtreach. Something like that I’m sure. Another pic of the signs after the jump.
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As much as I’d like more bike lanes, it’s really not appropriate to simple co-opt them like that.
But sometimes inappropriate times call for inappropriate measures, and, uh, signage.
doorframe: it is completely appropriate. If it weren’t it would be removed. There is plenty of room for a bike lane there AND it is crucial because the Fletcher bridge marks a logical beginning/end to a spin down the LA River bike path.
Yay! That area of Fletcher is a total bitch for us NELA cyclists using this main bike link from Northeast LA to Silverlake/Hollywood/Westside. The Northbound section is particularly cumbersome, due to the speeding cars that often cut us off to jump on the Northbound on-ramp of the 2 Freeway.
Tho, I prefer DIY Sharrows the Do It Yourself Bike Lane is an appreciated road enhancement.
I ride that way often, and it was kinda sketchy without a bike lane! Thanks department of DIY!
RumorsDaily: the creamy moral center of motorists everywhere.
Ha ha this is awesome. Doing something like this has crossed my mind many times. But I’m just too law abiding and don’t have the guts.
But if guerrilla bike lanes are made, take a lead from this guy:
http://ankrom.org/freeway_signs.html
He made his signs exactly to state highway specifications and it apparently took 6 months for officials to notice the sign change.
…….. and I would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those darn bicycle kids.
That drawing of the bike in the bike lane looks pretty DIY.
Did they just fill in a chalk outline of a cyclist who was run over?
- AP
http://www.proctorformayor.com
AP. that’s what those "beer drinking wolfpack" cyclists see on Monday nights.
"Department of Intertransit Youth"
CORRECT!
Ghetto.
Awesome! I rode it today, and noticed the sign is gone.
It’s about time. Fletcher was approved for bike lanes in the 1996 Bicycle Master Plan - see http://www.ci.la.ca.us/PLN/Cwd/GnlPln/TransElt/BikePlan/B1intro.htm . Despite this approval, DOT says that it’s too narrow because where there’s 5 lanes at the left turn lane on to Ripple it’s tight. The city was touting a plan to add a pedestrian bridge immediately upstream, so they could widen the roadway… sort of the bazooka to swat a fly approach, in my opinion. Councilmember Garcetti has been verbally supportive, but hasn’t made it happen… perhaps bicyclists should let him know it’s time to make these improvised lanes real.
This is great! I was always scared going that direction on Fletcher because of the freeway entrance. I think this will be great on Hyperion Bridge (hint, hint)
I so very wholeheartedly agree with the spirit behind this. When the law doesn’t protect you, then it’s time to protect yourself. 12 years is long enough to wait.
That said, that is one crappy paint job. Drawing attention to itself with sloppy craft will only get it painted over more quickly. Maybe a more stable stencil would help — thin plexiglass cut with an x-acto or something. Then it could be used again and again for other areas of need identified by the Department.
Oh, the lame paint job is CHARMING. Besides, you go and try to do better while traffic is probably swarming around you between a pair of major freeway on-ramps!
In fact, we all should go out and DEFINITELY try to do better wherever we can!
@luckypierre, I agree — it was probably very hard. Kudos to them for Making It Happen. But I most agree with your last sentiment: I think we can take a freaking awesome idea and make it freaking awesomer. And isn’t that the goal? To awe, and to up the awesome ante when possible. YAY, I say.
[...] New Bike Lanes Spotted Around LA | Los Angeles Metblogsnow this is something I can get behind! [...]
Buffed!!! as of today. that was fast!
[...] Damien Newton Apparently, It’s a Lot Easier to Remove Bike Lanes Than to Add ThemLast week, MetBlogs reported that some enterprising souls took it upon themselves to improve the city’s bike network by [...]
I can’t believe LA DPW, or whatever city contractor covered that out in just a couple of days. Someone took a pink paint roller to the asphalt on Avenue 57 & the Gold Line here in Highland Park about a year ago, nothing useful, just tagging, and its still there today. WTF?
[...] The other day Paul Bringetto got fed up with cars almost hitting him again and again while riding in the dangerous yet citie designated “bike lanes” and decided to look for other options. What he found was a much safer bike lane already exists on the 10. Looks like some vandals must have stolen or painted over the signage though - the city should get on fixing that quick. Maybe it’s a job for the department of DIY. [...]