One of the most bike - friendly cities in the U.S. is Long Beach , a Southern California city of about 500,000 residents that most hoi polloi do not even bed is freestanding from L.A. Over just about a decade , the city has transform itself into a haven for wheeler , put through innovative infrastructure likebike boulevards , safety elements like “ motorcycle box ” at overlap , and economic enterprise likebike - friendly business dominion .
At the helm of these changes today is Nate Baird , who was of late named Mobility & Healthy Living Programs Officer for the metropolis . He came from a like preparation role in L.A. ’s Department of Transportation , where he spearheaded the implementation of the city ’s bike programme all over Los Angeles . I asked him a few questions about his new persona and what makes Long Beach so special for bikes .
What is your role in the city ?
I am a Mobility & Healthy Living Programs Officer , which think I get to connect the acid between how we get around in Long Beach and how that tempt our health . We want to make active DoT choice , walk , bicycling , and razz transit , easier choices for people . I ’m based out of the Public Works Department ’s Transportation group and I get to exploit closely with the City of Long Beach ’s Health Department , as well .
What ’s the most interesting or unique bike program or infrastructural element you ’ve get down in Long Beach ?
We ’ve get so many ! From the bicycle - friendly business work that Charlie Gandy and April Economides began with Bike Long Beach , to the green sharrows on 2nd St. in Belmont Shore . I suppose my current favorite are the pair of separated bikeways on 3rd and Broadway . They really make bicycling on those street comfortable and easy .
How has Long Beach been able to make so many great changes when it add up to bike and walking in such a short menses of time ?
There ’s a lot of great energy in Long Beach , coming from a lot of different places . And you need that get-up-and-go from a variety of places , from the politician and city staff , from your advocator and from the business community . In Long Beach a diverseness of various stakeholders are really making variety possible from community of interests groups to those in the wellness field .
What ’s the biggest misconception when it come to adding bike lane ?
There ’s only so much quad between our curbs . And we have to plan and design for the pinch point in a corridor . This is why so many bike lane projects necessitate taking quad that was antecedently set by for vehicle . But only very seldom are we really assume away vehicle access . commonly what we ’re sacrificing is some grade of vehicle mobility , commonly an increase in motorist travelling time along a corridor during a short , but important , period of the 24-hour interval . The benefits in rubber and new access for bicycler of a tolerant chain of ability are 24 - hr gains .
What ’s the one way people should be regard at a local level to make their biotic community more bikeable ?
The great matter is that there is no one way . Wherever you are is a good place to bug out , whether that means going for a fun ride with admirer on juncture , try a tripper by bike or transit that you commonly take by car , advocating for bicyclist take politically or in the sphere of influence of your job or day-by-day life .
figure by Allan Crawford
Nate is joining us today to do your interrogation about how to make your community and city more bike - well-disposed . you may also conform to him at @BicyclingNate .
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