Over the last week, the L.A. Bike Working Group has been releasing their vision of how the city should be connected for cyclists. It's a plan in opposition of the Los Angeles' current and official draft master plan for biking, which since the beginning has been steeped in controversy.
"The Backbone simply establishes a basic framework of priority corridors and a strategy for supporting a cyclist's freedom to move," notes bicycle community organizer Stephen Box. "[It] requires little, if any, funding in order to become a significant improvement over the status quo. The City of Los Angeles already provides many services that are key to making the Backbone the foundation for cross-town cycling, including law enforcement, routine maintenance, and prioritized repairs. Now is the time to focus them on the removal of obstacles so that the Backbone flows."
Without community support, plans like the city's bicycle master plan will have a tough time receiving funding from outside sources. If today's LA Times' traffic talkback comments section is any indicator of support, perhaps it's time for the city to listen up.
