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L.A.'s Transportation Department Launches a Bicycle Blog

bicycle-blog-ladot.jpg
Photo by *Mike via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr

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Today the L.A. Department of Transportation Bikeways office launched a blog in an effort to reach out to the bicycle community. Behind it is an intern, who is an Urban Planning masters student at USC named Chris. In his first post, he takes the first step, admitting the office has a problem. "A lot of friction between the L.A. bicycle community and LADOT Bikeways has risen from our inability to effectively communicate our goals and rationale to a growing, vocal, and increasingly connected bicycle community," Chris writes. "LADOT Bikeways can sometimes come across like we’re not doing too much, but it is mainly because we didn’t tell you about all the things we ARE doing."

But there's no saying if that is how LADOT really feels. The blog's disclaimer is questionable: "The views and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views, policies, and directives of LADOT or the LADOT Bike Program."

In any case, this is a positive step for the department known for having very little community outreach. As Chris says, "Take it easy dear readers. I am, after all, the new kid." Welcome to the blogLAsphere, we wish you luck.

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