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WHERE ARE ALL
THE BIKE LANES?
Gardena California| JULY 2020
Dyan Babbitt | Resident Since 2006
The City of Gardena is behind the pack in the amount of bike lanes currently available. Surrounding cities,
like Torrance, have more available mileage for the community to move through the city (South Bay Bicycle
Masterplan, 2011). I want to inform the community of the importance of bike lanes and why the lack of
bike lanes has a negative effect on the residents of Gardena.
Gardena currently has 15.7 miles of bike path. Most of this is
Class III bike paths. These are thought to be the least safe for
What types of Bike
the public. To differentiate, here are the most identifiable
qualities of each type.
lanes are available?
Class I- Paved, completely separated from streets. This is often
considered mixed use as they are typically shared with
pedestrians.
Class II- These are on-street lanes for bikes. They might include a
buffer to give more clearance for safety. This type will always have
markings to make a clear divide for vehicle traffic. Class II is the
preferred type for main streets with high speeds.
Class III- This type is shared with motor vehicles. They typically
only require signs. Types of bike lanes by class
Class IV- Designated cycle tracks. These typically have physical
barriers to separate from sidewalks and parking, as well as traffic.
(City of Oakland, n.d.)
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Why are bike lanes important?
SAFETY
The safety that bike lanes provide will really help our community thrive! I have been riding my bike daily for over 10
years. Up until maybe 5 years ago it was my only form of transportation. I used my bike to shop, to get to school, and
to go to work. I have had my share of accidents, some my fault, but mostly it was the lack of bike lanes. On some
streets, there are no markings and not enough space to safely ride with vehicles. On Van Ness and south of Marine Ave,
I was side swiped by a car who was not sharing the road. I was on the street travelling in the direction of traffic and a
car swiped my left side causing me to fall into the street! I could have been killed by another car. I think that if there
was a space designated for me to travel, I would have been closer to the curb allowing the car to pass me safely. I
recently had an informal interview with the head of Gardena Police Traffic Division Matt Hassoldt. He said that last
year, 2019, there were 20 injured bicyclists (Hassoldt, M., 2020). He also stated that of those bike related accidents,
11% was the result of a right of way violation. He explained this to me with an example that consists of vehicles not
checking both ways before turning. (Hassoldt, M., 2020). I believe that number could have been reduced by providing
more effective and safe ways for bikes to travel.
Physical activity is very important for families, which
Health contribute to healthy communities. With everything that’s
going on in the world right now with social distancing and
parks being closed, families are in need of a way to get
outside and get some exercise. Bike riding burns up to 600
calories per hour and the best part? Kids won’t even feel
like its exercise! Exercise with the help of bikes can also
help relieve stress. (Elise, S.,2018). Gardena only has 31%
of its population meeting active health guidelines (City
and Community Health Issues, p.8, 2018). I think an
increase in safe bike lanes will help the community gain
confidence to ride their bike more. This will help our city
battle obesity and health overall.
What does the city have to say about the lack of bike lanes?
I was curious about what role the city plays in deciding how many bike lanes there are. I made an appointment
with William Mendoza who is directly in charge of the transportation division at Public Works. He would directly
oversee coordinating the location and frequency of bike lanes. As we talked, he told me that he is an avid bike rider as
well, and has his own concerns as he is new to the city. I asked him how the city feels about the importance of bike
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lanes, he said that he personally feels bike lanes are important and in terms of the amount we are “way behind other
neighboring cities” and “Gardena seems to be shying away from bike lanes”. I then asked about a specific stretch of
road that I travel everyday for work, Vermont Ave, between Artesia and 182 nd St. On this particular street, there is a
bike lane on the Northbound side but not on the southbound side. He responded with a chuckle, and then said, “that
street is divided, Northbound is governed by Los Angeles and Southbound was Gardena”. Of course, I was shocked!
That street, as many of you know, is notorious for high speed drivers, and as I found out from Gardena Police, right of
way accidents are the main cause of bike accidents. So, if the city is not providing designated lanes on both sides of the
street, accidents and injuries will continue. (Mendoza, 2020)
Table from The South Bay Bicycle Master Plan
This is where things get tricky. As I was researching this problem further, I found out that there is in fact a Masterplan
in place from 2011 where cities proposed bike facilities for their communities. I found the above images that show
where both cities stand versus where they plan to be in 20 years (The South Bay Bicycle Master Plan, p.xviii. 2011) It
has now been 9 years and there has not been any new changes to Gardena.
Take Away
I am worried about the lack of safe bike lanes available in Gardena. Especially after learning about the different types
and how the city is addressing this problem. With the amount of injuries and thinking of all the positives for having
more bike lanes available, I am shocked that it has been YEARS since Gardena has implemented or installed any lanes. I
think that these lanes play a huge role in the quality of life in Gardena like public health, and community safety and
simply a way to get out and enjoy life. I understood very little about these lanes and how they help bicyclists. Being a
bike rider myself, I found this information enlightening and important.
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Dyan Babbitt, Resident
DYANB@madeup.com | 310) 111-1111 |
Quote by John F. Kennedy
Reference List
Bikeway Types. (n.d.). Oakland, CA. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/government/o/PWA/o/EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/OAK024595
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Elise, S. (2018). What about family biking? Eight benefits for families that cycle. Urban Independence. Retrieved from:
https://www.bikecitizens.net/benefits-familiy-cycling/
Voss, M. W., Nagamatsu, L. S., Liu-Ambrose, T., & Kramer, A. F. (2011). Exercise, brain, and cognition across the life
span. Journal of Applied Physiology, 111(5), 1505-1513. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00210.2011
City and Community Health Profiles. (2018, June). Retrieved July 10, 2020, from
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ohae/docs/cchp/pdf/2018/Gardena.pdf
Interview with Willam Mendoza (2020, July)
Interview with Officer Matt Hassoldt (2020, July)
The Beach Cities Health District. (2011, August) Retrieved July 12, 2020, from
https://bchd.org/docs/healthy-communities/South_Bay_BMP_Draft_Final_Plan.pdf
Images
Gardena General Plan (2006). [Online Image] http://www.southbaybicyclecoalition.org/wp-
content/uploads/2010/10/Bike-Map.jpg
Seal of Gardena. [Online Image]. https://www.cityofgardena.org/
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Alkan. (2011). Bike Lane in World Famous Miami Beach [Online image]. Dreams Time.
https://www.dreamstime.com/bike-lane-world-famous-miami-beach-southern-florida-usa-image144402527
Table of Gardena and Torrance. [Online image].
https://bchd.org/docs/healthy-communities/South_Bay_BMP_Draft_Final_Plan.pdf
Percentage of Adults Meeting Recommended Excersie. [Online Image]. Public Health.
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ohae/docs/cchp/pdf/2018/Gardena.pdf
Safety of Bike Facilities. Shearin, J. (2019) [Online image].
http://www.walkbikecupertino.org/new_wbc/index.php/2019/07/19/quick-guide-to-the-different-classes-of-bike-lanes/
Quote. [Online Image]. http://www.picturequotes.com/nothing-compares-to-the-simple-pleasure-of-a-bike-ride-quote-39312
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