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If I were Mayor…

We’re about to swear in a new Mayor. If I were the Mayor I would…

Proclaim 2012 The Year of the Bicycle:

  • Encourage all City and civic organizations, commissions and committees as they pursue their initiatives to consider cyclists needs.
  • Apply to the League of American Bicyclists for Bike Friendly Community designation; dedicate sufficient staff time and team with advocates to complete the application.
  • Promote the 4th of July Bike Parade on the peninsula to make it an even bigger success than it was last summer.

Adopt Complete Streets policies:

  • Direct planners and engineers to routinely design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.
  • Commit to additional crosswalks at intersections serving City parks. For example, the two parks along Bayside Drive, at Carnation and at Jasmine, in Corona del Mar both need crosswalks.
  • Re-charter the Bike Safety Committee as a Complete Streets Committee, like Laguna Beach has done, to include pedestrian advocates, too. After all, cyclists and pedestrians have a lot in common — we’re both tormented by the automobile.

Create bike education messages to be inserted in utility bills.

Install secure bike parking, bike racks and lockers, at popular destinations throughout the City, including the new City Hall.

Enhance cycling safety on the Back Bay loop by restricting cars on weekends and adding way-finding signage for beach-bound cyclists.

Protect the sanctity of bike lanes by enforcing no parking restrictions.

Direct staff to begin plans to transform the old City Hall into a transportation hub by building a public parking facility to reduce traffic congestion on the peninsula. I’d offer a bike-share so tourists can explore the peninsula car-free then add bike lanes and Sharrows to provide safe routes to popular destinations like the piers and the Wedge.

Lastly I’d ride my bike to as many meetings as possible to set an example and to experience first-hand the challenges cyclists face on our streets.

Comments

comments

December 9, 2011 @ 10:27 am
Opinion
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4 Comments

  1. Comment by John Santry:
    Wednesday, December 14th 2011 at 7:50 am | 

    You might be interested in posting this to your blog.

    http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665634/infographic-of-the-day-how-bikes-can-solve-our-biggest-problems

    John Santry

  2. Comment by Dan Hazard:
    Sunday, December 11th 2011 at 11:11 am | 

    Regarding “If I were mayor”, Frank I love the list especially advocating for the Bike friendly application to the League of American Bicyclists and recharting the bike safety commmitee to Complete Streets to include pedestrians.

    If I lived in Newport Beach you’d have my vote!

    Dan Hazard, Huntington Beach Bicycle Advocates (HuBBA)

  3. Comment by Frank:
    Sunday, December 11th 2011 at 10:07 am | 

    See the comment stream at coronadelmartoday

  4. Comment by MexicanSongBird:
    Sunday, December 11th 2011 at 9:49 am | 

    Bravo!
    RE: “ride my bike to as many meetings as possible to set an example and to experience first-hand the challenges cyclists face on our streets.”

    I have an adage that addresses that goal: “Ride the Ride, Talk the Love.”

    Good luck in 2012. Let’s get together often so we can talk the love too.