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"Long Beach- the most bicycle friendly city in America" article at Atlantic Cities

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"Long Beach- the most bicycle friendly city in America" article at Atlantic Cities

Old 01-29-12, 08:27 PM
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....just posting the video of bike friendly Long Beach to the top of page 2

Long Beach on track, building a bike friendly city.


and the link to the Atlantic Cities article for those still inclined to read....

creating the most bike friendly city in SoCal
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Old 01-29-12, 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist


No, I posted an Atlantic Cities article on the efforts Long Beach CA has made in designing its city to be much more bicycle friendly, and a video of the enhancements and inducements made there to win the streets back from the automobile and become more bicycle friendly.


It looks like they are succeeding and continue to build in greater bikeability for everyone. People that live there are getting more comfortable with the idea of riding bikes for everyday transportation.

honolulu could take a few cues from Long Beach.

the whine about CM is quite sour grapes. Unfair and unjust, true - but quite the acrid sidetrack.
The climate there is great for using cycles, too. On another note, I saw a hipster on an "Ordinary" this week in San Jose.
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Old 01-30-12, 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by dynodonn
The commercial you've listed would be considered way over the top by many, but GM's version tries to evoke seriousness via nostalgia and driving styles that only belong on closed courses.
But of course that is the point... that most automobile commercials exaggerate in one form or another to oversell what should be a basic transportation product, and then the public falls into the trap of trying to live with the exaggeration and notion that one's success level status based on the car ownership. Cyclists also do this to some extent when buying "that bike that Lance rode to win."

Sure one wants a nice looking vehicle, just as one takes pride in one's home, but the over powering of many automobiles simply leads to wasting copious amounts of natural resources just to satisfy egos fueled by BS commercials.
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Old 01-30-12, 09:02 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by genec

.......but the over powering of many automobiles simply leads to wasting copious amounts of natural resources just to satisfy egos fueled by BS commercials.
That would be a long term effect, my immediate concern is that many motorists will try and translate what is seen on car commercials onto public streets/roads.

Though many of the car commercials have disclaimers toward certain driving behaviors on public roadways, the disclaimers are usually small and intentionally made very discrete.
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Old 01-30-12, 09:07 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by genec
But of course that is the point... that most automobile commercials exaggerate in one form or another to oversell what should be a basic transportation product, and then the public falls into the trap of trying to live with the exaggeration and notion that one's success level status based on the car ownership. Cyclists also do this to some extent when buying "that bike that Lance rode to win."

Sure one wants a nice looking vehicle, just as one takes pride in one's home, but the over powering of many automobiles simply leads to wasting copious amounts of natural resources just to satisfy egos fueled by BS commercials.
But then cities change their layout to make it more acceptable to ride a bike, like Long Beach. and more people start riding everyday, for transportation purposes.

Happens in city after city that begins to plan more effectively for bicycle traffic. NYC, Portland, Long Beach...
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Old 01-30-12, 08:11 PM
  #31  
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Maybe Long Beach is just becoming a more friendly city, period. Rapes and murders are down substantially, although other crimes are slightly up. Is it possible that moving towards a more human scale in terms of transit choices might also reduce the level of serious violence?

https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...%28L.A.+Now%29
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Old 01-30-12, 08:19 PM
  #32  
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Tthere's actual on the ground changes going on in Long Beach that encourage bike riding.

if you watched the video or read the article you would see Long Beach has been redesigning their roads and is committed to building a bike friendly city.

I do think making a city more human scaled can have an ameliorative effect on the crime rate.
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Old 01-31-12, 07:03 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
Tthere's actual on the ground changes going on in Long Beach that encourage bike riding.

if you watched the video or read the article you would see Long Beach has been redesigning their roads and is committed to building a bike friendly city.

I do think making a city more human scaled can have an ameliorative effect on the crime rate.
Bek as an aside... there are some vastly divergent areas of Long Beach... no doubt the bike improvements are taking place along the beach areas and perhaps near downtown... I wonder if the same improvements are being done in the transition areas between the residential zones and downtown? Or how about near the industrial areas at the commercial waterfronts where large trucks dominate? People still have to go to work in those locations... can they ride a bike there comfortably? Seattle has a similar commercial waterfront area... although I am not sure if it is nearly as large as the area of Long Beach.

This is the port of Long Beach.





Let me know when these areas are bike friendly... they are barely automobile friendly. Large commercial trucks dominate the waterfront and the roads leading to this waterfront; and yet tucked in among all this commercial activity are small boat docks where people live on small boats and want to access their boats, and there is a ferry landing for service to Catalina (where cars are NOT permitted). But I doubt there are wonderful new bike lanes leading to this area of Long Beach, yet people still need to get to work, get to their boats and get to the ferry.

Last edited by genec; 01-31-12 at 07:07 AM.
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Old 01-31-12, 08:20 AM
  #34  
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....sour grapes.

Yes, long Beach is a port city. It is planning a comprehensive bikeway network, Gene.

Didn't you read the article?

If you want more information about how and when Long Beach is going to make the port terminals more amenable to bike to and fro, take a look at the Long Beach Bike Master Plan.

I understand how some want to gripe and complain about cities building in better road networks for bicycling, but seriously, Genec? THAT willing to stump about the existing status quo and be an auto-apologist?

Some resources for people wanting to read MORE about Long Beach's efforts to become the most bicycle friendly city in California and america..... maybe San Diego AND honolulu have a few things to learn from Long Beach, eh, Genec?

bike long beach

and the BMP

city of Long Beach Bike Master Plan

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Old 01-31-12, 09:19 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
....sour grapes.

Yes, long Beach is a port city. It is planning a comprehensive bikeway network, Gene.

Didn't you read the article?

If you want more information about how and when Long Beach is going to make the port terminals more amenable to bike to and fro, take a look at the Long Beach Bike Master Plan.

I understand how some want to gripe and complain about cities building in better road networks for bicycling, but seriously, Genec? THAT willing to stump about the existing status quo and be an auto-apologist?

Some resources for people wanting to read MORE about Long Beach's efforts to become the most bicycle friendly city in California and america..... maybe San Diego AND honolulu have a few things to learn from Long Beach, eh, Genec?

bike long beach

and the BMP

city of Long Beach Bike Master Plan
Wait, I have no gripes with what they are trying to do, only that they think they are the "most bicycle friendly city in America." That tag is strictly BS. Portland, and Davis are far more bike friendly. Davis blows away most American cities... between bike paths and bike parking and sheer numbers of bikes on the roads. Even Austin, Texas is bike friendly compared to Long Beach... Long Beach for all their improvements has a long long way to go.

Even that area of Seattle where you are, has some pretty interesting bike infra.

Plans are one thing, actual in place good bike facilities are another. San Diego has long had a "Master Plan;" they have barely scrapped the surface of actual implementation. And far too many bike lanes are really gutter traps... when roads are made really useful, then bikes will have arrived. The changes made at the transition to La Jolla from San Diego are really nice, but again in one small area. One has to look at the whole picture.

If a city makes downtown into a bicycle mall, but the only way to get downtown is by interstates... is it really bike friendly?

I just think their slogan is a bit ahead of the cart... so to speak.
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Old 01-31-12, 01:59 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
....sour grapes.

Yes, long Beach is a port city. It is planning a comprehensive bikeway network, Gene.
Can you point to anything in their plans for cycle commuting to/from the largest employment zone in Long Beach, the docks.

Yet you claim it is a comprehensive bikeway network.
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Old 01-31-12, 05:07 PM
  #37  
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I wouldn't say it's the friendliest but it is pretty nice and motorists usually give me room when passing. never seen the green lanes though, wonder where those are at?
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Old 02-01-12, 02:06 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by NeedARealBike
I wouldn't say it's the friendliest but it is pretty nice and motorists usually give me room when passing. never seen the green lanes though, wonder where those are at?
2nd St. in Belmont Shore.
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Old 02-01-12, 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by mattotoole
2nd St. in Belmont Shore.
Visible on google maps...

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll...00149&t=h&z=20

And yes, primarily the tourist/beach area.
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Old 02-01-12, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by genec

And yes, primarily the tourist/beach area.
. the Long Beach bike master plan shows quite good coverage and reach throughout Long Beach.

long beach bike map

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Old 02-01-12, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
. the Long Beach bike master plan shows quite good coverage and reach throughout Long Beach.

long beach bike map

The industrial areas I mentioned earlier have "proposed" paths... So we will have to wait and see how well the Master Plan goes over time.

San Diego has this wonderful "Master Plan" too... only for some reason, very little of it ever really occurs. The really sad thing about the San Diego Plan is that if they would get off their duff, they could make some real nice tourist areas and expand the "reach" of the Mission Valley Motels. But of course such a thing takes foresight and planning as well as funding. Mission Valley has been quite revamped since the '80s, but the results actually made cycling worse... because cycling was not thought of at all. As long as cycling is an afterthought, proper facilities will not be done well. Roads will be torn up, buildings moved, but cycling... all too often just a last minute line of paint.

The biggest problem with Master Plans are that the environment changes before Master Plans ever leave the drawing board.
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Old 02-01-12, 03:22 PM
  #42  
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last time i checked, san Diego isnt part of long beach.

the solid lines on the map are existing bikeways, dude.

why such a sourpuss attitude about long beach? cycling envy or something?
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Old 02-01-12, 03:31 PM
  #43  
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Now just for grins, compare the Long Beach bike map to that of Davis CA.

https://cityofdavis.org/gis/bikemap.pdf

Or compare it to Oulu Finland, where you are rarely more than a block away from suitable bike facilities.
https://www.ouka.fi/tekninen/pyoratie...artta_2011.pdf

And of course there is Portland Or... Where you might have to go a few blocks to get to a bike boulevard...
https://www.portlandonline.com/transp...39402&a=322407

Remember the Long Beach map is about what is planned... the others are about what they have now. Long Beach has a long way to go to be "The most bike friendly city in America."
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Old 02-01-12, 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist


last time i checked, san Diego isnt part of long beach.

the solid lines on the map are existing bikeways, dude.

why such a sourpuss attitude about long beach? cycling envy or something?
The sour attitude is in regards to reality, not what some planner thinks they might put in "someday." Theory works no more for bike facilities than it does for Forester and his VC mantra.

Bottom line... Long Beach has a long way to go to become "The most bike friendly city in America." LB is not even the most bike friendly city in California.

It's a lot of hype Bek... only time will tell.
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Old 02-01-12, 04:16 PM
  #45  
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Again, gene, because you've obviously turned a blind eye to things and are intent to loudly grouse.....

the solid lines on the map are EXISTING bikeways

I wouldn't be surprised if bike counts in long beach double or even triple in a few years, similar to the incredible surge in ridership seen in NYC once the bikeways became quite encompassing.
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Old 02-01-12, 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Bekologist
Again, gene, because you've obviously turned a blind eye to things and are intent to loudly grouse.....

the solid lines on the map are EXISTING bikeways

I wouldn't be surprised if bike counts in long beach double or even triple in a few years, similar to the incredible surge in ridership seen in NYC once the bikeways became quite encompassing.
No Bek, because I have seen Master Plans sit for years and years and never become complete. Reality.
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Old 02-01-12, 06:48 PM
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Thanks for sharing!

I'm located in Huntington beach which is maybe 15 miles from Long Beach area. I usually ride up there with my skateboard strapped on my back to meet up with some friends that live in the lakewood / Cerritos area. I really like how wide the lanes are and how stress free the rides are. Another thing i really enjoy about the area is how many other cyclists there are! Alot of them are fixie guys but i've seen a few cool roadies out there from time to time. Many great shops around that area as well.
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Old 02-01-12, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by genec
Visible on google maps...

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll...00149&t=h&z=20

And yes, primarily the tourist/beach area.
tyvm +1 for linking it. I'll have to go try it out sometime as soon as i get my tubes patched
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Old 03-27-21, 02:54 AM
  #49  
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I really miss the green lane now. They removed it and replaced it with crummy little sharrows boxes in 2018. Suuuuucks.
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Old 03-31-21, 11:13 AM
  #50  
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Somehow, I have a hard time pairing up 'friendly' and 'registration.'
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