By SHEL SEGAL
The cities of San Gabriel and Pasadena have been looking into ways on how to better incorporate bicycles into their jurisdictions.
The San Gabriel City Council recently took a look at a blueprint to build the city’s first major network of bikeways, according to a published report.
The proposal would create 32.5 miles of different variations of bike lanes in the city, including 3.3 miles of off-street multi-use bike paths and 9.2 miles of class II bike lanes, the report said, with the idea being part of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Bike Plan.
Nonprofits Bike SGV and Day One created the proposal the council saw.
And while San Gabriel Mayor John Harrington seemed very happy to welcome the proposal, Council Member Jason Pu didn’t receive it as well and said the city should rather spend its money on fixing streets and sewers.
As San Gabriel is now looking at the proposal, five other local cities – Monterey Park, Baldwin Park, El Monte and South El Monte – are to be presented with the proposal soon, said officials from Bike SGV, who added they are hoping to have the final draft approved by the end of October.
In Pasadena, a community meeting to discuss a new set of bike lanes on major city streets was recently hosted at the Jackie Robinson Center.
A feasibility study on cycle tracks, buffered bike lanes and bike boulevards was one of the items discussed.
The current proposal includes a possible cycle track or buffered bike lane on Washington and Orange Grove boulevards, a cycle track on Union Street, Del Mar Boulevard and Green Street, and potential buffered bike lanes on Colorado Boulevard. The majority of the proposals would involve reducing the number of lanes for cars. The study indicates that on all but Del Mar Boulevard traffic would not significantly increase.
And while there are already around 70 miles of bike paths in Pasadena, there are few buffered bike lanes and no cycle tracks, said Rich Dilluvio, a senior transportation planner.
In addition, Metro recently said that Pasadena is one of four selected cities to participate in a bike share program.
(Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com and followed via Twitter @segallanded).
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