Long Beach, “The Most Bicycle Friendly City in America”

If you visit Long Beach City Hall, you will see a metallic bicycle sculpture with the inscription, “Long Beach, the most bicycle friendly city in America.”  Many leaders within the city have admitted that this sculpture with its proclamation may have been a little premature.

Long Beach City Manager, Pat West, said that the city is striving to live up to its title.  The city is following the example of other cities that have made safety improvements for bicyclists, even at the expense of traffic lanes. 

While the City of Los Angeles is reviewing an extensive bike plan, Long Beach is taking steps to increase the safety of bicyclists.

According to Jennifer Klausner, executive director of the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group, “Long Beach is a built-out city and yet they’re finding a way to make east-west and north-south corridors that are safer and more inviting.  There’s no reason L.A. can’t do the same thing.  It doesn’t have to be the slow-moving cog in the machine.”

Long Beach has already raised $17 million in state and federal grants to improve its bicycle system.  The plan is to resurface 20 miles of streets to incorporate bicycle lanes in the next six months.  In addition, the plan is to paint and pave over 100 miles of bike infrastructure.

If you have been injured in a Long Beach bicycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation.  Contact Steinberg & Spencer Injury Lawyers today at 800-350-8888 for more information.