Expansion of Bike Lanes in Los Angeles

As bike lanes expand in Los Angeles, some fear that traffic will only get worse. But some advocates say that the addition of new bike lanes on busy roads will make it safer for all types of commuters and encourage others to bike as a form of eco-friendly transportation.

In 2010, the city of Los Angeles passed a comprehensive bicycle plan that sought to cover 1,684 miles of planned bikeways from one end of L.A. to the other.

So far, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has installed over hundreds of miles of new bikeways, with the hopes of installing 200 new miles every five years.

Nate Baird, bicycle coordinator at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, explained that there has been an increase of bicyclists since the installation of new bike lanes in L.A. He says that laying down a vast network of new bike lanes in L.A. is necessary to allow for more biking over driving.

"Something like 40 to 60 percent of people would love to be able to ride their bike to work, but they don't feel comfortable riding on a street that doesn't have bike lanes," he said.

But not everyone is on board with the addition of new bike lanes. Some drivers argue that new lanes will contribute to more traffic on the roads.

In this 2013 "SoCal Connected" piece, reporter Dina Demetrius interviews Don "Roadblock" Ward, an avid and well-renowned bicyclist who has been at the forefront of advocating for the expansion of bike lanes. She also interviews biking advocates, and commuters for their thoughts on traffic and the addition of new bike lanes throughout Los Angeles.

Featuring Interviews With:

• Don Ward, cyclist, Wolfpack Hustle
• Nate Baird, bicycle coordinator, LADOT
• Colleen Heller-Mason, Westside Neighborhood Council
• Paul Koretz, L.A. city councilman