L.A. Mayor Leads Bicycling Effort after Bike Crash

Los Angeles, the second largest and debatably most auto-centric city in the United States, is reaching out towards cyclists and making an effort to transform the city to make room for bikes.  To reaffirm this point, L.A. hosted a bicycle safety summit this morning, August 16. This step towards bicycle-friendliness comes after Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was hit by a car while on his bike. The accident crash resulted in a shattered elbow and a new push to increase safety for bicyclists.

The Mayor made a formal announcement on You Tube that included his personal crash, the need for improvement in L.A.’s bicycle infrastructure, and his intention to focus on this subject — starting with this morning’s bike safety summit. He also wrote that, “Eventually we plan to build a network of 1,663 miles of bikeways. I encourage everyone to take a look at the plan and give input.” Villaraigosa envisions Los Angeles’ climate and landscape as an ideal place for cyclists. The Mayor hopes that today’s discussion and upcoming bicycle plan updates will maximize what the city has going for it.