Los Angeles Gets Its First Protected Bike Lanes

Implementation of the very first parking-protected bike lanes in Los Angeles is underway on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge.

Update: LADOT Bicycle Program just tweeted photos of the Reseda Boulevard protected bike lanes! Woot! Wooooot! 

Great Streets improvements are underway on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge.

Streetsblog previewed Reseda Blvd's exciting upgrades last week. It is just one of fifteen priority streets identified for makeovers under Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's Great Streets Initiative. The upgrades will extend one mile from Parthenia Street to Plummer Street. Kudos to Garcetti, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch Englander, and the city's Transportation Department (LADOT) for taking advantage of street resurfacing and the upcoming State of the City address to pilot some innovative new street designs in Reseda.

The big big big exciting news is that Reseda Blvd will, very very very soon, have the city of Los Angeles' very first parking-protected bike lanes.

I took the train-BRT-bike trip to Northridge yesterday, hoping to witness and tweet the tectonic shift of parking spaces from sidewalk-smooching to sidewalk-arm's-length. Unfortunately the parking-protected bike lane has not been striped. Yet.

I did notice that Reseda Boulevard's striped median and inner travel lanes do appear a little narrower. So even if L.A.'s first mile of protected bike lanes is not there yet, it is clear that LADOT is making room for them.

Reseda Boulevard does have groovy new sidewalk patterns. 

Great Streets roped in LA-Más to give Reseda's sidewalks a new look. Think People St plaza, but beyond just polka dots. LA-Más crews and volunteers were out painting a flagstone pattern on sidewalks on the east side of Reseda Blvd between Rayen Street and Gresham Street. I jumped in and got my hands dirty painting a bit, too.

Here's what the finished product looks like:

In addition to the sidewalk pattern, LA-Más is adding new street furniture. Here is a preview of what it looks like:

The entire project will be complete and ready for its close-up during Garcetti's April 14 State of the City speech. Hopefully, the protected bike lanes will arrive this weekend.

If you are in the area, and you are happy to spot the new lanes, please let us know! Comment, tweet, post photos, dance, sing hymns of joy, etc.