ACTION ALERT: San Marino Council to Consider Potential Bike Plan Development, Bike Lanes, AND Bike Week San Marino Resolution 11/13/2013

Class II Bike Lane on a residential street similar to Lorain Rd.

The San Marino City Council has three bike-related items on its agenda this month, a record as far as BikeSGV organizers and local residents can tell for a community that currently lacks any bicycle lanes. 

The meeting will kick off with the Presentation of a Resolution by the Council declaring November 17-23 "Bicycle Week" in the City, another first. Local youth, parents and supporters of the San Marino Rides Committee will be on hand to accept the symbolic resolution.

The agenda will then turn to more contentious matters, with the Council once again consider the development of a Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan and Class II Bicycle Lanes on Lorain Rd. 

After a vote to fund the City's first Bicycle Plan failed to 2-1 at the Council's October 9th meeting, the 3 Council Members who were in attendance at the September meeting asked staff to solicit additional bids from planning firms after only one of 29 contractors - Evans Brooks and Associates - submitted a bid in the first solicitation in September 2013. Staff review of the process determined that the bid proposal's deadline directly after the Labor Day Holiday in September resulted in only one bid. 

Round two, however, has already been more fruitful, with 9 firms submitting bids, including Alta Planning, Ryan Synder Associates, and even one international firm from the Netherlands, Mobycon. Item 5 on Wednesday's agenda -  Consideration of Proposal for Professional Consultant Services to Develop a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - asks Council Members to review the latest bids, and authorize staff to select a consultant, to be paid with funds remaining from the City's Safe Routes to School grant.

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Proposed stretch of Lorain Rd Class II or III Bikeway (courtesy Google Maps)

Item 6 on the agenda - Consideration of Class III or Class II Bikeway Pilot Project on Lorain Rd. and Appropriation of Funds - asks Council Members to fund a Lorain Rd Bikeway, and if so, to determine if it should consist of a Class II Bicycle Lanes or a Class III Bicycle Route.  Due to speeding traffic on this residential street and existing research on the safety benefits of bike lanes versus bike routes, BikeSGV's preferred alternative is a Class II Bicycle Lane. This option would not require the loss of any street parking or travel lanes. 

Public Comment to date on Proposed Lorain Rd. and Del Mar Bike Lanes (Source: 11/13/13 Council Agenda)

Although the above chart from Wednesday's Council packet underlines that support for bikeways on Lorain Rd and Del Mar is far greater than opposition, a small but vocal contingent of residents has raised concerns about the project, including the potential for attracting more "outside" bicyclists, the failure of cyclists to adhere to traffic laws, a decrease in property values, and a perceived lack of cyclists who would use the project. However specious, these points and more must be addressed by the project's many proponents if the City is to move forward with Class II Bicycle Lanes. And that's why we need you to....

Take Action!

Especially if you're a local resident, your support is needed in person Wednesday evening or via email. Simple, personal comments in support of the development of a local bicycle and pedestrian plan, and Class II Bicycle Lanes on Lorain Rd, are needed, as well as messages of thanks for the Council's consideration of bicycle and pedestrian safety issues.  Public comment may be submitted directly to the Council via email here: 

 DKneier@CityofSanMarino.org , ESun@CityofSanMarino.org , AYung@CityofSanMarino.org , RSun@CityofSanMarino.org , RJWard@CityofSanMarino.org , vruiz@cityofsanmarino.org

The meeting will be held at the Crowell Public Library on Huntington Dr Wednesday 11/13 at 6pm.  A full City Council agenda and packet can be viewed and/or downloaded via the city's website here.