Laguna Beach where we're special

This is a 2010 bike route map published by the Orange County Transit Authority. The purple lines are Class I separated bike lanes (best), the red lines are Class II on-road painted bike lanes (better), the blue lines are Class III on-road signed bike routes (cheapest, worthless as safety devices).  The March 1 2012 revised map shows no improvement, the Class III signed bike route does not in fact exist in Laguna Beach.  Considering the bike lane improvements made by every other city in Orange County, when will Laguna Beach "get-it"?

Where economic activity is concentrated and successful...

The Times Square district directly and indirectly contributes one-tenth of all of the jobs in the city and $1 of every $9 of economic activity, says the study, which was commissioned by the Times Square Alliance, the de facto chamber of commerce for the district. That amounts to $110 billion in annual economic activity — about equal to the output of Portland, Ore. — emanating from the district.... Patrick McGheehan NYTimes story

... why did Times Square adopt Complete Streets?

Why Bicyclists support Local Business

Bikes can mean big business, and businesses are beginning to realize it. From a bike Summit on the economic boost cycling can provide cities,
speakers highlighted another strong message cyclists can bring politicians when making their case for investment in bike/ped facilities.

• Business owners resist bike infrastructure fearing it will limit parking
• Reconsider a car space alternatively accommodates 12 bikes
• Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster: “I see parts of the city on my bike that I would never even notice if I was just driving."
• Cyclists travel at “human-scale speed” that allows them to “stop and buy something.”
• Car-free living means a $6,000 savings per year for other purchases
• Only 16% of household car expenses remain withing local economy
• Downtowns turning car lanes over to people can be a great moneymaker, like bike-friendly businesses in Long Beach
• Times Square a stunning success, how to pedestrianize the most pedestrian-heavy place in America
• Make a Main Street more vibrant add bikes and peds, -Economides
• “It adds more eyes and ears to the street, so it makes it safer. You do want to attract women and moms. We’re a pretty important shopping base.”
  
  Many examples of bicycling spurring economic revitalization, Rory Robinson of the National Park Service.   

Article D.C. Streets Blog

Who gets Laguna's Vehicle Moving Violations?

Some people blame 4-7 million tourists for all the traffic congestion and lack of parking in Laguna Beach. Without a good answer backed by measurable data, city government cannot write meaningful circulation policy and planning commissions cannot plan effectively.

Vehicular traffic measurements would answer the question but how do we measure traffic? A comprehensive city-wide vehicle traffic study is unavailable and expensive to perform, but enforcement moving violations and parking citations are both comprehensive, city-wide and give a good estimation of who drives our streets and uses street parking. The next four Histograms show  

• Laguna residents contribute the greatest share of street users
• Laguna residents bear the greatest burden of vehicle fines
• Probability is 59 % the guy in your LB parking space is from OC
• Probability is 65 % the guy driving in front of you is from OC    

(Reproduced from CSTF 8 March 2011 presentation)

 

 

 

From 2007-2010 Laguna Beach PD enforced 17,042 moving violations. Can you find yours? (CSTF 8 March 2011)  Click the graphic to enlarge. EACH of those dots represents a moving violation.

 

 

The moving violation data show most registered owners are from OC. Let's zoom-in on the spike to see what's going on there (see below).

 

 

A close-up view of the 65% shows most registered owners come from OC but Laguna residents bear the burden of moving violations. That spike is 92651.

 

 

Myth:  Laguna tourists are cited for moving violations most frequently.
Busted!  Motorists from these cites are cited most frequently.

 

(CSTF 8 March 2011) Click graphic to enlarge.

 

 -LS

Who gets Laguna's Vehicle Parking Violations?

A popular myth is parking tickets and moving violations are issued to visiting tourists more frequently than Laguna Beach residents. The following data show this is in fact not the case.

• Registered drivers in Laguna Beach are served tickets most frequently
• City revenue from tickets are big business in Laguna Beach
• Laguna residents subsidize motor vehicle usage through fines 
• Enforcing motor vehicle violations cost big enforcement payrolls

(Data presented to Complete Streets Task Force, 8 March 2011) 

 

 

In 2008 Laguna Beach parking enforcement issued 41,345 tickets roughly $45 each, about two tickets per LB resident. EACH of those dots represents a parking violation. Can you find yours? (CSTF 8 March 2011)

 

 

The parking citation data shows most registered owners are located in OC. Let's zoom-in on the spike to see what's going on there (see below).

 

 

A close-up view of the 59% shows most registered owners come from OC, but Laguna owners bear the burden of parking violations. That spike is 92651.

 

 

 

 Myth:   Laguna tourists are cited parking tickets most frequently.

Busted!   Motorists from these cities are cited most frequently. 

 

(CSTF 8 March 2011)

Americans pay too little for gasoline and diesel, and our subsequent driving of 2.9 trillion miles annually is a key factor in our trade deficit, military excursions, health and obesity crisis, air and water pollution, and greenhouse emissions. We keep hoping to defeat congestion by building highways — a counterproductive proposition.........If we’d use our cars smarter, we’d mitigate a host of problems and prevent our grandchildren from following our children in fighting wars in the Middle East.  Randy Salzman, New York Times

Vanderbilt explores the mystery why more pedestrians are killed in crosswalks than while jaywalking.

What Mystery? Ever tried to walk across PCH or Laguna Canyon Road? Read the KPCC article.

Crisis in walking America? This student is driven to the bus stop, that's her home in the background. "The Crisis in American Walking" Slate Magazine.

The Orange County Transit Authority and OCBC are holding a workshop to teach bicycle mode integration in a mobility plan. 


Friday, April 27 · Orange County Transportation Authority, 550 S. Main St., Orange CA

Covered topics are:

1.  California and Federal goals, policies, regulations, and laws
2.  The role of the bicycle mode in the overall transportation system.
3.  The rights and responsibilities of bicyclists per CVC.
4.  Bicyclist needs and expectations as users of transportation facilities;
5.  Safety, mobility and access issues
6.  Maintaining bicyclist safety, mobility and access through work zones.
7.  Applying “best practices” to maximize bicyclist safety 
8.  Supporting California’s “Complete Streets” policy.  details at OCBC.

America has long created transportation policy under the assumption that driving will continue to increase at a rapid and steady rate. The changing transportation preferences of young people – and Americans overall – throw that assumption into doubt. Policy-makers and the public need to be aware that America’s current transportation policy – dominated by road building – is fundamentally out-of-step with the transportation patterns and expressed preferences of growing numbers of Americans. It is time for policy-makers to consider the implication of changes in driving habits for the nation’s transportation infrastructure decisions and funding practices, and consider a new vision for transportation policy that reflects the needs of 21st century America. see U.S. PIRG

The Dutch learned from their mistakes, can we?

Dutch Bike Rap