Back Bay Loop Trail Proposal Tonight

What will happen to the Newport Beach Back Bay Loop Trail? A Conservancy has proposed to ban cycling while the NB Bike Safety Committee will disclose their proposal tonight 30 April 5pm at the NB Civic Center. " ... but sources preferring to remain anonymous have hinted that there may be some accord with some of what the Conservancy is advancing. Specifically, there just might be common ground to make Back Bay Drive a Mixed Use Trail, and mixed-use trails are apparently closed to cars and motorized traffic." At least Newport Beach has planning guidance, they drafted their own Bicycle Master Plan. (read more "Back Bay Hijinks" at the Examiner.com) 

CALTRANS Looks for Car-Centric Solutions, Again

When is the last time you saw a roadway school-zone posted for 45mph where motorists drive 50? When is the last time you saw a cross-walk placed across a freeway? Laguna Beach is home to both at LCAD. "We are here to serve" says Caltran's David Richardson. Instead of a traffic calming device Caltrans has served us a yellow chicken-strip, a roadrunner dare for pedestrians.

Caltrans should comply (since 2008) with their own state mandate (Deputy Directive 64) and implement COMPLETE STREET POLICY on Laguna Canyon Road. Once again Caltrans fails to exercise their own directive in favor of institutional car-centric planning at the peril of students and pedestrians. -LS

Police: 40 Right-of-Way Citations in Four Hours

From Stu's News Story: " This past Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., LBPD officers with assistance from Irvine officers conducted enforcement up and down Coast Highway and on Glenneyre."

Police can only react to the symptom as Right-of-Way Violations not the cause, next month we'll see business as usual as more pedestrians ignored or hit. Treat the cause instead, adopt Complete Streets Policy. -LS

Gridlocked Motorist Uncovers LCR Secret

In this month's Laguna Beach Life freelance writer Pamela Knudsen describes her epiphany while stuck in traffic on Laguna Canyon Road. While staring out the window of her motionless car at lush canyon walls and exclusive architecture of LCR, a spiritual feeling replaces her preoccupation with gridlock. She rolls slowly past the Canyon Artists building and spots a small sign tucked in the back. "Shelley Evens - Spirit Keeper".


Could this be the home of the Canyon Hobbit?  Pamela writes " If being stuck in traffic allows me to sight-see and discover, I really shouldn't complain."  What other secrets does the Canyon hold that motorists never see?  What would Pamela discover by bike? Read the story in Laguna Beach Life, a Hibu publication.

LCAD STUDENT STRUCK

See Stu News for full story:

UPDATE: Nina Fitzpatrick died of injuries sustained by the impact with an automobile while crossing in the pedestrian crosswalk at LCAD. 

A woman student, 22, at LCAD was critically hurt when a car driven by an 83-yr-old woman Thursday night hit her. The student was in a crosswalk on Laguna Canyon Rd

Will Laguna Beach city planners recognize a growing art college campus served by a pedestrian cross-walk but cut in half by a CalTRANS freeway is both obsolete and incompatible?

Cic-LA-Via is SUNDAY

Why is CicLAvia relevant for Laguna Beach? Because Angilinos are experiencing the cultural shift from cars to bikes as viable congestion-free transportation. CicLAvia is the learning experience to promote that shift.  -LS