Councilmember Raman Celebrates New Protected Bike Lane Along Riverside Drive

For Immediate Release: April 6, 2022

COUNCILMEMBER RAMAN CELEBRATES NEW PROTECTED BIKE LANE ALONG RIVERSIDE DRIVE

LOS ANGELES — Today, Councilmember Nithya Raman hosted a community unveiling of Council District 4’s new protected bike lanes along Riverside Drive. Arriving via e-bike, Councilmember Raman celebrated the completion of the project with leadership from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), Bureau of Streets Services (StreetsLA), Assemblymember Friedman’s Office, PATH, and local bike groups. The new Riverside Drive protected bike lanes are a half-mile long, running from Los Feliz Boulevard to Glendale Boulevard, and are parking-protected, or protected using vertical delineators. This project is the first in a series of mobility improvement efforts planned by Council District 4. 

Identifying existing planned street resurfacing projects that overlapped with the Mobility Plan 2035, Council District 4 worked closely with LADOT to utilize this opportunity to introduce striping changes and mobility improvements. 

“Today is about more than just a half-mile stretch of protected bike lane,” said Councilmember Raman. “Today is about making a commitment to taking every opportunity we have and making the most of it to improve our transportation network for all of us.” 

The project follows the three pillars used by Council District 4 to evaluate transportation projects

on: safety, accessibility, and cutting carbon emissions. Now lined by parking protected bike lanes on both sides, this half-mile of Riverside Drive will be safer for all no matter how they are traveling, but especially for people biking by separating them from traffic and for people walking by painting new crosswalks and shortening crossing distances. Additionally, the bike lanes provide greater access to major recreational facilities in the area, and cut carbon emissions by creating safe alternatives to driving. 

“StreetsLA was happy to collaborate with Council District 4 and the Department of Transportation on this street improvement project along Riverside Drive,” said StreetsLA Executive Director Keith Mozee. “We resurfaced more than a half-mile and along with striping and mobility improvements, have enhanced the safety for commuters, visitors, residents and bikers. I want to thank all of our StreetsLA staff, who worked to help make this project a success.”

“This project is an example of what is possible when we have leadership dedicated to raising the bar on transportation options in Los Angeles,” said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. “Bike lanes are climate action and neighborhood action. They connect us with our communities and lead us to a more sustainable, safer, and healthier transportation future.”

“Even under the most aggressive scenarios for zero-emission vehicle adoption, and transition to cleaner fuels, we in California cannot meet our climate goals exclusively by relying on a shift in transportation technologies. We have to reduce our dependence on driving and overall vehicle miles traveled, so I’m proud of the progress we are making here to help achieve our greater sustainability standards as a state,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale). “As Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I am going to continue championing these community-based solutions so that every Californian has access to a range of mobility options with a clear emphasis on safety, because we can’t get people to walk and bike if they don’t feel safe.”

“We have a choice here in LA to continue with business as usual, or choose a new path where Angelenos can drive, but also walk, roll, bike, or take transit in safe, modern facilities that improve our environment and our quality of life,” said Councilmember Raman. “Today we made a choice that is both vital and joyful, as we build a city that works for all of us!”  

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