A second two-way lane could be open in the fall
The first two-way bike lane in the city of Los Angeles is officially open, offering cyclists and scooter riders a protected ride in two directions along Spring Street in Downtown LA.
The bike lane is part of a larger makeover of Spring and Main streets. The project will eventually bring a separate two-way lane to Main Street, which intersects with Spring at Ninth Street.
Spring Street has long had a dedicated bike lane in the southbound direction, but striping added over the weekend makes the lane useable for riders headed north as well.
Installing two-way bike lanes on one-way streets—like Spring and Main—can minimize potentially dangerous consequences for riders traveling in the opposite direction, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials. The Spring Street bike lane is also shielded from vehicle traffic by a protective buffer zone and plastic pylons added in October.
The two-street makeover now underway is the result of LA’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths citywide by 2025. According to data gathered by the city, Spring and Main streets were the site of three fatal crashes and nine serious injuries from 2009 to 2013.
Work on the Main Street portion of the project is expected to wrap up this fall.
Source: Curbed LA – All – Elijah Chiland