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Want a bike lane in your neighborhood? It's not so simple in California
Los Angeles Times ^ | April 7, 2016 | Liam Dillon

Posted on 07/22/2021 1:45:20 PM PDT by grundle

For many years, Berkeley bike advocates have pushed for their own lane on a two-block stretch of Fulton Street. The conditions seem ripe for one. It would connect two existing bike lanes in a bustling area between UC Berkeley and downtown. Bike racks already line the sidewalk.

But when asked, the city delivered an answer the advocates say they have heard time and again: The bike lane couldn’t go in because of the state’s premier environmental law.

The California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA, has stymied bike lanes up and down the state for more than a decade. Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco have faced lawsuits, years of delay and abandoned projects because the environmental law’s restrictions often require costly traffic studies, lengthy public hearings and major road reconfigurations before bike lanes are installed.

All told, bicycle advocates say the law has blocked hundreds of miles of potential bike lanes across the state.

(Excerpt) Read more at web.archive.org ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 2manylaws; 2manytaxes; bikes; california
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To: dragnet2

Because no bike owners own cars, trucks, or RVs and pay the same taxes you do. And it’s only fair that there should be a sidewalk usage tax on every pair of shoes sold and those using wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility scooters should have to pay a special fee because like cars and bikes, they have wheels.

Reductio ad absurdum.


21 posted on 07/22/2021 2:12:02 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: bigbob

You don’t get it. If they’re taking away roadway space for bicycles, that I pay taxes for to drive my car on, the bicyclist need to pay it that reduction in roadway.

This is not complex.


22 posted on 07/22/2021 2:14:45 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: grundle
What a load of crap. Put down some "Sharrows" and the problem goes away. A traffic study is not a major hurdle to overcome and there are several ways they could re-strip the existing street to accommodate cars and bikes. But they won't please everyone.
23 posted on 07/22/2021 2:21:42 PM PDT by shotgun
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To: bigbob

I’ve seen them take away complete lanes of traffic which millions had been paying taxes on for years, just so bicycles can have their own suicide lane.

So after reducing roadway surface for bicycle lanes, why are bicyclist not paying for that?


24 posted on 07/22/2021 2:22:42 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: grundle

“the environmental law’s restrictions often require costly traffic studies, lengthy public hearings and major road reconfigurations before bike lanes are installed”

Maybe because people are rightly concerned about how bike lanes will affect the primary function of the roadways, which is for motor vehicle traffic???


25 posted on 07/22/2021 2:25:35 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Flick Lives

“Environmental law” is used to justify an endless circle jerk of studies made up of word salads that say nothing.


26 posted on 07/22/2021 2:27:33 PM PDT by Fred Hayek (Conservatives are the weak link in the great chain of socialism. We are all Uzbeks. )
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To: grundle

Considering how many bike lanes exist in California I consider this a yawn


27 posted on 07/22/2021 2:28:31 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: monkeyshine

Yep, around me a lot of thoroughfares that used to have 3 lanes on each side now have 2 lanes, a bike lane, and a giant median filled with planters now (that the drunks can smash into every weekend).


28 posted on 07/22/2021 2:28:49 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: bigbob

You need to educate yourself.

Btw, there are hundreds of similar articles like the one below from all over the country. Bicyclist need to pay!

“”Less room for cars, more room for bikes on Broward road””

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-broward-reduced-lanes-reconsidered-20180913-story.html


29 posted on 07/22/2021 2:30:34 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Boogieman

Yep. Same around here. Planters, in a drought in a desert city. Smart thinking. Politics and bureaucracies attract the worst people. Maybe a few have good intentions when they started and the job just demoralized them.


30 posted on 07/22/2021 2:34:48 PM PDT by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
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To: monkeyshine

“Maybe a few have good intentions when they started and the job just demoralized them.”

I think it’s just the fact that they are insulated from competition that does it. They can do the bare minimum effort and get by, and there are no consequences. They can push the same failed strategies over and over, and the worst that will happen is the mayor and his deputies get replaced, while all the bureaucrats in middle management and below keep on being mediocre.


31 posted on 07/22/2021 2:45:30 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

Yes and that is why I oppose term limit laws. Because every functionary sticks around for decades, almost impossible to fire, and no elected leader has to face the consequences of their decisions. They spend their 2 terms feathering their nest or working for a bigger better elected position while the worker bees have no incentive to do their best and know that, especially with long term projects, the political winds will inevitably shift priorities.

We have term limits, it’s called the voting booth.


32 posted on 07/22/2021 3:00:33 PM PDT by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
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To: ConservativeMind

I say California should ban them. They don’t even pay road taxes.
..............................................
I say bicycle riders should be fined if they are caught riding on any street or highway with a speed limit of 25 mph or greater. And keep the pushy basta*ds off the sidewalks as well!


33 posted on 07/22/2021 3:18:56 PM PDT by fortes fortuna juvat ("It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins." Ben Franklin)
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To: bigbob

And it’s only fair that there should be a sidewalk usage tax on every pair of shoes sold and those using wheelchairs, strollers, or mobility scooters should have to pay a special fee because like cars and bikes, they have wheels.
..........................................
Fine the hell out of any bicycle freaks who are caughton any public roadway with a speed limit of 25 mph or greater. LOCK ‘EM UP!


34 posted on 07/22/2021 3:24:28 PM PDT by fortes fortuna juvat ("It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins." Ben Franklin)
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To: butlerweave

They put a bike lane in front of our local High School. It was a drop off point, cop was out giving warnings.... now every car dropping off picking up has to pull into the parking lot creating a massive traffic jam. 2000+ kid school too. I’ve only seen 2 maybe 3 kids on bikes... and they ride on the sidewalk... Oh ya the curb is still painted white.... Bike lanes are a complete waste of money.


35 posted on 07/22/2021 3:41:21 PM PDT by Pocketdoor
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To: grundle

Just say the bike lane is a homeless camp.


36 posted on 07/22/2021 4:23:34 PM PDT by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
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To: grundle

Putting aside all the other issues, what jumped out at me is that this is all about a two block long connector between existing bike lanes. Classic issue. Bike lane here. Bike lane there. Two block gap. And I’ll bet the local motorists sit there stewing about cyclists on inappropriate roads, never realizing that a needless gap has forced them off the protected path.

Build a coherent bike path network using non-arterial roads so that cyclists can get around without impeding the cars. Link up existing bike lanes and paths. Build connectors. That solves a lot of problems.


37 posted on 07/22/2021 4:27:07 PM PDT by sphinx
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To: dragnet2

Dont give them any ideas. I lived in a town that actually issued registration stickers for bikes


38 posted on 07/22/2021 5:07:08 PM PDT by varyouga
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