ITEM 9-A

COUNCIL MEETING: July 28, 1992         Santa Monica, California

TO:       Mayor and City Council

FROM:     City Staff

SUBJECT:  Recommendation that the City Council Adopt  in  Concept
          the Revised Draft Bicycle Master Plan for Evaluation in
          an Environmental Impact Report

INTRODUCTION

This staff report recommends  that  the  City  Council  adopt  in
concept  the  revised Draft Bicycle Master Plan for evaluation in
an Environmental Impact Report.

BACKGROUND

The City proposed Bicycle Master Plan facilitates and  encourages
bicycle  ridership  in  Santa  Monica.   The Plan provides a wide
variety  of  facility  improvements  and  ongoing   programs   to
facilitate   the   use  of  bikes  for  both  transportation  and
recreation purposes.

Many factors motivated this study, including  concerns  over  air
pollution,  traffic,  the  desire  for  an  increase  in  bicycle
commuters through the City's  adopted  Transportation  Management
Plan,  and  enhanced  recreational opportunities.  City residents
benefit from this plan because bicycle ridership:

    o    Is pollution free
    o    Is energy-efficient
    o    Offers point-to-point flexibility
    o    Offer flexibility of departure time
    o    Is enjoyable
    o    Relieves stress and promotes health
    o    Is quiet
    o    Consumes little space
    o    Is economical

Barriers to bicycle use currently exist  within  the  City,  with
some  people  perceiving  that  it  is  dangerous  to ride in the
streets, while others forego  the  bicycle  for  lack  of  secure
parking.

This plan addresses the existing barriers.  The Plan incorporates
a  bicycle  route  network, public and employment related bicycle
parking, an education and awareness  campaign,  and  other  minor
facility  improvements  and  programs.  By carrying out the Plan,
Santa Monica will  become  a  safer,  more  convenient  place  to
bicycle for transportation and recreation purposes.

OVERVIEW OF ORIGINAL PLAN

The development of the Draft Bicycle Master  Plan  began  with  a
community  scoping meeting on May 16, 1991.  The meeting was held
to gather public input on issues such as where  new  bike  routes
are needed, where public bicycle parking is inadequate, what kind
of amenities are important to  encourage  employees  to  ride  to
work,  and  how to address safety, awareness, and promote the use
of bicycles  in  the  City.   At  that  scoping  meeting  it  was
suggested that the Plan address the following existing problems:

    o    East/west routes that parallel arterials  have  frequent
         stop signs

    o    There are no north/south  bike  routes  other  than  the
         beach bike path

    o    Existing bike routes lack connectivity and  relationship
         to destinations

    o    Existing bike racks at City parks are inadequate

A second workshop was held on July 30,  1991  to  discuss  issues
related  to  the selection of a standard bicycle parking rack for
the City.  The meeting included a demonstration of various  racks
and  a  discussion  of  the ease of use, security from theft, and
compatibility with adjacent land uses of various bike racks.

After the workshops, the original Draft Bicycle Master  Plan  was
developed  with  a  proposed  bicycle  route  network, public and
employment related bicycle parking, an  education  and  awareness
campaign, and other facility improvements and programs.

The bike route network proposed in the Draft Plan was  determined
to  be  the most cost effective approach to the development of an
interconnected  network  of  routes  to  and   from   significant
destination/origin  points  (See  Attachment  A).   These  points
included:

    o    Public schools
    o    Santa Monica College
    o    Santa Monica Pier
    o    Third Street Promenade
    o    Residential areas
    o    Main street/Ocean Park
    o    Beaches
    o    Palisades Park
    o    Pacific Coast Bike Route (Beach Bike Path)
    o    Downtown Businesses
    o    Parks
    o    Points outside the City such as UCLA

The proposed bicycle route network  consisted  of  the  following
route classifications:

    o    Class I Bikeways  (Bike  Paths)  -  completely  separate
         bicycles  from motor vehicles.  The beach bike path is a
         Class I bikeway.  There are few places in the City where
         space is available for new bike paths.

    o    Class II Bikeways (Bike  Lanes)  -  dedicated  lanes  on
         existing roadways for bicycles.

    o    Class III Bikeways (Bike Routes) - signed  routes  where
         bicyclists share the streets with motorists.

    o    Bicycle Boulevards - recommended on  certain,  primarily
         residential  streets.  Barriers are placed approximately
         every  six  blocks  to  discourage  automobile   through
         traffic.   Through  automobile  traffic  is  diverted to
         parallel  streets,  leaving  only  local   traffic   and
         bicycles    on    the    bicycle    boulevards.    After
         implementation  of  a  bicycle  boulevard,  it  may   be
         possible  to  replace some 4-way stop signs with traffic
         circles, or remove selected stop signs  on  the  bicycle
         boulevard,  in  order to improve bicycle flow.  However,
         these changes are not necessary for bicycle  boulevards,
         although they do increase their effectiveness.

A comprehensive public bicycle parking plan was also proposed  to
provide bicycle parking in all commercial and retail zones in the
City and in front of pubic buildings  and  in  recreation  areas.
Secure  bicycle parking would also be required in new work sites.
The City  would  use  a  standardized  parking  device  for  easy
recognition  and  use throughout the City.  Bicycle park-and-ride
stations would provide secure parking at bus stops.

Accompanying the  facility  improvements  was  an  education  and
awareness  campaign.   Safety  programs would teach students from
elementary school through college,  employees  working  in  Santa
Monica,  and other adults to ride safely.  The City would produce
a bicycle map with numbered routes, parking locations, and safety
information  as  an  easy  reference  document for bicyclists.  A
promotional  campaign  would  educate  bicyclists  as   well   as
motorists  about  bicycle and traffic safety.  Santa Monica would
also make facility improvements such as replacing drainage grates
and paving over railroad track crossings.

The Plan would be financed through a variety of federal, state,
county and local sources dedicated for bicycle use only.  No City
General Fund monies will be used.

MODIFICATIONS TO STREETS PROPOSED IN ORIGINAL PLAN

The  following  outlines  the  major  modifications  which   were
originally  proposed  to  implement  the  original  Draft Bicycle
Master Plan:

    o    Bicycle Boulevards were recommended on:

         Alta Avenue
         Washington Avenue
         Arizona Avenue
         Pearl Street
         Ashland Avenue
         Portions of Yale/Stewart/Twenty-Eighth

         These  bicycle  boulevards  would  be  created  by   the
         placement  of  occasional  barriers (approximately every
         six blocks) to discourage  automobile  through  traffic.
         Exact  placement  of  the  barriers would be proposed as
         part of the environmental review process.

     o   Class  II  bike  lanes  were  recommended  on   numerous
         streets.   On Seventh, Eleventh and Seventeenth streets,
         the improvements needed  to  implement  these  Class  II
         routes would include:

            -  Removal of on-street parking on one  side  of  the
               street  in  some single family neighborhoods north
               of Montana and in Sunset Park where there is  less
               demand for street parking.

            -  Roadway widening  by  narrowing  portions  of  the
               parkway.    This   would  occur  on  Eleventh  and
               Seventeenth Streets  between  Montana  Avenue  and
               Wilshire  Boulevard, on Seventeenth Street between
               the freeway and Pico Boulevard, and on Ocean  Park
               Boulevard  between  Lincoln Boulevard and Eleventh
               Street.

            -  Removal  of  two-way  left  turn  lanes   in   the
               mid-block   sections   on  Seventh,  Eleventh  and
               Seventeenth Streets between Wilshire  and  Olympic
               Boulevards.   Left  turn  lanes  at  intersections
               would not be removed.

    o    Other Class II bike lanes were  recommended  that  would
         require:

            -  Restriping  of  existing  streets  to  narrow  the
               center lane and provide more room in the curb lane
               so that a bike lane may be added.

            -  Merely striping a bike lane since sufficient  road
               width exists.

    o    Most of the Class III bike routes would be  incorporated
         only through the proper signage of the routes.

    o    Bicycle parking was recommended throughout the  downtown
         and  commercial  areas of the City and at City parks and
         beaches.  The parking in the commercial areas  would  be
         provided  mainly  through  parking  meter  mounts, which
         would provide secure bicycle parking on a parking meter.
         These  parking  meter mounts were proposed for every two
         or three parking meters in the parking districts.  Where
         parking meters do not exist, the City standard bike rack
         would be used.

    o    The Plan proposed the creation of park-and-ride stations
         for  bicycle  commuters  who  wish  to  use  the  longer
         distance advantages of transit.   Both  short-term  bike
         racks  and  long-term  bike lockers would be provided at
         these locations.

    o    The Plan proposed  bicycle  parking  standards  for  new
         development,  generally  as  a  percentage of automobile
         parking requirements.

    o    Some  improvements   were   recommended   as   long-term
         improvements.   These included the addition of a bicycle
         bridge  over  the  Santa  Monica  Freeway  near  Seventh
         Street,  the  widening  of the Fourth Street Bridge over
         the freeway (this could be done in coordination with the
         Civic  Center  Master  Plan), and the addition of a bike
         ramp from the Santa Monica Pier to the beach bike path.

PUBLIC PROCESS

In November, 1991, copies of the Draft Bicycle Master  Plan  were
made available to the public for purchase.  A public workshop was
held December 5, 1991 to  present  the  Draft  Plan  and  receive
public  comments.   Notification  of the availability of the Plan
and the public hearing before the Planning Commission was  mailed
to  over  500  interested  people, including those present at the
previous workshops on the Bicycle Master Plan.

The City's Task Force on the Environment reviewed the Plan at its
December  16,  1991 meeting and approved the Draft Bicycle Master
Plan in concept and requested  staff  to  forward  the  following
comments to the City Council:

    o    Quantify  the  reductions  in   vehicle   traffic   from
         implementation of the Plan

    o    Serve  the  Special  Office  District  better  by  using
         Colorado, Broadway or Olympic

    o    Route numbering system should parallel street numbers

    o    Removal of parking on one side of the street will create
         neighborhood opposition - staff should consider allowing
         parking at night or create bicycle one-way couplets

    o    An effort should be made to notify residents of  streets
         directly impacted by the Plan's proposals

    o    Is  the  Maguire  Thomas  development  responsible   for
         widening the 4th Street Bridge?

The Planning Commission held a public hearing  and  reviewed  the
original  Draft  Bicycle  Master  Plan  at  its February 19, 1992
meeting.  The Planning Commission had the following comments:

    o    There should be  signalized  crossings  at  Ashland  and
         Twenty-Third  Street  and at Washington and Twenty-Sixth
         Street.

    o    Ashland may be too steep for a bicycle boulevard.

    o    Is the bicycle boulevard on Alta necessary?

    o    Why isn't there an east/west route to the Colorado Place
         and  Watergarden  work  center?   Couldn't  Broadway  be
         narrowed to two lanes to accommodate bicycle lanes?

    o    Don't widen streets for a bike lane if it  requires  the
         removal of mature trees.

    o    The Exposition right-of-way should be used either  as  a
         long-term or interim bicycle facility.

    o    Arizona is a good route, but has special  concerns  with
         the hospitals.

    o    Consideration should be given to  eliminating  the  bike
         boulevards north of Wilshire and on Ashland.

    o    What bicycle accident statistics are available?

    o    Concern over removal of parking and lack of  residential
         driveways.

    o    Do additional community outreach.

In May, 1992, two additional public workshops were held  by  City
staff,  one  in  the  north of Wilshire area of the City, and the
other in the Sunset Park neighborhood.  The following  summarizes
the  public comments critical of the Plan from those meetings and
the Planning Commission public hearing:

North of Montana

    o    Alta should not be a bicycle boulevard.

    o    No improvements are necessary north of Montana.

    o    Crime  will  increase  along  bike   routes   and   bike
         boulevards.

    o    No one will use the bicycle route network.

    o    Don't remove parking on 11th Street north of Montana.

    o    No data has been collected to support this  Plan  -  who
         will ride their bike to work to justify the cost?

    o    Bike Boulevards will only  add  to  congestion  and  air
         quality problems.

    o    Bike  Boulevards  will  only  be  used  by   out-of-town
         recreational users.

    o    Bike Boulevards and removal of  on-street  parking  will
         lower property values.

    o    The Plan costs too much, and the City can't afford it.

    o    Don't remove any stop signs.

    o    Why encourage bicycles on 11th and  17th  Streets,  they
         are too crowded already.

    o    Why hasn't a survey been conducted of all  Santa  Monica
         residents?

    o    There has been no public input on this Plan.

    o    Why weren't schools notified of this Plan?

Sunset Park

    o    Why hasn't a survey been done to see what the  ridership
         would be if the Plan is implemented?

    o    Do  bicycle  boulevards  remove   parking?    How   will
         emergency  vehicles  get  access to homes?  How will the
         placement of barriers take place?

    o    How does  the  Bicycle  Master  Plan  tie  in  with  the
         neighborhood traffic plans?

    o    Plan is not a solution to traffic problems.

    o    What about spillover traffic from bicycle boulevards?

Also at the North of Wilshire community workshop, a proposal  was
put  forward  to address bicycle issues primarily in the downtown
area.  This proposal had support from  a  majority  of  those  in
attendance that evening.  The proposal included:

    o    A bicycle path along the Santa Monica/Venice border

    o    Create a one-way  couplet  downtown  with  2nd  and  5th
         Streets and add a bike lane on each.

    o    Create a one-way couplet with Broadway and Colorado from
         downtown to Centinela and add a bike lane on each.

REVISED DRAFT PLAN

Following the public comments  and  comments  from  the  Planning
Commission  and Task Force on the Environment, staff is proposing
that Council adopt a revised  Draft  Bicycle  Master  Plan.   The
revisions to the original plan include:

    o    No planned improvements to any streets north of  Montana
         except  for  signed  Class  III  routes  on Seventeenth,
         Eleventh and Seventh Streets  between  San  Vicente  and
         Montana.  This includes the removal of Alta as a bicycle
         boulevard.

    o    Remove all considerations of removal of parking  on  one
         side  of  the  street for a bike lane.  These areas have
         been converted to Class III signed routes.

    o    Arizona is no longer considered as a bicycle  boulevard.
         It is proposed to remain a Class II lane between Lincoln
         and  Twenty-Sixth  Street,  with  a  Class  II  addition
         between Ocean and Lincoln by merely striping a lane, and
         a Class III signed route east of Twenty-Sixth Street.

In response to comments by the Planning Commission and the  north
of  Wilshire public workshop, staff is proposing two additions to
the revised Plan for Council consideration:

    1)   Restripe Broadway to one lane in each direction  with  a
         two-way  turn median and a bike lane between Lincoln and
         Twenty-Sixth Street.  This is similar to the  restriping
         that  is  occurring  on  Main  Street, and would provide
         excellent  bicycle  access  between  downtown  and   the
         special  office district.  Similar restriping is already
         proposed on Broadway between Twenty-Sixth and  Centinela
         as part of the Mid-City area neighborhood traffic plan.

    2)   The  Parking  and  Traffic   Division   is   considering
         different  alternatives  for  improving  traffic  in the
         downtown area.  As part of that discussion, a system  of
         one-way   streets   in   the   downtown  area  could  be
         considered.  If implemented, this one-way  system  could
         include  bicycle  lanes.   This  could  include  one-way
         couplets with 5th and 2nd Street or 5th and 4th Street.

STAFF RESPONSES TO OTHER ISSUES

The following includes staff responses to the  issues  raised  by
the  Task  Force on the Environment, the Planning Commission, and
the public.

Quantification of Increased Bicycle Ridership

The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission has  recommended
a  formula  for estimating the projected ridership from a bicycle
route project based upon the number of employees at a destination
plus  the number of existing bicyclists.  Using that formula, the
City can expect over 10,000 daily commute trips to be made on the
bicycle   route   network   throughout   the  City.   This  is  a
conservative estimate since  it  does  not  include  recreational
ridership,  ridership associated with the schools or Santa Monica
College and trips made by Santa Monica residents to work  outside
the City boundary.

After implementation of the Plan,  the  City  will  quantify  the
number of commute bicycle trips in the City through data provided
by the City's Transportation Management Plan.

Fourth Street Bridge Widening

The Maguire Thomas development is  responsible  to  pay  for  its
prorata  share  of  improvements  to the 4th Street bridge, which
includes widening for auto traffic by removing the east sidewalk.
This  will  not create adequate space for a bike lane as proposed
in the Plan.  Actual widening of the bridge would be required  to
provide enough width for bike lanes.

Air Quality

City staff contacted representatives of both the  California  Air
Resources  Board (ARB) and the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (SCAQMD), and received letters supporting the  Plan  and
bicycle boulevards, in general, as effective ways of reducing air
pollution (Attachment B).  The ARB letter states:

          "Both Board and  staff  here  at  ARB  are  fully
     supportive of local government initiatives to meet the
     mandates of the South  Coast  Air  Quality  Management
     Plan through an improved system of bicycle facilities.
     Only with the development of an  infrastructure  which
     supports  alternatives  to the single-occupant vehicle
     can Californians be expected  to  make  the  necessary
     changes  in  travel  behavior  to significantly reduce
     vehicle-related air pollution."

Also, in relation to bicycle boulevards, the letter  states  that
adopted  ARB  guidance  on transportation control measures to air
quality districts and cities to  meet  the  requirements  of  the
California   Clean   Air   Act  cites  "preferential  access  for
nonpolluting transportation" as an example of land  use  policies
that support reductions in vehicle trips.

Financing the Plan

The revised Bicycle Master Plan has a total cost  of  $2,741,799.
However, no local general fund revenues will be used to implement
this plan.  All  funding  will  come  either  from  grant  monies
available  at the regional, state or federal level, or from local
return monies earmarked specifically for bicycle programs.

Survey

A survey of large employers in  Santa  Monica  was  conducted  to
assess  the  potential ridership in Santa Monica.  The results of
the survey  show  that  approximately  2.6%  of  their  employees
currently  ride  to work, and that over 40% of the employees live
within five miles of work.  This shows that there is  significant
potential  to  encourage  employees  to  ride  to work through an
improved bicycle route  network  and  the  City's  Transportation
Management Plan.

Also, as mentioned earlier, the Los Angeles County Transportation
Commission has recommended a formula for estimating the projected
ridership from a bicycle route project based upon the  number  of
employees   at   a   destination  plus  the  number  of  existing
bicyclists.  Using that  formula,  the  City  can  conservatively
expect  over 10,000 daily commute trips to be made on the bicycle
route network throughout the City.

Crime, Safety and Property Values

The only available published research on crime and safety  issues
related  to  a  bicycle  route  is from the City of Seattle.  The
study indicates that concerns  about  decreased  property  value,
increased  crime,  and  a  lower  quality  of  life  due  to  the
construction of a bicycle trail are unfounded.  The  study  shows
that  the bicycle trails increase property values and improve the
quality of life in the neighborhood.

Signals

Traffic signals may be needed at the corners of Washington/Twenty
Sixth   and  at  Ashland/Twenty  Third.   Council  can  recommend
inclusion of those items if they wish.  Final  determination  for
such needs will be determined in an EIR and engineering studies.

Tree Removal

No trees will be removed for widening the street for purposes  of
a  bicycle  lane.   The  City  arborist has surveyed the proposed
areas, and feels that the majority of the proposed streets can be
widened  without  impacts  on  trees.   However,  in  a couple of
instances, there are trees too close  to  the  curb.   Mitigation
measures,  such  as  no parking in the area around the tree, will
have to be proposed in the EIR process.

Bicycle Boulevards

The  revised  Draft  Bicycle  Master  Plan   recommends   bicycle
boulevards on Washington, Pearl, Ashland and Yale Streets.

On Washington, residents raised  the  issue  that  barriers  were
placed  on  Washington at 20th and 26th Streets to divert traffic
off the street in the early 1980's.  They said the barriers  were
quickly  removed and replaced with speed humps due to opposition.
They feel there will  still  be  opposition  to  barricades,  and
wanted to know how a bicycle boulevard would be any different.

Staff is aware of the  experience  on  Washington  in  the  early
1980's.   However,  it  is believed that a bicycle boulevard is a
different situation.  In the  early  1980's,  the  barriers  were
placed  in  only a small section of Washington, and were designed
to limit access to a limited segment of Washington.  The proposed
bike  boulevards  will  consist  of  strategically paced barriers
along the entire length of the street.  Therefore  it  is  not  a
preferential improvement for a limited number of residents on the
street.  The bicycle boulevard proposal is to  encourage  bicycle
travel   on   the   length   of  Washington  and  is  part  of  a
well-connected network of bicycle routes throughout the City.

The Pearl bicycle  boulevard  is  consistent  with  many  of  the
proposals  for  Sunset  Park  neighborhood  traffic plans and has
received support in conjunction with those plans.  Opposition  on
Pearl  has been limited to opposition to the whole bicycle master
plan.

The  Ashland  bicycle  boulevard  has  had   both   support   and
opposition.   Supporters feel that Ashland is used by bicyclists,
or that barriers would divert some traffic and slow down  traffic
that  does remain.  Others feel Ashland is too steep to encourage
bicyclists.

The Yale Street bicycle boulevard is consistent with the Mid-City
traffic  plan's  proposal for a diverter at Yale and Arizona.  No
other changes would be required if that were  implemented  except
for clear signage.

City staff has prepared some preliminary analysis of the  traffic
impacts  of  the  bicycle boulevards on neighboring streets using
available average daily trip information  (Attachment  C).   This
analysis  is  preliminary, and should not replace a more thorough
analysis that would occur in the EIR process.

The bicycle boulevards proposed in the Plan  have  the  following
average daily trips (ADT):

    Washington Avenue:   4,300
    Yale Street:         6,850
    Pearl Street:        5,550
    Ashland Avenue:      1,350

The analysis suggests that Pearl  and  Yale  Street  will  divert
automobile  traffic  to  Pico  (813  ADT),  Ocean Park (751 ADT),
Centinela (365 ADT), Stanford (399 ADT) and 26th  Streets  (2,557
ADT).   However,  the  preliminary  analysis  shows  that volumes
diverted onto these streets appear to be potentially  significant
only  on 26th Street.  The EIR would have to analyze this in more
detail using more detailed data and include a  level  of  service
analysis  at  signalized  intersections  based  upon  MEA traffic
information.

Also according to this analysis, Ashland and  Washington  do  not
have  a  significant  amount  of  automobile  through  trips  and
therefore will not have an impact  on  parallel  streets.   These
streets  are  still  recommended as bicycle boulevards since they
may help to slow down traffic, especially on Ashland, and provide
for an opportunity at a later date to consider traffic circles or
the removal of selected stop signs to improve  the  flow  of  the
street   without  creating  any  significant  automobile  traffic
impacts, like increased automobile speed or traffic volume.

There has not been a great deal of opposition to  the  Pearl  and
Yale  bicycle  boulevards  since  they  are  consistent  with the
neighborhood traffic  plans  in  those  neighborhoods.   For  the
Ashland  and  Washington  bicycle  boulevards, staff will conduct
community workshops and surveys on those streets to gauge  public
support  for  the proposals before returning to Council for final
adoption.

General Plan Requirements

Some of the proposed changes, like  bicycle  boulevards,  require
amendments  to the Land Use and Circulation Element of the City's
General Plan.  If the Draft Plan is  adopted  by  Council,  staff
will  return  to Council with the results of the EIR and language
for incorporation into the General Plan.  This will have to occur
before implementation of the Plan elements requiring General Plan
changes.

Removal of Two-Way Turn Lanes

The removal of two-way turn lanes in the mid-block area  of  7th,
11th  and  17th Streets from Wilshire to the Freeway has received
some opposition from the Chamber of  Commerce.   They  feel  this
will  make  it  inconvenient  for customers to access many of the
businesses on these streets by making it difficult  to  exit  and
enter  parking facilities.  However, this is the only alternative
in that part of the City for implementing a bicycle  lane,  since
removal of parking in the commercial and high density residential
areas is not a good alternative.

These streets have the following average daily trips:

    7th Street:    6,000  to  8,000  average  daily  trips   from
                   Wilshire to the Freeway

    11th Street:   10,000 to  12,000  average  daily  trips  from
                   Wilshire to Pico

    17th Street:   8,000  to  9,000  average  daily  trips   from
                   Wilshire to Olympic.

A more detailed analysis of the traffic  impacts  will  occur  as
part of the EIR process.

City staff has also  counted  the  number  of  parking  lots  for
commercial  businesses that may be impacted by the removal of the
two-way traffic lanes in the mid-block section.  On  7th  Street,
there   are  approximately  16  parking  lots  in  the  mid-block
sections, while 11th Street and 17th Street have approximately 10
parking  lots each in the mid-block sections.  With the volume of
traffic, the number of parking lots, and the apparent  light  use
of  the  two  way  turn median, staff believes that this proposal
will not have a  significant  impact  on  automobile  traffic  or
access  to  businesses  on  these  streets.  Again, this would be
analyzed in more detail in the EIR process.

Route on Santa Monica/Venice Border

City staff does not feel this is a viable route based  upon  lack
of  existing  right-of-way  and  that  improvements would require
expanding into City of Los Angeles property.

Environmental Review

Any proposal adopted by Council  will  require  an  Environmental
Impact  Report  (EIR).   This EIR will analyze traffic impacts of
proposed changes, verify the impacts on trees of parkway removal,
and  analyze  potential areas for placement of barriers to create
bicycle boulevards.  Staff will return to Council after selection
of an EIR consultant for appropriation of funds for an EIR either
from locally dedicated  bicycle  monies  or  grant  monies.   The
results  of  the  EIR  will  be presented to Council along with a
recommendation on the Plan before final adoption.

PUBLIC OUTREACH

Public outreach has been conducted with three  public  workshops,
discussions with the neighborhood associations and transportation
committees through the Neighborhood Support  Center,  a  Planning
Commission   public  hearing,  and  two  neighborhood  workshops.
Approximately  30  people  attended  each  of  the  three  public
workshops, with close to 200 people in attendance at the Planning
Commission public hearing and over  80  people  at  each  of  the
neighborhood   workshops.   Staff  has  also  met  with  employee
transportation coordinators representing businesses in the  City,
and representatives of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

The public hearing and workshops were noticed by mailings to over
500  interested individuals.  The two community workshops in May,
1992 were noticed by mailing a  flyer  to  every  resident  on  a
proposed  bicycle  route in the north of Wilshire and Sunset Park
areas.  The Outlook published a story regarding the Draft Bicycle
Master  Plan  and  included  a  map  of the planned bicycle route
network.  A recent article also appeared in the Los Angeles Times
regarding  bicycle  planning  throughout the Westside (Attachment
D).

BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT

All environmental review costs and implementation of the  Bicycle
Master  Plan  will be funded either by regional, state or federal
grant monies, or by using the City's local return funds earmarked
for  bicycle  programs.   The  City  currently has $76,257 of TDA
Article 3 monies, which are earmarked for bicycle programs, which
can be spent on environmental review or implementation of a final
adopted Plan.  No City general fund  revenues  will  be  used  to
implement the Plan.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council adopt the  revised  Draft
Bicycle  Master  Plan.   The  revised  Plan includes the measures
included  in  the  original  draft  plan,  with   the   following
modifications:

    o    No planned improvements to any streets north of  Montana
         except  for  signed  Class  III  routes  on Seventeenth,
         Eleventh and Seventh Streets  between  San  Vicente  and
         Montana.  This includes the removal of Alta as a bicycle
         boulevard.

    o    Delete all considerations of removal of parking  on  one
         side  of  the  street for a bike lane.  These areas have
         been converted to Class III signed routes.

    o    Arizona and 28th Sreets  are  no  longer  considered  as
         bicycle  boulevards.   Arizona  is  proposed to remain a
         Class II lane between Lincoln and  Twenty-Sixth  Street,
         with  a  Class  II addition between Ocean and Lincoln by
         merely striping a lane, and a  Class  III  signed  route
         east of Twenty-Sixth Street.  28th Street is proposed as
         a Class III signed route.

The following is also recommended:

    1)   Restripe Broadway to one lane in each direction  with  a
         two-way  turn  median and a bicycle lane between Lincoln
         and  Twenty-Sixth  Street.   This  is  similar  to   the
         restriping  that  is occurring on Main Street, and would
         provide excellent bicycle access  between  downtown  and
         the special office district.  Similar restriping plan is
         already proposed on Broadway  between  Twenty-Sixth  and
         Centinela  as  part  of  the  Mid-City area neighborhood
         traffic plan.

    2)   The  Parking  and  Traffic   Division   is   considering
         different  alternatives  for  improving  traffic  in the
         downtown area.  As part of that discussion, a system  of
         one-way   streets   in   the   downtown  area  could  be
         considered.  In the event that a one-way couplet  system
         is  implemented,  bike  lanes  could  be included.  This
         could include one-way couplets with 5th and  2nd  Street
         or 5th and 4th Street.

    3)   Add signals to the intersections at Washington and  26th
         Street, and at Ashland and 23rd Street.

By adopting these recommendation, Council  would  be  authorizing
staff  to begin the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report
(EIR) and apply for funding  opportunities  that  could  be  used
after final adoption of a Plan and EIR.  Information from the EIR
will be presented to Council at the time the Plan is adopted.

Prepared By:    Paul Berlant, Director of LUTM
                Suzanne Frick, Planning Manager
                Paul Casey, Transportation Planner
                Land Use and Transportation Management Department
                Program and Policy Development Division

Attachments:  A. Originally Proposed Bicycle Route Network
              B. Letters from Air Resources Board and South Coast
                 Air Quality Management District
              C. Bike Implementation Traffic Distribution
              D. Los Angeles Times Article on Bicycle Planning
              E. Letters From the Public
              F. Revised Draft Bicycle Master Plan