11:18am | Thursday January 12, at 10:00am the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA), Vice Mayor and Second District Councilmember Dr. Suja Lowenthal, First District Councilmember Dr. Robert Garcia, and Martin Howard, Bikeable Communities, will officially dedicate the new street banners that celebrate the dedicated bike lanes along Broadway and Third Street. The Long Beach community is invited to attend this event, which will take place outside of Dave Schneider Jewelry located at 245 Promenade North. 

“The City of Long Beach has made great strides in becoming the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States,” said DLBA President and CEO Kraig Kojian. “These new street banners are a great way to bring attention to the progress made throughout Long Beach and in the Downtown. They bring awareness to the dedicated bike lanes, encourage cyclists to bike safely and enhance the beautification of the neighborhood.”

After conceiving the idea, the DLBA worked with various community leaders, members and organizations on the concept and implementation of the bike banners. These banners are installed along the length of Broadway and Third Street from the 710 Freeway to Alamitos Avenue and will remain throughout 2012. They were designed by local Long Beach artists Michael Mosselli and Marty Meier, principals of M4creative Design, an East Village firm.

“Not only do these bike lanes provide an east-west connection through Downtown, they improve pedestrian safety by getting riders off of the sidewalks and calming traffic, which are critical components to successful neighborhoods and business corridors,” said Vice Mayor Lowenthal. “The stylish banners reinforce our message that being bicycle friendly means so much more than simply providing a painted pathway for riders. This is about active lifestyles and providing options for navigating our city in a manner we choose.”

The City of Long Beach’s Bicycle Master Plan, which won a Pinnacle Downtown Achievement Award from the International Downtown Association in 2009, has guided the City as they work diligently towards the goal of becoming the most bicycle-friendly city in the U.S. With a number of great projects completed, such as the dedicated bike lanes, the opening of the new BikeStation, and the upcoming projects, including the BikeShare program and bike rack installations, Long Beach is gaining significant attention and notoriety, and is quickly rising in the ranks of leading bicycling initiatives. This is further evidenced by DLBA’s hosting of the 4th Annual BikeFest Tour of Long Beach, which takes place on May 5, 2012, and the selection of Long Beach as the location for the 2012 ProWalkProBike conference, taking place in September.

“These street banners are a vibrant and colorful way to celebrate the growth and enthusiasm of the local biking community,” said Councilmember Garcia. “Beautifying our neighborhoods and working to improve the Long Beach bicycling experience are important goals that help revitalize communities throughout Long Beach.”

“The many bike-friendly projects that have been completed and that are currently in the works have helped make Long Beach safer, easier to navigate and more connected,” said Martin Howard. “These bike banners highlight those accomplishments and promote a healthy and safe lifestyle.”