Following incidents in August all the way up to a child recently being hit by a bicyclist at 4th & Junipero and an elderly woman breaking her hip after being struck by a cyclist on a sidewalk, Bike Long Beach and the Long Beach Beach Police Department (LBPD) have partnered to amp up efforts to increase pedestrian safety on sidewalks in business districts.
The “Walk It or Lock It” campaign follows an overall increase in ridership within the city—much to the applause of alternative mobility advocates—which has unfortunately meant a simultaneous increase in riders on sidewalks—much to the frustration of business owners, who know well of the illegality regarding riding a bicycle on a sidewalk in business districts. And particularly given the upcoming holiday weekend, infamously known as being packed with crowds, the implementation of safer sidewalks and its according laws are essential.
In fact, according to municipal code regarding sidewalk riding (10.48.070):
“no one shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within any business district; in pedestrian underpasses; on pedestrian overpasses; upon sidewalks adjacent to any school building, church, recreation center, playground, or senior citizens’ residential development; within the area south of Ocean Boulevard between the Long Beach Museum of Art on the west and Bluff Park on the east; on the northerly side of the Downtown Marina mole which directly abuts said marina, between Gangway A and Gangway P.”
A recent release from the City lists the business districts in Long Beach as Downtown Long Beach, the East Village Arts District, 4th Street Retro Row, 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls and Cambodia Town.
“Bicyclists need to respect the rights of pedestrians just as we expect motorists to respect the rights of bicyclists,” said Allan Crawford, Bicycle Coordinator for the City, in a statement. “We applaud and appreciate the work of police officers to help educate everyone in our city about the rules for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.”
That point—education and a lack of knowledge regarding the law amongst Long Beach bicyclists—encouraged both Bike Long Beach and the LBPD to remind cyclists to walk bicycles when on the sidewalk or lock them up on a bike rack. Not only have police officers been handing out cards which explain 10.48.070, new signage and stencils have begun to appear downtown as well to launch the campaign; the other districts mentioned will soon receive the same amenities.
To learn more about bicycle safety and to download maps of safe bike riding routes throughout the city, go to bikelongbeach.org