Getting Around LA Without a Car
When it comes to first and last mile connections (and let’s be honest, many miles in between), Los Angeles is lacking infrastructure to support non-car users. Recently, SAFE was copied in an email from Anya McCann, LCI (League of American Bicyclists, League Cycling Instructor), who was visiting LA through LAX and found herself without any Metro bike share options. The email is printed below.
Anya was prepared to bike the few miles from LAX to her destination; she even brought a bicycle helmet. However, the closest station was 4 miles away.
To Metro’s credit, there have been billions of dollars invested in connecting LAX almost directly to mass transit via the new K and C lines at the LAX/Metro Transit Center. And in less than a year (barring more delays), the new LAX people mover will start to reduce that nightmare of congestion known as the LAX loop.
Automated People Mover (APM) Train System, a new train that will provide time-certain access to terminals, parking, pickup and drop-off curbs, the LAX Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility and LA Metro's light rail system.
For a city planning to host a car-free Olympics in less than 3 years to be so far behind the rest of the world in terms of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure is frightening, but a testimony to how deeply ingrained car culture is in this city.
From our end, SAFE will continue working with the powers that be to make our city more accessible and traveler-friendly by expanding access to bike share stations, on-time buses, clean and safe rail, and subway transit. But it’s important to remember there are real people being affected by the lack of access today.
Delaying action will only continue putting people and our environment at risk.
Below you may read Anya McCann’s email:
Hello,
I grew up in Los Angeles and spent another 20 years there as an adult. My father was a lifelong City of LA employee and he worked hard to get bike facilities built over his 40 year career and post-retirement as a community advocate.
This weekend I flew down to LAX to attend an event and decided to make it an adventure to find ways to get to my Mom’s without asking someone to pick me up or getting a $50 Uber.
I brought a bike helmet, used a backpack as luggage, and, as I’ve done in many other cities, explored how to grab a rental bike (preferably e-bike) and bike to my Mom’s house…a ride distance I used to do when I was a child with Dad on weekends for fun.
Surprise: There are no rental bike stations within a 30 minute walk of the LAX. (Although I saw several brands of e-scooters laying around all over the place.) Even if I caught an uber into the Marina, there were no e-bikes available at that time. And, I note from the service map that I would have to return it 1.6 miles from Mom’s and walk the rest of the way.
I ended up walking 1.4 miles from Terminal 1 to Westchester to catch the Big Blue Bus #3, which got me to the same block that is the closest Metro e-bike docking station I would have used – and then did the 1.6 mile walk to Mom’s. While it is a pleasant walk along a path I do just for fun and exercise, with luggage it is more of a commitment. I exited the airport at 3:30 and arrived at my destination at 5:35...a longer trip than I hoped for to travel 14 miles.
Los Angeles needs some better multi-modal access that includes more bike rental stations, and I hope your plans for improvements before the Olympics includes stations at the airports (at LAX they could be out on Sepulveda Blvd.). There also needs to be clear and connective bike lane access to get around Westchester Parkway or Lincoln Blvd to Marina del Rey from LAX that people would understand if they have never been there before.
I hope this gets forwarded to people who are working on these projects since I have no connections at DOT in LA.
Best regards,
Anya McCann