Irvine City Council member William Go will be holding a bike-related meeting regarding the future of plans for bikes in the city, a “Bike Listening Session.” The date, time, and location is below.

This meeting is a prime opportunity to receive updates on the Sustainable Mobility Plan, which includes the construction of protected bike lanes. These are separated bikeways which are lanes for bicycles that are physically separated from traffic. Irvine has already opened their first 1.25-mile Class IV bikeway, in the Great Park on Cadence. Plans are to build more.

“Some, like families, tourists, and novice riders like the idea of protected bike lanes. Others, like racing teams and bike clubs feel this “road furniture” is more dangerous by trapping riders inside of them. How do you feel? ”

Here is a list of questions we’ve compiled with the help of Paul Self, a cyclist from Tustin. We hope many in BCI will attend the meeting, but even if you can not, please read through these questions we wish to raise. It’ll give you a better understanding of the issue with protected bike lanes.

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Meeting details:

Wednesday, March 5th
5:30PM - 6:30PM
Portola Springs Community Center | 900 Tomato Springs, Irvine, CA 92618
Snacks and beverages provided
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Talking Points to address at the meeting:

What are the car/bike incidents that are present or anticipated that warrant building these lanes? In other words, what is the problem we are solving?

As an example, the Class IV lane from Dana Point to San Clemente addressed fatalities by building a fully protected lane with k-rails and is wide enough for the full traffic needs.

What is the financial cost of building/not building these lanes? The cost of not building these lanes may be civil suites for monetary damages. Or, is the City sufficiently shielded from those lawsuits?

Follow-on question is who funds this cost? Is it a bond or a grant?
Have tax payers been made aware of this additional cost and are they supportive of this expense?

Can you clarify what the most common situation for a car/bike incident is?

We know that it is a cyclist on a sidewalk crossing a street.

If Class IV bike lanes are built and a rider that requires a Class IV lane wants to ride these lanes, how do these riders get to/from the protected lanes? In other words, are these bike lanes to nowhere?
It is our understanding that the Irvine Bike Advocacy Group, OC Bike Coalition, and Cycle Savvy have all opposed these types of bike lanes. Can you please speak to their opposition and address why cyclists themselves do not want this?
On the Cadence Class IV lane in the Great Park, what were the car bike incidents that motivated this project?

Follow-on, please address why there are so many car tire marks on these curbs and that the City later added bollards to create visibility?
How many motorists and citizens have complained about this project?
It sounds like a half million was spent for marginal gain.

Please explain the smallest street sweeper width the City utilizes to clean roads and what the smallest width will be for the protected lanes. We have seen many of these lanes that are too narrow to be kept clean.
Can you explain the width required by a cyclist when using a bike lane and the width required for a rider to pass a slower rider?

Please apply those dimensions to the dedicated lanes that are proposed.

It is our observation that cycling groups do not ride in these lanes. When asked, they say it is unsafe due to mobility and debris issues. Can you please address this?
A true Class IV bike lane forbids pedestrians. In every situation that you are proposing a Class IV lane, is there going to be signage for no pedestrians and will there be a path for pedestrians?
What is the master plan of fully connected Class IV bike lanes in Irvine?

Where can one get to/from on said lanes?

Are you aware of Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Encinitas implementing these types of lanes?

If so, do you know how many fatal incidents have happened since these lanes were installed?

Can you please provide full disclosure of Council member Go’s business interests and how these lanes will benefit his business?
Can you please disclose how the City is addressing the e-bike issues for e-motorcycles, underaged riders on un-governed vehicles, lack of liability for e-bikers, and many other issues related to this mode of transportation?

Follow-on, what are the budgetary expectations to address this very real problem vs the cost of building Class IV bike lanes?

Is there a speed limit that will be enforced for e-bikes in these lanes? If so, how will it be enforced?