Bike Lane Challenge in Temescal Canyon

By Deborah Stambler | Contributing Writer

Temescal Canyon is set to get “enhanced” bike lanes, under plans being drawn up by Councilmember Mike Bonin’s office.

At the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on July 28, Jessie Holzer, mobility deputy for Councilmember Mike Bonin’s office, presented a proposal to “grow” the bike lanes along the canyon.

The proposal was formulated by Councilmember Bonin’s office and Selata Reynolds, the head of the city’s Department of Transportation.

They were persuaded to consider such ambitious and possibly traffic-slowing plans in the wake of the 2013 death of Australian visitor James Rapley.

He was killed a quarter mile from PCH after a car driven by a teenager drifted into the existing uphill bike lane and hit him from behind.

The PPCC board and audience followed along as Holzer described the existing configuration and began describing the proposed changes.

The main change to the uphill side of the road would be to swap the parking lane and bike lane. This would create a bike lane protected from the moving cars.

Questions came at the end of Holzer’s presentation about this proposed configuration, but there were many more reactions to the enhancements for the downhill side of Temescal.

In order to accommodate a buffered bike lane and parking on the downhill side of Temescal, one of the lanes currently designated for cars would have to be eliminated. There are concerns about potential problems this traffic configuration would present.

Holzer pointed to peak hours on Temescal being between 7 and 8 a.m. with approximately 684 cars on the road at that time.

She didn’t have the figures for the number of cyclists using the road but recounted the details of the Rapley tragedy.

Questions and comments from the board and community were fairly consistent in expressing doubt that this proposal was in the best interest of the community. Consideration of safety measures for cyclists was recognized as important, but losing a lane for car traffic on Temescal wasn’t a popular solution.

A few people remarked on the funnel of traffic at the light at PCH and Temescal and worried that the jam up of cars at the light making a left turn would worsen.

Comments on social media reflect this stance as well. Cassandra Stajduhar, a resident, said: “Temescal is the only road that isn’t a complete disaster most of the time.”

Others predicted it would never happen, but such conversations are taking place across the city. This proposal is in early stages. New PPCC Chair Maryam Zar invited Holzer to come back to the PPCC with further recommendations.

Holzer took notes as PPCC board members and residents offered suggestions such as diverting cyclists through the park lands just off the main road.

They also addressed the issue of the blind curves on Sunset Boulevard, a present hazard for cyclists, and considering how the change in parking lanes would impact popular food trucks that park there on a regular basis.

Holzer’s presentation to the PPCC was a courtesy to the community as plans for bike lane enhancements are in the early stages.

The issue is sure to be on the PPCC agenda again and up for discussion.