Countywide : Laguna Niguel Top Bike-Friendly City

The Orange County Bicycle Coalition has named Laguna Niguel the county’s most “bicycle-friendly” city.

The town ranked first this year in the coalition’s second annual Bicycle Friendly Cities Contest. Cities were judged on steps they took in 1993 to promote cycling and on the number of existing miles of bike lanes they had developed. Last year’s contest winner, Irvine, placed second, and San Juan Capistrano came in third this time.

“It was a surprise--we figured Irvine would take it again because of all their existing (bike lanes, lockers and racks),” said Jim Konopka, treasurer of the 125-member coalition.

But Laguna Niguel scored big, Konopka said, because of a program in its elementary schools that teaches children bicycling safety and because the city already had about 37 miles of on-street bike lanes.

Laguna Niguel also added 18 miles of on-street bike lanes last year, and officials have plans to continue creating bike lanes along major roads.

The 2-year-old bicycle advocacy group ranked 19 cities that responded to the survey. The remaining 12 cities in the county were disqualified for not returning an 11-page questionnaire that coalition members say was sent to each city hall.

Cities gained points if they created new bike lanes and lost points if they removed any. Each town also scored points if, for example, officials had applied for grants to build more bike racks or lockers, cleaned and maintained their bike paths regularly or aggressively enforced vehicle codes that pertain to cycling.

Cities also raked in points if they had created a citizen bicycle committee or had adopted ordinances requiring bike racks or lockers in some areas.

Garden Grove, which ranked last a year ago, rose to eighth place this year. Konopka said Garden Grove officials appear far more committed to providing new bike lanes. The city has developed a bicycle route master plan and has applied for state and federal grants to fund new on-street lanes.

Cities ranking between fourth and 19th place in the contest are as follows: Lake Forest, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Tustin, Garden Grove, Mission Viejo, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Cypress, Villa Park, Brea, Anaheim, Los Alamitos, Yorba Linda, Fullerton and Seal Beach.

Coalition members said surveys were not returned by the cities of Buena Park, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, La Habra, La Palma, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, San Clemente, Stanton and Westminster.