MTA Hopes to Convert More Drivers to Pedal Power

In this epicenter of traffic, where the rich and famous are usually stuck in congestion like everyone else, actor Ed Begley Jr. has found a humble, two-wheeled way to travel faster.

Since Begley was a boy with a paper route, he has loved riding bicycles. The actor, now 54, still pedals everywhere -- to deal-making meetings on the Westside, to visit friends in Ojai, even to a recent film festival in Hollywood.

“My No. 1 form of transportation, the first thing I do, is to get on my bike when I need to get somewhere,” said Begley, who lives in Studio City. “It’s quicker than being in a car during rush hour ... It’s an hour and 10 minutes to Santa Monica. It’s 25 minutes to Beverly Hills.”

Begley and dozens of cycling enthusiasts, riding 10-speeds, mountain bikes, beach cruisers and tandems from all corners of Los Angeles, joined transportation officials downtown recently to promote May 20 as “Bike to Work Day” and to advocate pedaling as an alternative to driving solo.

Begley, who bicycled from his home to the Metro Red Line’s Universal City station and then rode the subway to downtown during the morning rush hour, said his entire trip took 22 minutes.

Bicycling also improves one’s cardiovascular health, reduces air pollution and saves money, others say.

“We hope more commuters will give bicycling a try and stick with it,” said Frank Roberts, vice chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and mayor of Lancaster.

When California began “Bike to Work Week” a decade ago, 20,000 to 25,000 people participated, said K.C. Butler, the state coordinator for the event. Last year, the event drew up to 75,000 commuters throughout the state. This year, the state’s Bike to Work Week is May 17-21.

Surveys of past participants showed that 30% were new to commuting by bicycle and that 70% of the new cyclists kept pedaling to work, at least every once in a while, more than a month after the event, Butler said.

Within Los Angeles County, 2.4% of all trips people make -- whether commuting to work or going to the store -- are made on a bike, according to the MTA. The agency hopes to double that figure by 2025.

Driving is such an integral part of the Southern California lifestyle that most people go to their cars to run every errand, even though biking can be faster and cheaper, cycling advocates say. People also tend to view cycling as an option only for short neighborhood trips, although it can often be combined with public transit to travel longer distances.

But the biggest deterrent is fear of mingling with traffic, especially if it’s heavy, Butler said.

To ease safety concerns, transportation agencies have been setting aside land and road space for bicyclists. In the last nine years, the MTA provided $83 million for 109 bikeway projects. The county now has about 500 miles of bicycle lanes and paths, with more than 300 miles of routes within the city of Los Angeles.

Some cyclists say the region still has far to go toward creating a network of bike lanes.

Howard Hackett of Culver City enjoys riding the Ballona Creek bike path to the Pacific Ocean. But if the 73-year old retiree wants to ride to the nearby Playa Vista bike path, he has to venture into car traffic for about half a mile because the two routes don’t connect, he said.

“The planners of L.A. are doing a lousy job. They need to plan better for bike lanes,” he said.

Transportation officials say better connectivity is their goal and that they are adding more miles of bike lanes and bike paths every year.

Recently completed projects include an eight-mile landscaped bike path between Lancaster and Palmdale. A 2 1/2-mile bike path parallel to San Fernando Road in the Sylmar area is expected to be completed this month.

Next year, when the 14-mile Metro Orange Line busway opens, a parallel bike path will also open. It will go from Woodland Hills to North Hollywood, connecting such places as Pierce College, the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, the Van Nuys Government Center and Valley College.

Local transportation agencies also have been installing amenities for bicyclists.

Many buses are now equipped with racks for carrying bikes. Most train stations also offer racks as well as large lockers for parking bicycles overnight.

The city of Los Angeles, which currently has 1,800 bicycle racks, plans to add 1,600 more this year. Although riding on sidewalks is prohibited in most cities, Los Angeles permits it almost everywhere.

One exception is the Venice boardwalk, where bikes are prohibited because of the pedestrians and skaters, said Michelle Mowery, the bicycle program manager for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

Finally, a memo to the image-conscious, courtesy of Los Angeles City Councilman and MTA board member Tom LaBonge: All you need is a willingness to pedal; spandex shorts are not required.

Just off a bike, LaBonge lifted his leg to show how he tucked the bottoms of his slacks into knee-high dress socks -- evoking a knickers-like effect -- to prevent his pants from getting caught in the bike chain.

“I have style!” the councilman said. “This is how you ride to work.”