CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES

Cyclists across L.A. have until June 12 to review and offer suggestions to city planning officials on proposed new bike lanes that would traverse the city.

City planning officials released the proposed maps last week, showing where the bike lanes and pathways would be built on neighborhood streets in the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, South L.A. and downtown.

Currently, there are 134 miles of bike paths and 321 miles of bike lanes in the city. Bike paths typically are located alongside flood channels and bike lanes along city streets.

Members of the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition expressed disappointment Wednesday that more lanes were not proposed along major streets, which would allow cyclists to connect from one major point of interest to another, said spokeswoman Aurisha Smolarski.

City planning officials say putting bike lanes on major streets would mean removing auto lanes or parking spaces to make room.

“While local connector networks could be improved by the proposed changes, major connectivity issues within the city remain unaddressed,” Smolarski said in a statement. “We are disappointed with the process and the current draft, but we see this as an opportunity to educate and influence the city to create positive movement toward meeting the needs of cyclists.”

-- Ruben Vives