Following the tragic deaths of Stanislav Ionov and Scott Bleifer last year, a number of parties have been working on making Pacific Coast Highway safer for cyclists. Step one is a very small step–placing “Share the Road” signs along the more dangerous stretches of the highway. While some may scoff that drunk drivers and speeders aren’t going to change their behavior because of a sign it is in fact an incredibly important symbolic achievement. It is an official recognition that bicyclists have a right to be on the road. This is in direct contrast to some officials (specifically many with the City of Malibu) that the road simply couldn’t handle bicycle traffic so cyclists should just go somewhere else if they didn’t want to end up on the front of someone’s grill. The signs signify the end of that sentiment and hopefully the beginning of other efforts to make this major cycling thoroughfare safer for all.

There is a media event officially announcing the signs with speakers that will include the Chief Deputy Director of CalTrans District 7 (which includes all of L.A. County and Ventura County), State Senator Sheila Kuehl, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, State Assembly Member Fran Pavley and Duncan Lemmon, President of Velo Club La Grange. The event will be held at Topanga State Beach Parking Lot, 18700 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Good job all.

tags: malibu pch bicycling

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 21st, 2006 at 8:46 pm by Insider and is filed under Cycling, California Schemin'. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.