BLUE FOLDER ITEM
Blue folder items are additional back up material to administrative reports and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
DECEMBER 5, 2023
N.2 DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING POLICE DEPARTMENT EFFORTS TO
ENFORCE SAFE E-BIKE USE, FORMING A CITY E-BIKE TASK FORCE, AND APPROVAL OF A LETTER SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY BILL 530
CONTACT: JOE HOFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
• SUPPORT LETTER FROM SOUTH BAY BICYCLE COALITION PLUS
• PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
RE: Item N.2 December 5, 2023 Redondo Beach City Council Meeting
AB-530, as proposed, would govern E-bike operations through licensing in California and implement additional safety measures. The SBBC+ is already working to incorporate AB530’s education & licensing program into a training package that PE Teachers can use to educate their students.
The SBBC+ respectfully asks to be included on the Redondo Beach Task Force. Due to our experience with previous education programs & Bicycle Traffic School plus our bicycling expertise & research, SBBC+ can provide valuable input for implementing an education & licensing path for all Redondo Beach teenagers.
The SBBC+ recommends the City of Redondo Support AB-530.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact SBBC+ [email protected] or (424)265-1324. We are always happy to create safer streets for the active population.
Thank you for your consideration,
Laura Emdee
SBBC+ Board Member-At-Large
The South Bay Bicycle Coalition Plus was created by passionate bicyclists in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the goal of making the streets safer for bicyclists, and add a network of connected bikeways throughout the South Bay.
SBBC+ PATH FORWARD
Will increase our support for the most vulnerable population by encouraging cities/regional/state agencies to build safer streets that will encourage residents of all ages and abilities to participate in heathy outdoor activity.
Highlights:
• Offer safety education programs for all ages and abilities. • Promote public transportation options, while endorsing multimodal/e-micromobility innovations.
• Making human safety the highest priority and imbedded in every decision made. • Building political clout and becoming more effective at working with community leaders. • Promote livability policies, such as Complete Streets, Traffic Calming designs, Vision Zero and other progressive quality of life and healthy life style initiatives.
From: Liam Walsh
To: CityClerk
Subject: 12/5 City Council Meeting Comment on Item N2
Date: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 12:03:24 PM
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Hi, I'd like to submit my comment for item N2 on the agenda of today's city council meeting.
Please see below.
Thanks,
Liam Walsh
Hi, I'm a resident in North Redondo (CD 5). With the growing prevalence of e-bikes in the South Bay, I urge the city council to embrace this opportunity to build safe and connected infrastructure - this being protected bike lanes and secure bike parking options. E-bikes are a serious mode of transportation (I've frequently ridden ~7 miles to and from work on mine) and can be a real car replacement. One of the largest barriers to this is that most people do not feel safe biking on our city streets that have been designed for maximum car throughput. The best way to remedy this is by building protected bike lanes which separate bike traffic from car traffic.
I also agree that education of how to ride safely and follow the rules of the road is important, and applaud the ongoing education efforts throughout the community. I am however opposed to any licensing required to ride an e-bike as proposed in AB 530 for the following reasons.
Biking is one of the most efficient and low-barrier-to-entry ways to get around, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. While an entry-level e-bike will run you around $1000, that pales in comparison to the yearly cost to operate a car (i.e. insurance, maintenance, fuel) not even considering the cost of the car itself. For many, e-bikes are a much more affordable method of transportation. Even for those that are well-off, parents choosing to buy their kid an e-bike over a car is a much better choice in terms of the impact of emissions and congestion, not to mention encouraging to spend more time outside. What we need to ensure is that we have safe infrastructure for people to be empowered, not scared, to ride their bike to where they want to go.
I am also opposed to a law requiring e-bike licenses because this increases the bar to entry of simply getting on a bike and riding to your destination. Parents working multiple jobs may not have time to sort out getting their kids enrolled in a class, taking a test, and this ultimately reduces opportunity. I do think it is important to teach kids how to bike safely, and think this would be best done through our public schools though involvement with the police and community organizations. These programs are super valuable and would ideally be something every student in Redondo goes through. However if licensing is to become a legal requirement, that is an equal opportunity issue as acquiring an ID is not something simple for everyone. I also believe setting aside funds to run and enforce this proposed licensing program would be much better spent on bicycle infrastructure and education.
I would also like to point out that while cars do require a license to operate, and they also weigh about 50-100 times more than an e-bike and do not have speed governors. In Redondo Beach last year, based on 2022 CHP data (link below), 24 pedestrians and 36 people on bikes were hit by cars to a level that resulted in a police report. From that same data, there were 4 reported collisions between bicycles and pedestrians. A car's speed and weight is a much higher risk to the public and warrants investment in smart road design to protect people walking and biking. Worldwide, crash injuries are the leading cause of death for children per the CDC (link below), and pedestrian deaths across the country are breaking 30-year records (statista link below). This is a concerning trend that needs correction through design of our built environment.
I urge the city council to embrace this opportunity to invest in making biking safe and an equal opportunity for all, by building a network of protected bike lanes and though community education.
Collision data: https://tims.berkeley.edu/tools/query/summary.php CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/global-road-safety/index.html Statista: https://www.statista.com/chart/17194/pedestrian-fatalities-in-the-us-by-year/ 5 December 2023
Honorable Bill Brand
Mayor, Redondo Beach
415 Diamond Street
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Re: N2, eBike safety
Dear Honorable Mayor Brand, City Council Members, and Staff, We purchased a home in North Redondo in part to facilitate bike commuting to our jobs in El Segundo. After we became parents, it was all too easy for me to slide into driving to daycare/schools and work. Hauling myself over our steep hills was hard enough, ever mind a growing kid and all the stuff they need. Had eBikes been around then, I would have vastly preferred to ride an eBike than drive.
AB 530 seems like reasonable legislation and I hope you follow staff recommendations. I also support the formation of a task force to study conditions on the ground and how to make everyone safer.
Since 2017, I have used an eBike around the Beach Cities and Torrance. I now ride an eBike twice as often as I drive. That’s a net benefit for my fitness, our community, and the earth in general. However, I see a lot of non-optimal behavior by all road users. However, some of the unsafe behavior is due to cyclists competing for space in an environment not designed to accommodate us.
For instance, perhaps kids are riding on the sidewalk to avoid being doored in the Diamond Street bike lane? Would reversing the parking and the bike lane 1 help reduce danger to cyclists
and pedestrians on the sidewalk alike?
1 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/cycle-tracks/one-way-protected-cycle-tracks/ I personally ride on the sidewalk sometimes when the right side is blocked by cars staging themselves for a right turn at an intersection. Would a continuously painted green bike lane alert drivers to leave the right clear for approaching cyclists? I ride on the sidewalk rather than wait in between cars waiting for the light at intersections like Rindge/Artesia and Grant/Kingsdale because I have seen motorists hit cyclists from behind when cyclists are waiting between cars at a stoplight. With today’s tall and blocky hoods, we’re barely visible to drivers. Also, drivers are on their phones/screens, and inch forward, forgetting that we are in front of them.
I would like to volunteer for the eBike task force. I experience our city as a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, and transit rider. I would bring my observational and analytical skills as a scientist and my experience and empathy as a multi-modal mom.
Thank-you,
Grace Peng, PhD