Long Beach Cyclists Call for More Bike Racks

While bicycle enthusiasts gather for an exhibit of photos that highlighted the cycling population in Long Beach at the West End Library, the event last Saturday was also a platform for residents to call for more bike racks throughout the city. 

“My goal was to show the diversity in the bicycle culture in Long Beach,” said photographer Anthony Messina, whose snapshots were on display. “Everyone rides bikes from a 95-year-old grandmother to a business executive to young children.”

A Walks resident, Messina spoke about the connection between the struggle to find parking in town and the need for bike racks.   

“Once I park my car here in Long Beach, I do not want to move it because there is a parking problem here, which encourages people to ride their bikes, but there is limited space to lock up a bike,” he said. “One of my goals is to get more bike racks in the heavy shopping areas.”

Kathy Vaira, a longtime Long Beach resident and owner of a local dog-walking business, believes bikes have become a more popular mode of transportation due to the economy.

“People are not going away as much, and it is cheaper to ride a bike than to drive a car, especially with the price of gas,” she said. “Plus it’s fun and a great form of exercise.”

East End resident Bob Shanley, a board member of the West End Arts Association that hosted the event, is determined to get the city to provide more bike racks. “I have been to City Council meetings and have made an issue of this and plan to do so in the future,” said Shanley, an avid cyclist. “Some of the council members said they are supportive of placing bike racks throughout the city.”

Council Vice President Len Torres said he has advocated for more bicycle use and for bike lanes because the average resident owns a two-wheeler. He acknowledged that bike racks are pricey and that some businesses have asked if they could receive financial assistance to build them. He said that officials at the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce told him they would “help with the bike racks. They are supporters of the [bike lane] program and will contribute. That is the promise I received from the Chamber of Commerce and I plan to hold them to it.”

Chamber President Michael Kerr believes that businesses should not have to pay for the bike racks exclusively. “People have enough going on right now,” he said. “Between insurance costs, their rent and mortgages, they get hit for a lot. If there is anything we have to do, it is to keep businesses in business.”

But Councilman John McLaughlin believes differently. He said the council's main priority is to focus on Long Beach’s financial woes and the proposed budget. “The city should have more bike racks, I firmly believe that, but in front of businesses, it is their responsibility to make it more advantageous to the customer,” he said.

McLaughlin said that the city should be responsible for bike racks on street corners, and he suggested the possibility that some of the profits from the citywide DecoBike bicycle sharing-rental program, due to start next month, could be used to purchase more bike racks.

Meanwhile, resident Jeffrey Gibaldi said that the Long Beach biking community needs to organize into a collective voice on this issue.

“Let the City of Long Beach know that bikers are predominant here and should be taken more seriously,” he said. “You want to be green and economical? Then ride a bike. That is what it is all about.“