Green paint colors bike lane on UCLA campus along frequently used Strathmore tunnel
UCLA Transportation opened the university’s first bike lane on Monday on Strathmore Place, with the goal of providing a safe route for cyclists.
By Erin Donnelly
Oct. 10, 2012 1:37 a.m.
The dimmed tunnel linking the bustling apartments of Westwood’s North Village and the UCLA campus is now formally open to students who bike to campus.
On Monday, UCLA Transportation opened the university’s first bike lane on campus on the eastbound side of Strathmore Place between Charles E. Young Drive and Westwood Plaza. The road is one of the most used entrances to campus ““ second only to Westwood Plaza ““ and a main route for students living in Westwood’s North Village trying to travel to campus, said David Karwaski, UCLA Transportation planning and policy manager.
The $30,000 project, funded by UCLA Events and Transportation, is meant to provide a safer environment for the bikers who use the road on a regular basis and provide a safer environment between the cyclists and the cars, Karwaski said.
Transportation received complaints about the safety of the road that runs under Strathmore Tunnel, Karwaski said.
Bikers were concerned that the roads were not conducive to cyclists and cars sharing the road, Karwaski said.
To mitigate the possibility of a collision, UCLA Transportation painted green squares on the ground in intersections that sandwich the lane. The “bike boxes” are meant to provide more room for bikers in the lane, and make drivers more aware of bikers’ presence, Karwaski said.
To increase safety, UCLA Transportation also painted portions, such as intersections and parking structure entrances, where cars might need to cross into the lane, a solid green color.
Kevin Zhou, a fourth-year mathematics and economics student, generally avoided using Strathmore Place when biking to campus from his apartment on Strathmore Drive because he felt unsafe on the road.
But with the addition of the new bike lane, he said he is reworking his morning route to include the newly added bike lane.
“The tunnel can get pretty dark,” said Zachary Chin, a second-year English student who bikes to campus from his apartment on Landfair Avenue.
“It is nice to know there is an extra level of protection. It was definitely worth the extra cost; it feels a lot safer than what it was,” he added.
UCLA Transportation hopes the added level of safety will increase the number of bikers in the UCLA community, Karwaski said.
“We want bicyclists to feel safe riding around on campus,” Korwaski said. “And hopefully that will encourage people to cycle more.”
The bike lane is one example of a series of improvements for biking conditions on campus. Once construction on the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference and Guest Center is completed ““ where Parking Lot 6 is currently located ““ a similar bike lane will be added to the westbound side of the lane, according to a statement from UCLA Transportation. UCLA Transportation is also looking to add bike paths on the Hill, Karwaski said.
