LA City Council Committee Gives Nod To Bike Share Expansion

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles City Council committee gave a thumbs-up today to a plan by Metro and the Department of Transportation to expand a bike share program in the city.

Metro started the program in partnership with the city in 2016 with bike stations in downtown Los Angeles before adding locations to the Port of L.A., the Westside and Echo Park. The city of Pasadena is also part of the system that has more than 1,400 bikes.

The Transportation Committee approved the expansion plan, which includes more bikes for the downtown area, as well as Westlake/MacArthur Park, Silverlake, Echo Park, Pico Union and Koreatown. A total of 22 new stations are also planned for the USC area and communities along the Expo line, with an expansion also planned for the Westside with stations in  Venice, Palms, Mar Vista, Playa Vista, Playa del Rey and Del Rey.

L.A. aims to add a total of 1,700 bikes -- 1,000 in central L.A. and 700 around the Westside.

In addition to the bike share expansion plans, the council committee directed LADOT to work with San Fernando Valley leaders on a bike-share pilot.

Metro Bike Share faces competition for ridership on the Westside from the newly formed Bike Share Connect that fully integrates Breeze Bike Share, Beverly Hills Bike Share, WeHo Pedals Bike Share and Bruin Bike Share programs.

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