2013 Spring Street Bike Count by Parklet Studies

7/28/2019 2013 Spring Street Bike Count by Parklet Studies

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SPRING STREET BICYCLE COUNT

2012 / 2013

PARKLET STUDIES

for LADOT and LACBC

APRIL 2013



SpringStreetBicycleCounts2012/2013 ParkletStudiesforLACBCandLADOT,April20122

CONTENTS

ListofFigures......................................................................................................... 3Background............................................................................................................4ExecutiveSummary...............................................................................................6CyclistandPedestrianRatios................................................................................8BicycleVolumes .................................................................................................... 11BicyclingBehavior.................................................................................................13BicyclistGender ....................................................................................................14

BicycleParking..................................................................................................... 16MethodologicalSummary................................................................................... 19AboutParkletStudies.......................................................................................... 20




LISTOFFIGURESFigure1:DowntownBicycleFacilities,ExistingandProposed.......................................... 5

Figure2:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,PeakHours2012and2013 ................................... 8

Figure3:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,WeekdayPeakHours2012.................................. 9

Figure4:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,Weekday2013 .................................................... 9

Figure5:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,WeekendPeakHours2012................................10

Figure6:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,Weekend2013...................................................10

Figure7:CyclistVolumes,Weekday2012/2013 ................................................................. 11

Figure8:CyclistVolumes,Weekend2012/2013 ................................................................. 11

Figure9:PercentChange,WeekdayPeakHourCyclistVolumes2012/2013 ................... 12

Figure10:PercentChange,WeekendPeakHourCyclistVolumes2012/2013 .................12

Figure11:BicyclingBehavior2013 ...................................................................................... 13

Figure12:CyclistGender2013 ............................................................................................14

Figure13:CyclistGender,Weekday2013 .......................................................................... 15

Figure14:CyclistGender,Weekend2013..........................................................................15

Figure15:BicycleParking,FormalandInformalPercentages,2012.................................16

Figure16:BicycleParking,FormalandInformalCounts,2012.........................................16

Figure17:BicycleParkingbetween6thand7thStreets,Percentages,2012..................17

Figure18:BicycleParkingbetween6thand7thStreets,Percentages,2013..................17

Figure19:BicycleParkingbetween6thand7th,Counts2012.........................................18

Figure20:BicycleParkingbetween6thand7thStreets,Counts2013 ...........................18




BACKGROUND

In November 2011, LADOT installed Los Angeles’ first green Class-II bicycle lane on SpringStreet between Cesar Chavez Avenue and 9th Street. The Downtown Los AngelesNeighborhoodCouncil’sCompleteStreetsWorkingGroupandtheLACBC,incoordinationwithLADOT,partneredwithCouncilmembersPerry(District9)andHuizar(District14)toimplementthislandmarkinfrastructure(Figure1).InApril2011theFHWAissuedaninterimapprovalfortheuseofgreencoloredpavementasatrafficcontroldevice inresponse to multiple inquiries by traffic agencies across theUnitedStates. 1AccordingtotheFHWA,researchfromvariousjurisdictionsshowgreenbikelaneshave demonstrable performance for increasing cyclist safety including accurate bicyclistpositioningwhentravelingthroughintersectionsandconflictareas.Bicyclistsarealsomorelikelytobepositionedwithinagreenbikelanewhenriding.TheFHWAfoundgreenbikelanesincrease visibility and perceived safety of bicyclists while improving motorist awareness of

non-vehicularroadusers.The 2011 L.A. BicycleCount, conducted in September 2011, shows there has been significantincrease in the number of people who bicycle in Los Angeles. Additionally, bicycleinfrastructure has a positive effect on overall rate of bicycle ridership with the highestnumbersofridersobservedonstreetswithbicycleinfrastructure. 2Thestudydemonstratesthepreponderanceofbicycleinfrastructureinencouragingbicycleridership.TheSpringStreetbikelanewasimplementedtwomonthsafterdatawasgatheredforthe2011

L.A.BicycleCount.AsaresultitsimpactwasnotevaluatedinLACBC’sfinalreport.Informationprovided by the 2012/2013 Spring Street Public Life Surveys augments existing bicycle count

datasets by presentingprimary research of cyclist behavior onSpring Street subsequent togreenbikelaneimplementation.The March 2012 Spring Street Public Life Survey – coordinated by Parklet Studies with thesupportoftheDLANCCompleteStreetsWorkingGroupandtheUSCSchoolofArchitecture–recordedthevolumeofcyclistspassingthroughSpringStreetbetween4 thand8thStreets.The2012 Public Life Survey also recorded bicycle parking along the Spring Street corridor,distinguishing between bicycles secured to LADOT-installed bike racks (“Formal”), or otherfixturessuchassignposts,fences,orparkingmeters(“Informal).OneyearlaterinMarch2013,another PublicLifeSurvey–coordinatedby ParkletStudieswithadditionalsupportfromtheUCLALewisCenter–againrecordedthevolumeofcyclistsandbicycleparkinginthecorridor.Thisreportcomparesfindingsfromboththe2012and2013SpringStreetPublicLifeSurveys.This report is being presented to the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Los AngelesDepartment of Transportation Bicycle Program, and the Downtown Los AngelesNeighborhoodCouncil.

1U.S.DepartmentofTransportationFederalHighwayAdministration,15April2011.“InterimApprovalforOptionalUseofGreenColoredPavementforBikeLanes(IA-14).ManualonUniformTrafficControlDevices.2LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011.




Figure1:DowntownBicycleFacilities,ExistingandProposed.ThismapsynthesizesinformationfromtheLADOTBicycleServicesonlinebicyclemap;the2010BicyclePlan(LosAngelesDepartmentofCity

Planning2010);andthe2011L.A.BikeCount(LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition2011).




EXECUTIVESUMMARYThe 2012/2013 counts indicate a marked increase in bicycle ridership in the Spring Street

corridorduringtheyearsubsequenttobikelaneinstallation.PEDESTRIANtoCYCLISTRATIOSWhile the number of peak-hour pedestrians on Spring Street remained relatively constantbetween2012and2013,thenumberofcyclistsincreasedfrom320to450(Figure2).This40%increaseunderscorestheimportanceofSpringStreetasabicyclecorridor,andsurpassesthe32%overallincreasemeasuredbythe2009/2011L.A.BikeCountforseventeenotherlocationsthroughouttheCity.3Figure1illustrateshowa1/18cyclist-pedestrianratioshiftedto1/13in2013.

Ingeneralacrossallpeakhours,theratioofcycliststopedestriansintheright-of-waychangedbetween2012and2013,showinggreaterproportionsofcyclists(Figures3–6).Thegreatestproportion of cyclists (88/564) was observed during the 11 am weekend hour, while thesmallestproportionduringtheweekend8amhour(8/172,Figure6).CYCLISTVOLUMES

Ingeneral,weekday cyclistvolumesonSpring Streetarehighestduringmorningpeakhoursandlowestduringthemidafternoon(Figures7and8).Weekendsseeaninversepattern,withcyclist activity peaking at the midday. Both weekday and weekend days saw dramaticincreasesinbicycleridershiponSpringStreet,withchangesexceedingonehundredpercent.Whereasin2012,totalridershipbetween theweekdayandweekenddaywasfairlybalanced(156/164),in2013theweekenddaysawasignificantlygreaterproportionofcyclists(300/452).CyclistvolumesincreaseddramaticallybetweenMarch2012andMarch2013(Figures8and9).Fiveoutof sixpeakhourperiodssawincreasesrangingfrom7%to122%. Weekdaymorningssawthelargestincrease,up122%(fromanaverageofeighteentofortycyclists)inthe8amhour;followedbyanincreaseof100%(fromanaverageoftwenty-twotoforty-fourcyclists)inthe9amweekdayhour.Weekendsalsoseesignificantjumps;forexample100%duringthe9amhour(twenty-eighttofifty-sixriders)and82%inthe1pmhour(forty-fourtoeightyriders).BICYCLINGBEHAVIOR

AsignificantproportionofcyclistsonSpringStreetwereobservedtravelingthe‘wrongway’(Figure 11), or northbound against traffic (as Spring Street is a one-way street). Thispercentageis significantlyhigherthanthe four-percent citywide figurecapturedby the2011L.A.BikeCount. 4

3LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011,Page244LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011,Page26




EXECUTIVESUMMARY(cont’d)BICYCLINGBEHAVIOR(cont’d)A small minority (approximately 5 – 7%)of cyclists were observed travelling inother trafficlanesbesidesthebikelaneitself.

Twenty-seven to twenty-eight percent of cyclists were observed riding on Spring Streetsidewalks,whichroughlyconcurswiththesamebehaviorrecordedbythe2011L.A.BikeCountinotherlocationsthroughouttheCity.

HelmetuseofcyclistsonSpringStreetissomewhatlowerthandocumentedlevelselsewhereintheCity.The2011L.A.BikeCountsawforty-sevenpercenthelmetusagebycyclists,whereasonSpringStreet,onlythirty-fivepercentofcyclistswereobservedusingahelmet.CYCLISTGENDEROfallcyclistsobservedonSpringStreetduringtheMarch2013counts,approximatelyfourteenpercentappearedtobefemale(Figure12).Thisfallsbelowthecitywidepercentageoffifteenpercent recorded in the 2011 L.A. Bike Count; and even further behind the 2009 L.A. BikeCount.5ThehighestproportionoffemalecyclistsonSpringStreetwasobservedduringtheweekendmidday peak, accountingforapproximately thirty-sixpercent ofriders(32/89)in theeleveno’clockhour.Thenextlargestproportionwasobservedduringtheweekendmiddaypeak,atapproximatelytwentypercent(16/80,Figure14).

BICYCLEPARKINGBicycle parking was systematically counted on Spring Street sidewalks between 4thand8th

StreetsduringpeakweekdayandweekendhoursinMarch2012.Thesecountsrevealthatfortypercent of bicycles parked in the right-of-way are secured to fixtures other than LADOT-installed bicycle racks. These fixtures include signposts, parking meters, fences, and otherelementsinthestreetscape.InMarch2013,bikeparkingwascountedonlyonthesidewalksbetween6thand7thstreets.Overall, the documentation shows how this particular block is highly impacted in terms ofbicycle parking, with higher percentages of Informal occurrences than in the rest of thecorridor (compare Figures 17 and 18 with Figure 15). Although the Informal proportion ofparked bikes decreased in 2013 (Figures 17 and 18), raw counts (Figures19 and 20) showamuch higher number of bicycles parked on the block. This greater number of Informal

occurrencesin2013demonstratetheescalatingdemandforbicycleparkinginthecorridor.

5LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011, page25.




CYCLISTandPEDESTRIANRATIOS:2012-2013While the number of peak-hour pedestrians on Spring Street remained relatively constantbetween2012and2013,thenumberofcyclistsincreasedfrom320to450(Figure2).This40%increaseunderscorestheimportanceofSpringStreetasabicyclecorridor,andsurpassesthe32%overallincreasemeasuredbythe2009/2011L.A.BikeCountforseventeenotherlocations

throughouttheCity.6

Figure1illustrateshowa1/18cyclist-pedestrianratioshiftedto1/13in2013.

Figure2:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,PeakHours2012and2013

Ingeneralacrossallpeakhours,theratioofcycliststopedestriansintheright-of-waychangedbetween2012and2013,showinggreaterproportionsofcyclists(Figures3–6).Thegreatestproportion of cyclists (88/564) was observed during the 11 am weekend hour, while thesmallestproportionduringtheweekend8amhour(8/172,Figure6).

6LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011,Page24




Figure3:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,WeekdayPeakHours2012

Figure4:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,Weekday2013




Figure5:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,WeekendPeakHours2012

Figure6:CyclistandPedestrianTotals,Weekend2013




CYCLISTVOLUMESIngeneral,weekday cyclistvolumesonSpring Streetarehighestduringmorningpeakhoursandlowestduringthemidafternoon(Figures7and8).Weekendsseeaninversepattern,withcyclist activity peaking at the midday. Both weekday and weekend days saw dramaticincreasesinbicycleridershiponSpringStreet,withchangesexceedingonehundredpercent.

Whereasin2012,totalridershipbetween theweekdayandweekenddaywas fairlybalanced(156/164),in2013theweekenddaysawasignificantlygreaterproportionofcyclists(300/452).

Figure7:CyclistVolumes,Weekday2012/2013

Figure8:CyclistVolumes,Weekend2012/2013




BICYCLEVOLUMECHANGES:2013-2013

CyclistvolumesincreaseddramaticallybetweenMarch2012andMarch2013(Figures8and9).Fiveoutofsixpeakhourperiodssawincreasesrangingfrom7%to122%.Weekdaymorningssawthelargestincrease,up122%(fromanaverageofeighteentofortycyclists)inthe8amhour;followedbyanincreaseof100%(fromanaverageoftwenty-twotoforty-fourcyclists)in

the9amweekdayhour.Weekendsalsoseesignificantjumps;forexample100%duringthe9amhour(twenty-eighttofifty-sixriders)and82%inthe1pmhour(forty-fourtoeightyriders).

Figure9:PercentChange,WeekdayPeakHourCyclistVolumes2012/2013

Figure10:PercentChange,WeekendPeakHourCyclistVolumes2012/2013




BICYCLINGBEHAVIOR

AsignificantproportionofcyclistsonSpringStreetwereobservedtravelingthe‘wrongway’(Figure 11), or northbound against traffic (as Spring Street is a one-way street). Thispercentageis significantlyhigherthanthe four-percent citywide figurecapturedby the2011

L.A.BikeCount.

7

A small minority (approximately 5 – 7%)of cyclists were observed travelling inother trafficlanesbesidesthebikelaneitself.Twenty-seven to twenty-eight percent of cyclists were observed riding on Spring Streetsidewalks,whichroughlyconcurswiththesamebehaviorrecordedbythe2011L.A.BikeCountinotherlocationsthroughouttheCity.

HelmetuseofcyclistsonSpringStreetissomewhatlowerthandocumentedlevelselsewhereintheCity.The2011L.A.BikeCountsawforty-sevenpercenthelmetusagebycyclists,whereasonSpringStreet,onlythirty-fivepercentofcyclistswereobservedusingahelmet.

Figure11:BicyclingBehavior2013

7LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011,Page26




CYCLISTGENDER

OfallcyclistsobservedonSpringStreetduringtheMarch2013counts,approximatelyfourteenpercentappearedtobefemale(Figure12).Thisfallsbelowthecitywidepercentageoffifteenpercent recorded in the 2011 L.A. Bike Count; and even further behind the 2009 L.A. BikeCount.8

Figure12:CyclistGender2013

ThehighestproportionoffemalecyclistsonSpringStreetwasobservedduringtheweekendmidday peak, accountingforapproximately thirty-sixpercent ofriders(32/89)in theeleveno’clockhour.Thenextlargestproportionwasobservedduringtheweekendmiddaypeak,atapproximatelytwentypercent(16/80,Figure14).

8LosAngelesCountyBicycleCoalition,2011.L.A.BikeCount2011, page25.




Figure13:CyclistGender,Weekday2013

Figure14:CyclistGender,Weekend2013




BIYCLEPARKINGBicycle parking was systematically counted on Spring Street sidewalks between 4thand8thStreetsduringpeakweekdayandweekendhoursinMarch2012.Thesecountsrevealthatfortypercent of bicycles parked in the right-of-way are secured to fixtures other than LADOT-installed bicycle racks. These fixtures include signposts, parking meters, fences, and other

elementsinthestreetscape.

Figure15:BicycleParking,FormalandInformalPercentages,2012

Figure16:BicycleParking,FormalandInformalCounts,2012




InMarch2013,bikeparkingwascountedonlyonthesidewalksbetween6thand7thstreets.Overall, the documentation shows how this particular block is highly impacted in terms ofbicycle parking, with higher percentages of Informal occurrences than in the rest of thecorridor(compareFigures17and18withFigure15).

Figure17:BicycleParkingonSpringStreetbetween6thand7thStreets,FormalandInformal

Percentages,2012

Figure18:BicycleParkingonSpringStreetbetween6thand7thStreets,FormalandInformal

Percentages,2013




Although the Informal proportionofparkedbikesdecreased in2013(Figures17 and18),rawcounts(Figures19and20)showamuchhighernumberofbicyclesparkedontheblock.Thisgreater number of Informal occurrences in 2013 demonstrate the escalating demand forbicycleparkinginthecorridor.

Figure19:BicycleParkingonSpringStreetbetween6thand7th,FormalandInformalCounts,2012

Figure20:BicycleParkingonSpringStreetbetween6thand7th,FormalandInformalCounts,2013




METHODOLOGICALSUMMARYScreenline Counts were conducted on the 600 block of Spring Street (between 6thand7thStreets)inMarch2012andMarch2013(Figure1).

Countswereconductedontwoweekdaysandoneweekendday.InMarch2012,countswereconducted on Tuesday the 6th, Wednesday the 7th, and Saturday the 10th. In March 2013,countswereconductedonSundaythe24th,Tuesdaythe25th,andWednesdaythe26th.Foreachyear,thetworawweekdaycountswereaveragedtoarriveatasingleweekdayfigure.The2012countswereconductedduringpeakhours:8am,9am;12pm,2pm;5pm,and6pm(sixhourstotal).The2013countswereconductedatthetopofeachhourbetween8amand7pm(elevenhourstotal).Fifteen-minutecountintervalswereconductedatthetopofeachhour.Aformulaisusedto

extrapolatethe averagehourlyvolumespresentedhere. Unlessotherwise noted,all valuespresentedinthisreportareaveragehourlyvolumesextrapolatedfromthe15-minutecounts.The2013 counts also recordedthe ‘Bicycling Behavior’ categories (whereas 2012 countsdidnot):

• DirectionofTravel(Southbound:withtraffic,orNorthbound:against-traffic)

• InBikeFacility(greenbikelane)vs.OutofBikeFacility(othertrafficlane)

• OnSidewalk

• HelmetUsage

• Gender

• Age(Under16orOver65)Boththe2012and2013surveysincludedhourlysurveysofbicyclesparkedonSpringStreetsidewalks.The2012surveyswereconductedonthecorridorbetween4thand8thStreets.The2013surveyswereconductedbetween6 thand7thStreetsonly.



ABOUTPARKLETSTUDIES

‘ParkletStudies’ hasbeen inoperation since September 2011. The collaborative focuses on

evaluating experimental urban interventions in thepublic right-of-way. Asof April 2013, itsrangeofinvolvementsinclude:the2012ParkletImpactStudywiththeDowntownLosAngelesNeighborhoodCouncil(DLANC);designandimplementationofthe LewisCenterPilotParklet

EvaluationwithUCLA(alsoforSpringStreet);a partnership withStreets forPeople (S4P)toproducetheSunsetTriangleImpactStudy;andacontractwithLADOTtoauthorsiteselectioncriteriaandprojectevaluationmethodologiesforfutureparkletandplazasitesthroughouttheCity.

parkletstudies.carbonmade.com

dlanc.com/completestreets

livingstreetsla.org/streets-for-people

2013 Spring Street Bike Count by Parklet Studies

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