Reviews Are in for L.A.'s First Bike-Friendly Street

At under a mile, L.A.'s first official "bike-friendly street" isn't going to transform the commuting habits of many Angelenos. Nevertheless, as an example of the city's new attitude to bicycling, recent improvements to Yucca Street are worth noting.

2 minute read

September 24, 2012, 2:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


The LA Weekly's resident critic of all transportation non-automotive, Alissa Walker, reviews the changes that have transformed Yucca Street, as it runs through Hollywood, from "a good street for biking into a great one."

While not a part of city's ambitious 2010 Bicycle Plan, Yucca Street already boasted traffic diverting elements to keep motorists from using it as a shortcut, thus making it the ideal "low-hanging fruit" for creating the city's first official "bike-friendly street."

So while the $200,000 in improvements (including street repairs) didn't transform the street, they're certainly welcome upgrades for cyclists. "In addition to
"sharrows" (those painted bike icons on the asphalt), the curbs at each
diverter (the median-like strips sticking into the intersection to
divert cars) had been cut into paths just wide enough for a bike," explains Walker. "A sign
above each diverter amends the 'Right Turn Only' message to autos with
an 'Except Bicycles' disclaimer." 

"This detail might not be obvious to a driver, so new signage
signals to everyone that Yucca is different. Small green bike icons
have been affixed to the top of each Yucca street sign, a massive
aesthetic improvement over the 'Bike Route' signs you see on most
streets, which are usually tacked like an afterthought in places that
are easy for drivers (and bikers) to miss."

"It's a tiny gesture, yes," says Walker, "but it's the equivalent of the red carpet to a
cyclist in L.A., where we have so little 'bikes only' real estate."

Friday, September 21, 2012 in LA Weekly

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Brutalist grey department of housing and urban development building in Washington DC.

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response

Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

10 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Lancaster Boulevard with tree-lined median and wide sidewalks in Lancaster, California.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way

One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

29 minutes ago - Streetsblog USA

Sign in front of building for seior services center in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk

High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

2 hours ago - WESH

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA