A short-lived stretch of protected bikeway in Beverly Hills is to be removed this summer, according to a City Council staff report.

The Roxbury Drive bike lane, which spans roughly 900 feet in length to the south of Olympic boulevard, was installed not long after the adoption of the Beverly Hills complete streets plan in April 2021. The southbound lane is protected by plastic bollards and angled parking stalls, and flanks the east side of Roxbury Park.

The staff report notes that the corridor has not seen an increase in vehicle speeding or collisions since installation of the bike lanes, which are frequented by an average of between 30 and 35 cyclists on a daily basis. The largest number of recorded cyclists in a single day was 50, according to the report.

Feedback from surrounding residents solicited by the city included a survey of roughly 259 persons, which was considered in an October meeting of the Traffic and Parking Commissions. Supporters argued that the project was simple to understand and made cycling more comfortable on this one block, while opponents expressed a variety of objections, including a lack of need for a bike lane, danger to motorists, and difficulty finding the correct parking meter due to the presence of the lane.

Proposed configuration of Roxbury Drive after removal of southbound laneCity of Beverly Hills

At the October meeting, Commissioners agreed that some sort of bike facility should remain on the corridor. Suggestions included sharrows or permitting cyclists to ride through the park, which is currently permitted by the city's municipal code.

The reconfiguration slated to occur this summer will restore angled parking to the curb side, which cyclists redirected to shared lanes. An existing northbound bike lane will remain in place. The change will allow for a parking area 23 feet in width, versus 14 feet in current conditions, addressing concerns expressed about a lack of a buffer zone at the rear of parked vehicles.

Historically, traffic calming measures have tended to be short lived in Beverly Hills. Pilot programs from the 1980s and 1990s temporarily brought speed humps, diverters, turn restrictions, traffic circles, and center narrowing islands to the city's southwest neighborhood, only two be removed within two or three years due to community opposition.

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