These bollard/bike racks were approved by Venice Neighborhood Council 2014.
City is installing new bollard/bike racks at all the openings to Ocean Front Walk from Washington Blvd to South Venice Blvd and a few have been installed north of there.
Bike racks are dual purpose–one to park bikes, but more importantly, to notify drivers that there is no entrance or exit to Ocean Front Walk.
These blue bikes and arches are replacing the bollards now on
Ocean Front Walk. Poster shows the streets where they are
installed or will be installed in the next few days. A three-foot
opening for American Disabilities Accessibility (ADA) is being maintained.
GameTime, maker of the bike racks, said four bikes can be locked to each bike, two on each side. The bikes are welded to an 18-inch spike that is embedded in cement. The arches have a similar mounting system.
After the accident that killed a tourist two years ago, Councilman Mike Bonin made safety of Ocean Front Walk a priority. This is all part of the program the Council office worked out in conjunction with the police department and all the various departments involved with the beach and the local Ocean
Front Walk Task Force.
He asked for inputs from these groups.
Answers came quickly–lights, cameras, street blockage, public address system, walking policemen. The only one that has not occurred is the
public address system.
Lights have been installed. Cameras have been installed but a more comprehensive system is yet to follow. The bikes and arches are part of the street blockage system and beautification of OFW.
Poster shows what streets are getting what.
Picture shows racks loaded with bikes, yet next picture shows empty blue bike rack, which was next to this rack.
Update asked a man named Thirkield why there were so many bikes at the one rack and this bright, shiny blue bike rack had none. Thirkield said there were bikes attached and lined up to where his arm was yesterday. “I guess people just have to get use to it being a bike rack,” he said. Update noticed that many touch and push it to see if it will fall over. Looks fragile but those 18-inch spikes embedded in cement do a great job of stabilizing it and all attached.
These racks are on the wrong side of OFW for starters. I attend every meeting of the VNC and don’t recall these racks ever discussed. What about replicating the Venice sign at Windward and stringing similar looking signs along the boardwalk? Wouldn’t that give the boardwalk a friendlier feel and vibe? And when are the grassy knolls that separate OFW from the bike path ever get fixed? How deteriorated do things need to get before this major capital improvement is finally addressed by CD11? Finally, when are we going to get the superintendent for Venice Beach as promised by CD11 nearly two years ago? Are they accepting applications? Is a search committee being formulated? Will there be a national search? What are the qualifications and who would this individual report to?