As California Cities Push Cycling, Bicycle Casualties Raise Safety Questions


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As California Cities Push Cycling, Bicycle Casualties Raise Safety Questions

State invests nearly $1 billion in bike infrastructure amid rising concerns over rider fatalities

SACRAMENTO — As California cities accelerate efforts to expand bicycle infrastructure and promote cycling as a sustainable transportation alternative, sobering statistics reveal a persistent challenge: bicycle casualties continue to plague urban areas despite billions in safety investments.

Los Angeles County saw 26 cyclist fatalities in 2022, according to bike safety advocacy group BikeLA, with an astounding 85% of fatalities occurring on roadways without bike lanes. The data underscores a critical tension as cities throughout the Golden State work to balance ambitious cycling promotion goals with urgent safety imperatives.

Bold Infrastructure Push

The state is making unprecedented investments in cycling infrastructure. Caltrans will spend approximately $930 million over the next four years to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the state, including 265 miles of new and improved bike lanes on state highways and the addition of more than 1,300 safety elements by mid-2028.

Cities are implementing comprehensive cycling plans with ambitious timelines. San José City Council approved Better Bike Plan 2025, seeking to make bicycling safe and convenient for all ages and abilities in all parts of the city. The plan focuses on three key goals: increasing safety for all cyclists, boosting the number of trips made by bike, and ensuring equity for historically underserved communities.

Meanwhile, new legislation signed into law aims to enhance cyclist protection. Governor Gavin Newsom signed several pieces of "bike-friendly" legislation into law in 2024, including measures that prohibit new bicycle shared lane markings on streets with speed limits above 30 mph and establish stronger safety requirements for e-bike batteries.

Dangerous Reality

Despite these efforts, cycling remains perilous in many California metropolitan areas. Urban crashes accounted for 88 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes compared to the 12 percent that occurred on rural roads, with minor arterials being the most common location for fatal bicycle crashes, accounting for 37 percent.

The vast majority (77%) of bicycle fatalities on LA County roads took place on multi-lane roads, often with three or more lanes in each direction, and over half of all fatalities occurred at night. Excessive speed emerged as a critical factor, with most bike fatalities in Los Angeles County resulting from motorists traveling at high rates of speed.

Infrastructure Gaps Persist

The disconnect between cycling promotion and safety infrastructure remains stark. Los Angeles has hundreds of miles of bike lanes, consisting of fragmented and short stretches that fall short for those who want to use their bicycles as their primary means of transportation. The city scored only 25 out of 100 in People For Bikes' networking rating, below the national average of 28.

Statewide, California is considered one of the most dangerous states for cycling, with cyclist deaths making up 4 percent of all auto accidents. California ranked 4th out of 50 states in the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly State program in 2024, yet safety challenges persist even in the most bicycle-friendly communities.

Quick-Build Solutions

Recognizing the urgent need for faster safety improvements, legislators are pushing for rapid deployment solutions. Assembly Bill 891, sponsored by the California Bicycle Coalition, would establish a Quick-Build Project Pilot Program within Caltrans, allowing the agency to implement Complete Streets on state-controlled roadways without a yearslong planning and funding process.

"Quick-build is essential for California to build out its bike networks and make bicycling an appealing and safe alternative to driving in time to avert climate disaster," according to CalBike's 2024 legislative agenda.

Changing Cycling Landscape

The cycling community faces additional challenges beyond infrastructure. Long-standing events that promoted cycling culture are ending due to financial pressures. AIDS/LifeCycle announced that the 2025 ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles will be the 30-year-old organization's final adventure, facing plunging ridership and sharply reduced fundraising totals.

The decline reflects broader challenges in cycling participation. Ridership dropped precipitously from 2,500 riders in 2022 to around 1,400 in 2024, with total fundraising falling from $17.8 million to $10.9 million over that period.

Looking Ahead

As cities continue expanding bike lane networks and promoting cycling, safety advocates emphasize that infrastructure improvements must keep pace with ridership promotion. Local authorities have voted to invest almost $5 million into physically protected bike lanes, which will reduce the number of casualties, and biking and walking safety will be included in every new transportation project.

The challenge ahead lies in ensuring that California's billion-dollar investment in cycling infrastructure translates into measurably safer streets for the growing number of residents choosing two wheels over four. With new safety legislation taking effect and unprecedented funding flowing to bike infrastructure projects, the coming years will test whether the state can successfully reconcile its cycling promotion goals with the imperative to protect vulnerable road users.

The California Transportation Commission continues to approve funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects throughout 2025, with local communities increasingly involved in planning processes for new bike lane installations.

Sources

BikeLA. "2023 Bicycle Safety Report." BikeLA, 2023. https://www.la-bike.org/bicycle-safety-report-2023

California Department of Transportation. "California Investing Nearly $1 Billion in Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Over Next Four Years." Caltrans News Release, March 21, 2024. https://dot.ca.gov/news-releases/news-release-2024-010

California Department of Transportation. "Bike Program." Caltrans. https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fed-and-state-programs/bike-program

California Bicycle Coalition. "CalBike's 2025 Legislative Agenda." CalBike, March 21, 2025. https://www.calbike.org/calbikes-2025-legislative-agenda/

California Bicycle Coalition. "CalBike Announces 2024 Legislative Agenda." CalBike, February 22, 2024. https://www.calbike.org/calbike-announces-2024-legislative-agenda/

Draitser, Max. "Los Angeles County saw 26 cyclist fatalities in 2022." Max Draitser - Southern California Bicycle Attorneys, March 8, 2023. https://www.bikelawla.com/blog/2023/03/los-angeles-county-saw-26-cyclist-fatalities-in-2022/

Kane, Astrid. "AIDS/LifeCycle announces that 2025 will be its last-ever ride." The Standard, September 11, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/11/aids-lifecycle-announces-last-ride/

Khorsandi, Arash. "Los Angeles Bicycle Fatalities: Insights from BikeLA's 2023 Report." The Law Office of Arash Khorsandi, October 3, 2024. https://arashlaw.com/los-angeles-bicycle-fatalities-based-on-bikela-analysis/

KQED News. "The SF-to-LA AIDS/LifeCycle Ride Is Ending, But the 'Love Bubble' Community Lives on." KQED, September 12, 2024. https://www.kqed.org/news/12004482/the-sf-to-la-aids-lifecycle-ride-is-ending-but-the-love-bubble-community-lives-on

Paceline Law. "California Bicycle Accident Statistics 2024." Paceline Law, February 23, 2024. https://pacelinelaw.com/california-bicycle-accident-statistics-2024/

Safe Transportation Research and Education Center. "2024 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Bicycle Safety." UC Berkeley SafeTREC, 2024. https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/2024-safetrec-traffic-safety-facts-bicycle-safety

San José City Government. "Better Bike Plan 2025." City of San José. https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/walking-biking/better-bike-plan-2025

Streetsblog California. "Zbur Introduces Legislation Requiring Quick-Build Bike Lanes on State Highways." Streetsblog California, March 7, 2025. https://cal.streetsblog.org/2025/03/04/zbur-introduces-legislation-allowing-quick-build-on-state-highways

West Coast Trial Lawyers. "California Bicycle Accident Statistics (2022)." West Coast Trial Lawyers. https://westcoasttriallawyers.com/california-bicycle-accident-lawyer/california-bicycle-accident-statistics/

 

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