Villaraigosa orders new 1,680-mile bicycle lane system

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued the directive while participating in the Clinton Global Initiative America in Chicago, saying the plan would allow Angelenos to eventually have a bike path within a mile of their homes.

"The Bicycle Plan will help improve the quality of life for every Angeleno, by providing another clean transportation option for their daily commute, improving the quality of the air and make it more accessible to lead a healthy, active lifestyle," Villaraigosa said.

The mayor became the city's unofficial poster child for bicycle safety last July, after he took a tumble and broke his elbow when a taxi pulled in front of his bicycle while he was riding along Venice Boulevard.

The planned bikeway system would include a 707-mile "backbone" network, including bike lanes providing access to employment centers, transit stations and retail/entertainment hubs; an 834-mile network of local streets with low traffic volumes; and a 139-mile "green network" using bike paths to provide better access to parks and river channels.