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Bicycle working group urges protected intersections, Central Avenue trials to boost ridership
Summary
At a Transportation Board meeting, the Bicycle Working Group presented a report recommending protected intersections, continuous separated facilities and pilot changes for Central Avenue to increase cycling; board members and the public raised questions about e-bike speed, enforcement and accessibility.
Herman Gepard, representing the Bicycle Working Group, told the Los Alamos County Transportation Board that higher-quality bike infrastructure is the single biggest predictor of bicycle use and urged designs that prioritize safety, continuity and clarity.
"The biggest predictor of how many people ride a bike is quality of bicycle infrastructure," Gepard said, arguing that separated, continuous lanes and improved intersections are necessary to move ridership beyond the current low levels in Los Alamos.
Why it matters: Gepard pointed to national research and local surveys to argue a stepwise improvement in infrastructure could bring more people of varying ages and abilities onto bicycles. He noted Los Alamos' low commuter cycling rate — cited in the presentation as about 2.6% per the American League of Cyclists — and urged scaling separation and intersection treatments to traffic speed and volume to reduce "traffic stress."
What was recommended: The working group proposed several concrete measures, including protected intersections (setbacks for cyclists, corner islands and split crossings that separate decisions for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers), raised crossings and center-line hardening, and a principle of including cycling improvements whenever roadway projects occur. Gepard also suggested testing modal filters and temporary pedestrianization on Central Avenue as low-risk trials before any permanent change.
On e-bikes and enforcement: Board members and commenters pressed the group on whether regulation of e-bikes would be needed alongside infrastructure changes. Gepard said states and localities define and regulate e-bikes differently and noted "there's not a good definition of what a bike is in New Mexico," making rapid, enforceable e-bike regulations difficult. He recommended design and education first, noting European sales and manufacturing standards have helped other jurisdictions standardize enforcement.
Public input and accessibility: Public commenters, including representatives from LA Walks and the Inclusivity Task Force, supported the report and urged that design and education explicitly include accessibility considerations (trikes, cargo bikes, double strollers) and a mechanism on the plan website to collect near-miss reports and continued community feedback.
Board reaction and next steps: Board members praised the report's depth and asked staff to consider pilot projects (for example modal filtering on Central Avenue during events) and to bring follow-up items to future agendas. Gepard listed the Bicycle Working Group contributors and said the group expects to remain available as an advisory resource while staff and council consider next steps.
What's next: Staff and the Transportation Board will discuss possible pilots and project prioritization at future meetings; formal roadway designs and any regulatory proposals would follow standard engineering review and public engagement.
