Creating a network of bike lanes in Los Angeles has been a goal since 1977, and the latest improvement on the Bicycle Master Plan calls for 1,700 miles of bike lanes.

Implementing the plan will take time, as the Mayor’s strategy for realizing the plan calls for 40 miles of bike paths to be built per year. But the hope is that the push for increased bike paths will help the city achieve its alternate transportation goals, and develop stronger neighborhoods with cleaner air.

The 1,700 miles of bike paths are actually designed as three, interconnected networks of paths. The first focuses on major employment hubs, the second on neighborhoods, and the third on green areas and nature.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is making a summertime push for urban cyclists, pushing city managers and administrators to help implement the L.A. Master Bicycle Plan.

The plan was adopted in 2010 and aims to create a citywide network by designating nearly 1,700 miles of bike lanes. The implementation plan includes building 40 miles of bikeways each year and also focuses on closing gaps in the existing network of lanes.

Late last week, Villaraigosa issued a directive that took effect July 1: “The Mayor’s Executive Directive, which takes effect today July 1, 2011, ensures all City departments and agencies coordinate on bike-related matters to meet the City’s ambitious alternative transportation goals,” a news release from the mayor’s office said.

Read the full article here.