Bike lanes construction met with opposition

Is the removal of dozens of trees more important or bicyclists staying out of the streets more important?  On Sept. 2011, the Rolling Hills Estates Traffic and Safety Committee made the decision that the Palos Verdes Drive North Bike lane project would be implemented. The project includes the building of 1.3 miles of bike lanes along Palos Verdes Drive North as well as intersection enhancements, complete street resurfacing, new merge lanes, and new crosswalk warning systems for school children and equestrians. Currently, there is a petition from the Palos Verdes Tree Society opposing the project, since it intends to remove around 75 mature pepper trees.

“The Arborist’s Report concluded that 112 (27 %) of mature trees were potentially hazardous and should be removed due to structural deficiencies caused by age, disease, decay or vehicle damages,” said Doug Prichard, the city manager of Rolling Hills Estates.

All other trees that are within the path of the new street alignment are scheduled for removal and replacement, regardless of the bike lane project. However the PV Tree Society has argued back that it is just an excuse to carry on with the bike lane project.

“What the arborist’s report of 2001 and 2012 actually says is that pepper trees are known to ‘grow past’ their weaknesses,” said the PV Tree Society.

Either way, bikers claim that the Palos Verdes Drive North bike lane project would be efficient for not only bikers, but also drivers since the bikers would now be able to stick to their own lane.

“I think we should install this PV Drive North bike lane project no matter what the cost,” freshman and bicyclist Lauren Kim says.  “In the end, life would be so much easier because drivers wouldn’t have to worry about the safety of the bikers. It might take a bit more money, but if we are helping people to be able to drive and bike safely, it’s all worth it.”

Nonetheless, even though some may argue that the project is very productive, there are others who state that the removal of the tress should be highly considered.

Although there are many people against the bike lane project because of the deportation of the trees, numerous amounts of people think that the project will further improve the quality of the neighborhood.

Doug Prichard said, “The addition of new trees in these new center medians, along with the replacement trees planted in the adjacent right-of-way, will further enhance the pastoral quality of Palos Verdes Drive North.”