MORE HELP is coming to improve bike safety in Huntington Beach (Flickr/Nuno Ribeiro).

By Jim Tortolano
Orange County Tribune

Plans are underway to improve safety for bicyclists in Huntington Beach, including along Pacific Coast Highway.

Among those projects noted at Tuesday’s meeting of the city council was an upcoming CalTrans project along PCH from Bolsa Chica Avenue to Beach Boulevard. It will “formalize” the bike lanes and add a buffer zone between the bike lanes and the travel lanes from the Santa Ana River to Beach Boulevard.

In a recent high-profile incident, a Garden Grove pastor was killed and two others riding bicycles were seriously injured when struck by an alleged drunk driver along PCH in Huntington Beach.

The council voted unanimously to direct the city manager to explore pedestrian and safety projects and funding to work with CalTrans and local legislators to support, identify funding and prioritize pedestrian and bike safety safety projects.

Council members were also told of efforts by the HBPD to educate students about safety regulations.