San Diego’s bike network may look impressive on paper, but a new grand jury report says the reality on the ground is a lot bumpier for people on two wheels.
A county civil grand jury released a 33‑page report Thursday that applauds the city’s recent push for protected bike lanes while warning that the system still leaves too many riders exposed. The panel points to maintenance lapses, “start and stop” corridors and uneven investment that it says keep would‑be cyclists off the road and undercut San Diego’s climate and Vision Zero goals. The report lays out a checklist of fixes and, under state law, forces local officials to formally respond.
The report, titled “Shifting Gears,” holds up recent projects on Pershing Drive and Clairemont Drive as signs of progress, but criticizes routes that drop riders into fast traffic with little warning. As reported by 10News, the grand jury urges the city to focus on continuous, destination‑oriented routes and to deliver quicker stand‑alone fixes instead of waiting years to fold improvements into big repaving jobs.
Key Numbers And Where The Network Breaks Down
According to the San Diego County Civil Grand Jury, San Diego has roughly 1,900 miles of bikeways compared with about 6,600 miles of automobile roadways. Of that bike mileage, about 203.4 miles are Class I multi‑use paths and roughly 1,224.2 miles are painted Class II lanes…