It has been found that as cyclists and motorists become more educated and accustomed to sharing the road, the safer the environment is for everyone.

One of the stated goals in the BMP is to make bicycling safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable for all types of cyclists. Long Beach has been fortunate to secure two grants to educate adults and children, cyclists, and motorists, in bicycle safety that will address the challenge on several fronts. Metro awarded the City a $270,000 grant not only to teach bike safety, but also to raise the awareness of motorists, police officers, bus drivers, and others who regularly come into contact with cyclists. The Bike Safety Awareness & Education Campaign is anticipated to launch this summer.

Additionally, a $500,000 Safe Routes to School grant was awarded to the City by Caltrans to go into 60 elementary and middle schools in Long Beach to teach them how to ride their bikes safely. This program will begin in the FY10-11 school year.