There are a lot of bicyclists in Koreatown, but, as Jeff Jacobberger has pointed out, there aren’t many bicycle lanes existing or planned for the entire dense area just west of Downtown Los Angeles – including Koreatown, Hollywood, and Miracle Mile.

Over the past week, the area did receive one short stretch of bike lane. It’s about a third of a mile on First Street from Commonwealth Avenue/Beverly Boulevard to Vermont Street. This is immediately north of Los Angeles Eco-Village, and along the southern edge of Virgil Middle School.

For what seems like about a half-dozen years, this area has been under construction for LADWP water lines, and then for school construction. Despite construction closing a couple of lanes, as far as I can recall, the street never experienced any serious car congestion. The construction is done, and the street was recently resurfaced.

The treatment that was done on First Street is called a “road diet.” The street used to have two lanes in each direction, with few turn pockets. Now it has one car lane in each direction, full turn pockets, and bike lanes. Studies have shown that road diets make streets safer for drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

As of this morning, the lane markings appear about 90% done, with crosswalks and bike stencils still to go.

Hopefully these will soon connect with bike lanes on Virgil Avenue, where the city is studying adding bike lanes that were approved as part of the 2010 Bicycle Plan.