March
1996

RRM and Biesek selected for South Coast bikeway sign program

• On a final screening meeting last February 5, a proposal jointly submitted by two firms was selected to implement a bikeway signage program on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County.
• RRM Design Group from San Luis Obispo joined with Biesek Design from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo to show the selection committee that they could do the best job. The committee consisted of Wilson Hubbell from the County, Rob Dayton and Alison Sweet from the City, Greg Nielsen from the Association of Governments, and Ralph Fertig from the Bicycle Coalition. "It was not an easy task, because each applicant had good ideas and skills they could bring to the table," commented Fertig. "But RRM and Biesek managed to combine their individual strengths in an especially convincing manner."
• The program should be completed this year. Various phases are being scheduled over the next several months, including at least one public workshop this spring.
• February 15 email from Jack Biesek to Fertig recently expressed enthusiasm: "I am personally intrigued by the challenge of making the sign program a hard working communication system that is relevant and useful. Please be thinking about what signs you would like to see along the bike routes and what information would really serve our constituents best."

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Coalition to join Traffic group

• The County Board of Supervisors recently approved the expansion of the Traffic Engineering Committee to include the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition.
• The Committee, headed by County Transportation Manager Chris Gabriel, meets between one and four times a year. They are assembled to consider solutions for knotty problems like diagonal parking next to bikelanes.

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Hope for Westside bikeway fading, but not lost yet



Proposed site for Westside bikeway. The existing sidewalk would be widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• In a rush of community support to purchase the Wilcox property, the Westside bikeway is being trampled underfoot. On February 15, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Directors voted to recommend that $500,000 in Federal TEA funds go toward the Wilcox acquisition rather than the Westside Santa Barbara bikepath through Pershing Park, plus UCSB's proposed restoration of Lagoon Island.
• The Bicycle Coalition's President, Ralph Fertig, wrote a letter to the SBCAG Directors that explained his view why the TEA Review Committee, of which he was a member, made recommendations that ranked the Westside bikeway so high and the Wilcox acquisition so low. He urged the Directors to reconsider their position.
• Fertig pointed out that the Westside bikeway conforms well with the TEA funding conditions, while the Wilcox park land purchase has a tenuous linkage at best. The stated purpose of the Transportation Enhancement Activities (TEA) is to enhance the transportation experience. Further, the recommendations next go to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) for review, and finally to the Federal Highway Administration for approval. Two years ago when the SBCAG Directors sent a recommended list of eight TEA projects to the CTC, three were deleted by the CTC, but all three bikeway projects were retained intact. The same thing could happen again this time.
• In addition to CTC's possible action to reinstate the Westside bikeway, things may change earlier because, as this goes to press, the Wilcox purchase is still $800,000 short of its goal. If the $3.5 million Wilcox purchase fails on February 29th, the SBCAG Directors will revisit their recommendations on March 21.
• Even if the Wilcox purchase does go through, that may not be the end. Assemblyman Brooks Firestone, and active advocate of the Wilcox acquisition, said that he will apply for state Petroleum Violation Escrow Account (PVEA) funds to pay for the Westside bikeway. Last year, Firestone successfully obtained PVEA funds for a UCSB project.
• So there is still a possibility for bikeway funding. Stay tuned.

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Bike to Work Day update

• The countywide Bike to Work Day events are moving ahead with what may be a meagre budget and more participants. Following the energizing turnout of 1200 bicyclists last year, organizers believed that, with similar promotion and nice weather this May 16, we will attract well over 2000 participants.
• Currently, events are scheduled for Santa Barbara, Goleta, and UCSB, while interest is growing in Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Carpinteria. With our major government sponsors—the City and County of Santa Barbara, and Traffic Solutions—having financial difficulties, we may have to offer less to celebrate and encourage those of us who bicycle to work and school.
• The next committee meeting is March 1. We need a lot of help to pull this off, so call Lori Risque at 805-568-3293 to see where you fit in.

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Eastside bridge nixed

• The SBCAG Directors voted on February 15 against linking a proposed pedestrian and bicyclist bridge with the upcoming roundabout intersection at Milpas Street and Highway 101 in Santa Barbara's Eastside. Advocates for the roundabout argued that money saved on the intersection design would allow construction of the nearby $1.6 million bridge. The Directors voted otherwise.

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Highway 101 Task Force

• Last November 16, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) decided that efforts to alleviate Highway 101 congestion between Santa Barbara and the County line can include bicycle facilities and bus purchases. To sort things out, a Task Force was established to weigh possibilities and make recommendations.
• The Task Force has yet to meet, but its 12 members include some strong advocates of alternative transportation. Task Force members were appointed by the mayors of Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, and the five County Supervisors. Here is the roster of the members and who appointed them:
• Dave Bear and Jim Lash
  appointed by Carpinteria Mayor Sandy Gaggero
• Peter Jordano and Lee Moldaver
  appointed by Santa Barbara Mayor Harriet Miller
• Barry Siegel and Sheila Lodge
  appointed by Supervisor Naomi Schwartz
• Ed Lenvik and Tom Carey
  appointed by Supervisor Jeanne Graffy
• Alex Pujo and Grant House
  appointed by Supervisor Bill Wallace
• Reese Riddiough
  appointed by Supervisor Tim Staffel
• Richard Pelton
  appointed by Supervisor Tom Urbanske.
• County alternative transportation coordinator Wilson Hubbell is optimistic about funding for several bikeway projects along Highway 101—Santa Claus Lane, Ortega Hill and North Jameson Lane. Hubbell is in contact with Public Work's engineer Scott McGolpin who will work with the Task Force. "We have a good chance of getting these projects," commented Hubbell, "they aren't that expensive and together they will make a world of difference for local cyclists."
• Attend the meetings if you can. They are all open to the public. They will determine our future transportation patterns along the Highway 101 corridor, and may establish precedents for funding elsewhere in the County.

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One more from CREF

• In the February 1996 issue of Quick Release, we reported that two bikeway projects were funded through the countywide Coastal Resources Enhancement Fund (CREF) program. Thanks to the sharp eye of Kathy McNeal Pfeifer, we were informed that a third bicycling project was additionally included:
• Partial funding of the Coastal Trail between El Capitan State Beach and El Capitan Ranch, $50,000.
• This means that the County staff recommendation that three bicycling projects (worth $103,000) be funded was approved. We feel much better.

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Notes from February 7 Bicycle Coalition meeting
by Sandra Wintermoss

• In attendance: Gary Wissman, Robert Bernstein, Lori Risque, Greg Nielsen, Ralph Fertig, Gail Lowenstine, Wilson Hubbell, Alan Bergquist, Steve Morris, Tal Garfinkel, Christopher Chatto, Bob Burgess, Bill Grzybowski, Bill Sargent, Marilyn Mendes, Jean Thomson, Rosemary Bruckner, Ann Lawler and Sandra Wintermoss.
• Ralph: I wrote an article about bicycling in the South Coast to appear in Trail and Bikeway News.
• — CABO Meeting is here 17-18 February. There will be a ride and meeting at the Community Environmental Center (CEC).
• — Bike Racks on buses: all Santa Maria Area Transit buses now have racks. The Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) is moving slowly, gradually installing them.
• — Robert: Letters to the editor might help.
• — Gary: I'll talk to the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) director.
• — Marilyn: I routed Ralph's email to County bike riders and asked for responses for the MTD.
• — Bank of America grant, money for local projects; what can we apply for? Robert--Bike to Work Day. Jean--bike repair grant.
• Benjamin and Robert: Excellent Earthling Book Store lecture on new book, Livable Cities.
• Lori: Bike to Work Day will be on Thursday, 16 May. We're going after major sponsors for T-shirts. We need lots of volunteers.
• Wilson: The Goleta Transportation Improvement Plan (GTIP) problem is how to use 20% building fee mandated by the Supervisors when the nexus between bikeway facilities and construction is weak. The first GTIP bike facility is the Ellwood overpass; Supervisors set aside $50,000 of Measure D money for planning.
• — Gary: People are trying to link the San Jose Creek Bikeway to Goleta Old Town Master Plan.
• — Wilson: A mitigation fee change study by local consultants ATE is in draft form; it proposes varied community fees. Public hearings are planned. Concern exists that Public Works is trying to water down the Supervisors' intent in achieving GTIP goals. This is not true.
• Christopher: We're arranging a 25/50 mile bike ride to support Measure A initiative that gives voters veto on new oil and gas projects.
• Steve: The Bike Rehabilitation project has a warehouse; a rummage sale February 24 will help funding. Girls, Incorporated is the main sponsoring organization.
• Ralph: A group was selected to do bikeway signage, using existing routes. Many are bicycle commuters themselves. There will be workshops.
• Ralph: Santa Barbara City is having problems with its Circulation Element; it may delay the new Bike Plan. Rob Dayton won't be able to manage both.
• Ralph: Gary and I have worked on the Coalition's Web site, but not much is actually on line yet.
• — Rosemary: I'm working on Web page for Cielo Velo Bicycling Club; we can link the two.
• Ralph: Granite Construction has contract to repave and stripe Canon Perdido Street.
• — Greg: It will go all the way from Milpas to De la Vina. They are removing parking on one side of the street to fit in bikelanes.

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Concern expressed over GTIP implementation

• Several individuals have recently expressed concern that the Goleta Transportation Improvement Plan (GTIP) is lagging behind schedule and bicycling priorities established by the Supervisors last year are in danger of compromise.
• At the request of Alex Pujo, a meeting was held on January 31 with Public Works Director Phillip Demery and other County personnel.
• More specifically, there is a proposal to move the Winchester highway overpass to a higher priority in the GTIP, meaning that bikeway projects would move lower.
• Jean Thomson, chair of the Coalition's Planning Committee, recently expressed her concern in a letter to County Supervisors. "It is much more important to improve bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular access to Old Town Goleta," Thomson writes, "than to revamp the Winchester overpass. Old Town is much more densely populated than the Winchester area. In addition, Old Town contains a considerable amount of retail businesses and Hollister Avenue carries a large percentage of traffic associated with the Los Carneros high tech businesses and the airport."
• "We strongly support the priorities that were approved in the Goleta Transportation Improvement Plan and we urge you to vote no on the proposed diversion of funds."
• "In addition, we urge you to move forward on implementing the GTIP. It has been almost a year since it was adopted and very little progress has been made. In particular, we would like to see the preliminary design for the San Jose Creek bikepath move forward."

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Coalition Membership

• The Bicycle Coalition's 1996 membership drive has brought in the following new members who help make bicycling safer and better for us all:
• Walt Adams, Dave Beamer, Bob Burgess, Sandra Cooper, Wilson Hubbell, Will Leong, Donn and Beebe Longstreet, Steve Morris, Pete and LuAnn Nicklin, Kelly Peinado, Kathy McNeal Pfeifer, Bill Sargent, Benjamin Sawyer, Arnie Schildhaus and Elizabeth Gallery, and Craig Smith.
• Please consider becoming a member so we can continue to push for finer bicycling conditions throughout Santa Barbara County. Use the following application information.

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Santa Barbara Bike Project update

• The pilot bicycle rehabilitation and ride program, called the Santa Barbara Bike Project, met on February 12. Five project directors were elected:
• Betsy Gallery, public education and promotion
• Steve Morris, bicycling safety
• Jeff Boudin, bike shop management
• Pat Maurice, bike day trips and tours
• Michael Figueroa, child supervision and development.
• Aimed at underprivileged youngsters, this program needs old bikes, components, and tools. Call Michael Figueroa at Girls Inc 805-963-4017 or Steve Morris, 805-965-7979.

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De la Garza works to improve trail conditions
by Ralph Fertig



Mark de la gharza loves nature and access to it.

• "What we need is to have objective criteria applied equally to all trail users," explained Mark de la Garza, when talking about access to mountain trails within Santa Barbara County. In order to attain trail harmony, Mark is working with offroad bikers and other trail users to promote consideration and understanding.
• Owner and user of many bicycles, Mark has been cycling all his life. He not only came in sixth in the 1994 Cactus Cup race, he also is on the Board of Cielo Velo Bicycle Club. He organized the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers and its offshoot, the Bicycle Assistance Unit (BAU). He is a NORBA National Bike Patrol Instructor. What Mark likes best is single-track riding, hot tubs, and cold microbrew beer.
• When he's not at meetings or bicycling single-track or with his wife, Mark works as an environmental consultant. He specializes in botanical surveys, biological mitigation, erosion control, revegetation, habitat restoration and construction monitoring. With his knowledge, Mark shows trail volunteers rare plants and animals, describes their ecological importance, and determines how to minimize human impact.
• The Bicycle Assistance Unit that Mark leads was founded at the request of Los Padres National Forest management. With a shrinking budget and increasing trail popularity, the Forest Service needs help. The BAU is off to a fine start in 1996 with 37 volunteers who have gone through medical, environmental, and people management training. There currently is a waiting list, but the BAU may grow later this year. Phone Mark at 805-687-9454 if interested.
• Is his work having an effect? "I get phone calls all the time," he says, "not just from bicyclists, but from equestrians and hikers who say that everybody has become more considerate of other trail users." Mark's goal of keeping all local trails open to bicycles will be tested in a year when the Forest Service reviews its trail policy.

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Help your Bicycle Coalition

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition needs your help to move forward with many projects that will increase bicycling awareness, promote education, reduce accidents, and in general make it easier and more fun for us all to bicycle.
• With your support, we'll be able to proceed faster with projects like an educational safety video, bicycle info on the Internet's Web, the bike rehab/ride program, Bike to Work Day, periodic bike advocacy awards, selling us as the site for the ProBike '98 international conference, and a bike photo and video library.
• To join, just fill out the coupon. You'll get Quick Release mailed to you monthly. The Coalition is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, so donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.