April
1999

SBCAG considers bikeway projects on April 15



The banks of San Jose Creek in Goleta, viewed here from just south of the Union Pacific bridge, could serve as a bicycle connector route if funded. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• On the morning of April 15, you might be anguishing over tax returns, but take time to consider that the best chance in three years of funding bicycle projects is also at stake. That's when the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) will be listening to public comments about proposed projects. This current cycle includes the three TEA-21 (the $230-billion federal transportation act) categories most likely to fund projects that encourage bicycling—STP, CMAQ, and "transportation enhancements."
• What are our chances of getting bicycle-related projects funded? That depends upon the project ranking by the SBCAG staff and upon the personal inclinations of the 12 directors of SBCAG; but to a critical extent, it depends upon the tide of public opinion that is expressed on April 15. That's why it's important to speak out and make your feelings known.
• The Planning Committee of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition met on February 23 to assess 11 of the 43 projects contending for funds. The ranking factors were:
• Potential to increase bike trips
• Reduce physical barriers to bicycling
• Increase bicyclist safety
• Connect trip origins with destinations
• Lack of existing alternatives
• Cost-to-benefit ratio.
• The results, with the amount of money (in thousands of dollars) asked for, are the following, ranked with the most desirable projects first:
• Ellwood bike/pedestrian bridge, Goleta — 2,170
• San Jose Creek bikepath, Goleta — 2,363
• Bike bridge, Santa Ynez River, Lompoc — 394
• Mission Street interchange, Santa Barbara — 996
• Allan Hancock College bikepath, Lompoc — 394
• Orcutt Creek bikepath, Orcutt — 515
• Los Carneros bikelanes, Goleta — 77
• Bikelanes on 3 streets, Santa Maria — 407
• Riverbend Park bikepath, Lompoc — 620
• Cathedral Oaks bikepath, Goleta — 1,359
• Bicycle racks, UCSB — 170
• The total for these eleven bicycle projects is $9,465,000. That's less than the MTD has requested to expand its bus system, and it's less than 30% of the total requested amount from all 43 projects. Remember that these are special funds that target not roadway expansion and repair, but non-mainstream transportation alternatives.

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Coalition helps and educates at Earth Day

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition will be sponsoring a booth at Santa Barbara Earth Day festivities, Sunday, April 18, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. at De la Guerra Plaza.
• This year's coordinator, Alan Bergquist, is still seeking bicycle mechanics to offer free checkup services, and people to staff our table. If you can help, even for an hour or two, contact Bergquist by phone at 967-0801 or by email at abquist101@aol.com.
• Earth Day is always a pleasant affair for the entire family, with lots of things for everybody to see and learn. Even if you can't help at our booth, make time to bike on by, show everybody what healthy sustainable transportation really looks like, and chat with us.
• Our small planet Earth will be a better place because of all our efforts.

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Union Pacific fixes tracks



The new concrete surface on State Street, Santa Barbara, greets all users crossing the railroad tracks. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The Union Pacific railroad crosses many roadways within Santa Barbara County, often with jolting—and danger—to bicyclists. No more, so it seems, because the railroad is laying seamless tracks, replacing old ties and gravel beds, and, most important to us, installing new concrete pans flush with the tracks at roadway crossings.
• Apparently, the County and cities were caught unaware of the repairs, but are pleased with the smoother, safer crossings. We certainly thank the Union Pacific for their work.

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“Safe Routes to School” bill in Assembly

• An exciting bill has just been introduced in the California Assembly. It's AB 1475, the Safe Routes to School Bill that would fund about $18 million a year to improve safety for California children who bike or walk to school.
• The money comes from a TEA-21 category "Hazard Elimination and Safety" that has previously all gone to costly motorist safety projects. AB 1475 would direct about a third of that money into neighborhood projects that are typically overlooked. It would not raise taxes or force projects upon unwilling local jurisdictions.
• We hope that our representatives in Sacramento will favor this much-needed child safety bill. Details are available at www.baypeds.org/saferoutes.html. Stay tuned and be ready for local action on this important bill.

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New Coalition members

• We welcome these new members to our Bicycle Coalition. Please feel free to contact any Coalition Board members to express your thoughts.
• Dennis Coffman (Rincon Cycles)
• Joseph Mastroianni

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What about the Santa Barbara Beachway?



The popular Cabrillo Beachway is full of users on a Sunday afternoon in early March. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• In May 1997, the City of Santa Barbara studied ways to increase safety on the 1979 Cabrillo Bikeway, a popular path now renamed "Cabrillo Beachway." The resulting 1997 document, Cabrillo Beachway Council Goal Investigative Report, summarized concerns expressed by City departments, the public, and a team of California beach path experts.
• The report identified 29 Beachway safety issues, including:
• pedestrians are unaware of bicyclists
• users move at different speeds
• too much congestion on Sundays
• it's too narrow
• the beachway is lost to pedestrians
• segregate bicyclists and pedestrians
• tour buses unload onto the path.
• Subsequent to the 1997 Report, a "Beachway Staff Team" met regularly to formulate recommendations for action. The Team consisted of representatives from Planning, Police, Waterfront, Risk Management, Engineering, Parks and Recreation, and Transportation departments. Their views and concerns varied greatly as they struggled to craft an action plan that would reflect the Report and please everybody.
• One concept that most agreed upon was widening the path between Stearns Wharf and Milpas Street, but it was determined that the Coastal Commission would reject such a project.
• In April 1998, the staff team disbanded and recommended that beachway safety be considered in conjunction with the Cabrillo Master Plan. Some minor safety improvements, mostly signs, have been added to the beachway, and the Coast Route Bikeway signs raise awareness for users.
• With slim prospects of adding capacity to the beachway, we may have no alternative to demanding that bikelanes be included as part of the Cabrillo Boulevard configuration.

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“Bike Week” shaping up

• Bike to Work Day is growing up in Santa Barbara as it has in other communities across the US. With expanding interest each year, it's bursting at the seams into at least two new events:
• Bike to School Day. This is being undertaken by the bicycle-savvy students and educators at Santa Barbara Middle School. They are planning to concentrate on five other South Coast schools, working with the students. Details are still being developed.
• Bike Day, Saturday May 15. This event will take place in De la Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara. It will probably have a bike rodeo for kids, bike safety, free bike check ups, booths, a local bike tour, and hopefully bike club rides starting from the Plaza. Time will be 8:00-11:00 A.M. If you have ideas or contacts, call Dru van Hengel at 564-5544 and come to our meetings.

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UCSB Bike Expo April 15

• Plan for the University of California, Santa Barbara's first Bike Expo are firming up, reports coordinator Jim Dalton. There will be a BMX stunt team, displays from at least two local bike shops, free bike checkups, probably giveaways, and live music for an hour starting at noon. It will take place in Storke Plaza from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. To exhibit or help at the Bike Expo, contact Dalton by email jdalton@eos.crseo.ucsb.edu or by phone at 961-9660.

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How about a regional Caltrans bike coordinator?

• Scott Mace of the Mid-Peninsula Bicycle Coalition says that they are trying to have each City Council within Caltrans District 4 (SF Bay area) call for hiring a bicycle coordinator. We're in District 5 and haven't had one for years. Perhaps it's the right time, given Caltrans' new director, to pursue greater representation for responsible transportation within our state?

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Via Real bikelanes open



Carpinteria ultramarathon cyclist Les Drake heads home over the new Via Real bikelanes. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• We're delighted to announce that a newly repaved section of Via Real now has bikelanes striped in. The section runs from just east of Summerland to the Carpinteria city line, where it connects into existing bikelanes.
• The $500 thousand repaving project, with funding from Federal ISTEA money, was approved by SBCAG in July 1994. Although the overall roadway was widened, the resulting 11-foot travel lanes are narrower than previous lanes in order to slow motorists and accommodate bicyclists on this popular route.
• Thanks go to the County's Wilson Hubbell for marshalling this needed project through to completion.

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Thanks to GVCC

• The Bicycle Coalition is honored to have received a generous $500 donation from the Goleta Valley Cycling Club. We are very grateful and will do our best to promote local bicycling.

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Montecito Bike Rodeo

• Parents in Montecito have organized a half day of events at the "Montecito Community Day and Bike Rodeo" on April 10. They are encouraging everybody to bike, walk or skate to the event at Montecito Union School 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
• The Bicycle Coalition will have a booth hosted by Ralph Fertig and any other volunteers who wish to help (phone Fertig at 962-1479). There will also be a bike rodeo conducted by Pat Hines, from Safe Moves, a child safety program headquartered in Los Angeles. If you've never seen a bike rodeo, this is an excellent chance. The Santa Barbara Middle School "bike monkeys" will offer free bike checkups for those attending. More details from Lisa Finerty, phone 969-9883 or email her at lisaland@sb.net.

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Electric bike helps cross-country dream come true



Joseph Mastroianni with his new steed. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Ever think of bicycling across the US? Probably most of us bike people have, but there are constraints like time, money and being able to push those pedals 3 million times to achieve the goal.
• For Carpinteria resident Joseph Mastroianni, crossing the US by bike was a goal until he was hit and seriously injured in 1988 by a motorist in Manhattan. Nearly losing a leg, Mastroianni endured eight years of surgery and therapy. He couldn't bike like he used to and his trans-US dream was cancelled. Until last fall.
• Mastroianni discovered the U.S. Pro-Drive electric bike. Suddenly, those impossible climbs were possible and his first thoughts were: I can bike again! In just the last two months, he has marshalled the support of the Bicycle Coalition and a group of businesses, government groups, and others. The Coalition's Gary Wissman has been helping determine the route and obtain maps. Ralph Fertig has offered encouragement, suggested sources of help, and provided direction in creating a web site.
• Mastroianni is bicycling for more than personal achievement. He intends to raise awareness of the personal and social advantages of electric powered transportation. His 13-year old son, Damian Mastroianni, will accompany him in a support vehicle. Both of them will be in touch with school children and others during the ride via the Internet. Updates will be posted daily on their web site www.eeta.net. A running diary and photos taken by Damian with a digital camera will be uploaded regularly.
• The trip will be launched with a ceremony at De la Guerra Plaza in Santa Barbara on April 12. Mastroianni will carry a greeting from Mayor Harriet Miller to the Mayor of Woburn, Massachusetts, where he was raised. Come join the ceremony and ride with Mastroianni out of town.

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LA Bike Expo and Advocacy Summit

• On April 23-25, the Southern California Bicycle Expo will be open to the public at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It will feature bike product booths, a test track area, freestyle performances, and will attract 15,000 attendees.
• The Expo will be in conjunction with a half-day bicycling Advocacy Summit on Saturday, April 24. Speakers will represent regional, statewide, and national advocacy groups. The "early-bird" Summit costs $20 including lunch and admission to the Expo. Direct your Advocacy Summit questions to 818-882-5522, or check out the Expo web site at www.bikeshow.com.

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Ojai bike plan adopted

• On March 9, the Ojai City Council unanimously passed the first Ojai Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Ojai Bicycle Coalition president Tom Bostrom and others worked hard on the plan with the city staff and community members.
• Bostrom comments, "Creation of the plan was not without disagreement and controversy, but everyone got to have their say and make their point, and the planners were wise enough to adjust the plan to reflect everyone's concerns."
• After the vote, Ventura Councilman Brian Brennan thanked Bostrom for blazing the trail for the rest of Ventura County. Yes, Ojai is outside SB county, but it still raises regional awareness. Contact Bostrom at tomas@west.net and view their Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan at www.ojaivalleynews.com/gov/BPMP.html.