October
2008

Walk/Bike Forum coming October 18th



Professor John Pucher.

• Walk/Bike Forum
  Saturday, October 18, 10:30-12:30
  Santa Barbara Library, Faulkner Gallery
  40 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara
• Our community will have a rare opportunity on October 18th to meet and hear Professor John Pucher, an international expert on pedestrian and bicyclist facilities. Pucher will show photos of what others have done to significantly increase biking and walking, support it with data, and demonstrate how individuals' health increases as a result.
• The Bicycle Coalition's Ralph Fertig has been working since July with Eva Inbar, president of the Coalition for Sustainable Transportation (COAST), to arrange Pucher's visit. We're pleased to be joined by a third sponsor, the Coalition for Community Wellness.
• Prof. Pucher currently teaches and does research at Rutgers University's Voorhees Transportation Center in New Jersey. Since receiving a PhD from MIT, he has lived in Europe, Australia and the US, examining travel behavior, transport systems, and transport policies. He has published 18 papers on his research findings. His presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with:
• Janet Wolf, County Supervisor
• Grant House, City Councilmember
• Michael Chiacos, CEC Energy Program Associate.
• The Walk/Bike Forum will be videotaped by the City's Channel 18 for later showing, but don't miss this free live event. It will be followed by an optional no-host luncheon at the Stateside Restaurant in La Arcada Court.
• We have a Walk/Bike Forum flyer that you can print or email at: www.sbbike.org/docs/Walk-Bike.pdf.

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Goleta path resurfaced



Bicycling on the new bikepath surface is now a pleasure. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• For years the heavily used Goleta Beach bikepath has been deteriorating. It has been an abrupt change from the University's repaved approach to campus funded with student fees. Our thanks to the County's Public Works people for resurfacing this popular link.
• In addition, they were going to patch the section that connects to the Goleta slough bridge and Moffet Road. However they found that the path's condition was so bad they decided to resurface that too. Our gratitude to all County people.

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September Coalition meeting topics

• Our September 2nd monthly Bicycle Coalition meeting was held in Downtown Santa Barbara, attracting 14 people to discuss these topics:
• Wilson Hubbell reported that he has given away over 90 bells to low-income commuters.
• John Ledbetter described progress on Plan Santa Barbara, the city's General Plan revision. We may promote bicycling before the Planning Commission on September 10th.
• Ralph Fertig reported on possible Lake Cachuma North Shore bike trails.
• Sarah Grant and Ralph Fertig will attend the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference in Seattle.
• Fall Bici Centro community bike program's activities include usual open shop hours, plus the Youth Earn-a-Bike program and an adult "Learn-Your-Bike" educational series.
• Prof. John Pucher's two-day visit and October 18th presentation were described.
• Lori la Riva told us that 1600 Commute Challenge participants are mostly biking instead of driving.
• Dru van Hengel said that the city will offer alternative versions of a State/De la Vina intersection plan to the TCC in October.

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MS ride sets records



MS Ride cyclists take off on September 21st from Santa Barbara for a ride of 75 miles back to Camarillo. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The 2008 two-day Bike MS Southern California Ride attracted 900 participants this year, up from 780 in 2007. Nearly $1 million in pledges was obtained by concerned riders for multiple sclerosis research and care.
• Many cycled from Camarillo to Santa Barbara, and back over the weekend—pedaling 175 miles. Others selected a shorter one-day, 30-mile ride on Saturday out of Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara. Congratulations to the MS Society and all riders.

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Don't feed the lions

• Mountain lions were encountered in mid September above Montecito on Romero Canyon and San Ysidro trails. Possibly it was the same animal, or maybe not. It's been conjectured that they fled from the Gap Fire. Here are some tips to consider when you're biking on mountain trails:
• Don't go alone
• Pack a cell phone
• If a mountain lion appears, stand your ground, don't turn your back or flee
• Keep your bike between you and the animal
• Throw sticks or stones at it
• If attacked, fight back.
• There's more information about living with indigenous wildlife at www.keepmewild.org.

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Coalition speaks out for Highway 101 bikepath



Watch your head! This shallow drainage culvert under the UP railroad and 101 currently serves La Conchita residents safely walking to the beach. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Caltrans is designing a Highway 101 widening project between Mobile Pier in Ventura County and Casitas Pass Road in Santa Barbara County. They held a well-attended public workshop on September 9th where our Bicycle Coalition's Wilson Hubbell and Ralph Fertig spoke out for bicyclist safety.
• The main benefit to bicyclists is a proposed new bikepath on the mountain side of Highway 101. It would connect with Bates Road on the north, and the old Rincon Highway on the south. If constructed, we would no longer have to pedal on the highway shoulder next to high-speed motor vehicles. We had previously thought that it was an assured part of the project, but learned that Caltrans now considers it optional.
• An intriguing possibility emerged at the workshop: La Conchita residents often use a railroad and highway drainage culvert to access the beach instead of running across 101. A proposed separate pedestrian tunnel only under 101 could create conflicts with cyclists on the proposed bikepath. However deepening and lighting the existing culvert would avoid cyclist-pedestrian collisions on any shared path segment.
• The Bicycle Coalition wrote a letter on September 12th to Caltrans summarizing our view:
• Build the Class I bikepath
• Choose the Minimum Build alternative that could facilitate wider outside shoulders
• Deepen the existing culvert at La Conchita for access to the ocean, and build the bikepath over the top of it to eliminate possible bike/ped conflicts on any shared path
• Keep the oceanside shoulder as wide as possible to safely accommodate emergency parking and southbound bicyclists
• Consider the safety of southbound bicyclists weaving through exiting motorists at Mussel Shoals; maybe enter the Old Pacific Coast Highway before the motorist exit.
• It's now in Caltrans' hands to consider project alternatives. We hope that bicyclist safety between Ventura and Carpinteria will be as important to them as it is to us.

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Bici Centro's fall program

• In addition to regular open shop hours, there are two programs this fall:
• Earn-a-Bike program for young people starts September 29th. Over eight weeks with twice a week sessions (Mondays and Wednesdays 4:00-6:00 PM), students will complete bicycles and became proud owners of their machines. The hands-on sessions are interspersed with bike handling and road safety lessons.
• Learn-Your-Bike classes provide instruction on bicycle mechanics over eight weeks. Starting October 1st, each Wednesday 7:00-8:30 PM session concentrates part by part on one specific bicycle area.
• Outside of the classes, come by to volunteer or work on bikes—or just check out the action—at 601 East Montecito Street, Santa Barbara during these open shop times:
• Thursdays 4:00-8:00 PM
• Saturdays 1:00-7:00 PM.
• For more information, phone 617-3255 or email info@bicicentro.org.

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Coalition gives presentation on bike benefits



This is the first of 16 slides in the Bicycle Coalition's presentation.

• Our Bicycle Coalition took advantage of an opportunity to tell Santa Barbara City's Planning Commission how bicycling is doing here and how to make it better. On September 10th, Coalition President Ralph Fertig told Commission members the following:
• What benefits bicycling conveys on people and our community
• How many people bicycle to work here
• How much bicycling is increasing here
• What six other cities, counties, and countries have done to increase their bicycling.
• The Planning Commission devoted two days to consider development of a new General Plan for the City that will provide a blueprint of where we want to be decades in the future.
• Fertig talked about what others have successfully done to increase and promote bicycling, citing Odense, Denmark; Lyon, France; Davis, California; The Netherlands; Australia; and Marin County, California.
• The Plan will return to the Planning Commission, then the City Council, before environmental review. More opportunities for comment will occur in the future.
• You can view our PowerPoint presentation at www.sbbike.org/docs/Plan-SB.ppt.

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Wet Willy Sez
by Wilson Hubbell

• Dear Wet Willy: In biking around, I see that Hollister in Old Town Goleta and Milpas in Santa Barbara have painted bike logos and chevrons on the road. Do I have to bike there, even if nobody is parked along the curb? Are drivers allowed there as well? Won't I be in the way? — Want to do it right
• Dear Want To Do It Right: Those bike logos on Milpas and Hollister are called Shared Lane Pavement Markings, but are more commonly known as Sharrows. What they're meant to do is remind both bicyclists and motorists for the need to share the road on busy streets where on-street parking, open car doors, no bike lanes and narrow traffic lanes make it necessary for cyclists to ride in the traffic lane.
• The principle behind Sharrows is simple; they reinforce existing rules of the road. In California, cyclists are required to ride as far to the right side of the road as practicable, except under unsafe conditions. One of these unsafe conditions is when the travel lane is too narrow for safe side by side passage of a motor vehicle and a bike. The most dangerous place for a cyclist to be in a narrow travel lane with adjacent parked cars is far to the right because of the "door zone", and motorists think they have enough room to stay in their travel lane and pass you.
• Sharrows were first used in Denver beginning about 10 years ago, but now you'll find them in many cities where streets like Milpas are very common. Milpas and Hollister may be the first local streets to receive Sharrows, but Wet Willy can think of other possibilities—like east bound Cabrillo Boulevard along the beach?

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Cachuma recreation comment period extended



About 50 people showed up on August 26th to look at maps and consider future changes to Cachuma recreational opportunities. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The deadline for comments on a new proposed recreation management plan for Cachuma Lake has been extended to October 31. What you tell the Bureau of Reclamation will help determine whether or not off-road biking will be allowed on the North Shore of the lake. On August 26th, a public meeting was held in Solvang to consider the long-awaited Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. About 50 people attended, including our Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig.
• There are three suggested alternatives: (1) no change, (2) some added recreational opportunities, or (3) lots more recreation. However, it turns out that (2) and (3) are not exclusive choices, each one consists of many components and it's expected that parts of each will be selected by the controlling US Bureau of Land Reclamation.
• On September 2nd, our Bicycle Coalition sent a letter to the Bureau saying "we totally accept the necessity of providing safe water, and the desirability of preserving the native habitat. However, we believe that some careful expansion of recreation in and around the lake is not only possible, but also desirable."
• Our letter continued, "Consider opening the North Shore for hiking and biking to complement the equestrian opportunities that currently exist there. And for those wishing a deeper experience with the area's natural beauty, we urge the creation of a few primitive camp sites."
• Because bikers and hikers would have to cross the foot-deep Santa Ynez River, we further suggested either a bridge or paved crossing with slots for water passage. Consider sending your comments to:
• Jack Collins, Resource Specialist
  Bureau of Reclamation
  1243 ‘N' Street, Fresno, CA 93721.
• Or comments can be emailed to him at jcollins@mp.usbr.gov. If you have questions, you can phone Collins at 559-487-5409.
• Finally, you can read the entire Draft RMP/EIS document for a lot more detail at www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=283.

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Kathleen Reddington, a cyclist for life
by Ralph Fertig



Bubbling with energy and ideas about everything, Kathleen Reddington enjoys a quieter break from her morning ride at the Coffee Bean in Carpinteria. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• "I was 12 years old, and it was a yellow Schwinn 10-speed bicycle," fondly recalls Carpinteria resident Kathleen Reddington about her first bike. That was back in Springfield, Illinois, where flat farm land stretches for miles, and where she soon discovered the freedom that her yellow steed gave her. "I didn't dare tell my parents how far I really went."
• Kathleen attended Southern Illinois University, biked around school, and later moved to Los Angeles, followed by Carpinteria. She worked for NPR radio, TV news, an advertising agency, taught yoga—and kept biking all the while. "Cycling gives me freedom and time to think about things," she observes.
• Kathleen has cycled abroad in Ireland, Italy and Australia. She recalls great rides she did in Sicily, down hills from the ancient Greek city Agrigento to the Mediterranean where she swam and dined on seafood pasta before pedaling back up.
• Currently a member of the Carpinteria Planning Commission, Reddington feels that serious development and environmental issues are challenging the city and the South Coast. She believes that her background and world experiences give her essential insight to help craft long-lasting solutions.
• Our area, she says, is ideal for cycling with its spectacular scenery, a large choice of rides, and an active cycling population. Locally what we need are more bikepaths, safety education for everybody, and more working with kids to introduce them to the joys—and health benefits—of bicycling.

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Measure A passage will help bicyclists

• The upcoming November 4th election will include a measure that, to a large extent, will determine our bicycling future. It's Measure A, a continuation of the county's existing half-cent transportation tax approved by county voters in 1989.
• The pie chart shows the South Coast apportionment of funding; the North County is similar, but with more money for roads.
• At first it may seem that only a tiny slice—two percent—will go to bicyclist and pedestrian projects. However, bicyclists will greatly benefit from the Local Transportation part that is mostly for road maintenance. Cars may bounce over potholes or cracks, but they will not only jolt us, but can also cause us to crash.
• Other slices of the transportation pie benefit us too. Traffic Solutions funds programs that promote alternatives to driving—like bicycling. The Safe Routes to School will fund not only sidewalks, but also bike lanes and paths near schools. Funding of MTD service provides buses with bike racks for longer trips, stormy weather, and emergencies. Upcoming Commuter Rail will likely include bike and rail multi-mode commuting. Finally, at least 10% of the Local Transportation will go to alternatives like bicycling.
• Overall, there's a whole lot to vote for.

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We thank our active members

• Please thank and support the following Bicycle Coalition business members:
• Bicycle Bob's, Santa Barbara
• Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbara
• Open Air Bicycles, Santa Barbara
• Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria
• Chris King Precision Components, Portland, Oregon
• Run Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara
• Hazard's Cyclesport, Santa Barbara
• Dr J's Bicycle Shop, Solvang
• In addition, we welcome our new members Corey Evans, Daniel Guerro, Peter Stonehewer, Alberto Maguña, and Jorge Santana.
• And we greatly appreciate those who renewed their memberships: James Elliott, Paul Wendt, Carolyn Dukes, Jon Lewis, Susan Beatty, Yolanda Blue, Lorna Owens, Kenneth Kosai, Kathy Foltz and Stuart Feinstein.

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Pro Walk/Pro Bike spotlights Seattle progress
by Ralph Fertig



This one-way street has traffic-calming curb extensions, "keyboard" pedestrian crossings, back-in diagonal parking, and bicyclist sharrows on both sides. Photo by Ralph Fertig.



This is a new bike rack being installed, it replaces one parked car with parking for eight bicycles. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• I attended the 2008 Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference on September 3-5th in Seattle, and learned what everybody's doing, but especially what's happening in the Seattle metro area.
• The city of Seattle and the 10,000-member Cascade Bicycle Club have done numerous, progressive things to encourage more and safer bicycling. Among their many programs are:
• 12,000 3rd-6th grade kids received 4-6 hours of bicycle sessions via a bike van. Now 13% kids bike to school.
• Many aids for bicyclists, including green bikelanes through intersections, sharrows, bike route signs, and bike racks on sidewalks and streets.
• Traffic calming, such as curb extensions at intersections, over 1000 residential roundabouts, and back-in diagonal parking.
• Bike Smart Seattle program targets women and new bicyclists, involves community leaders, and offers free bike classes in neighborhoods.
• Representative Jim Oberstar, chair of the House Transportation committee, closed the conference. He wants increased children's mobility, and an "Office of Liveable Transportation."

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101 tragedy shows necessity of long-promised Goleta bridge



A memorial to Christina has been placed along Calle Real where she crossed the freeway. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Christina Veloz-Payne was taking a shortcut that Goleta youngsters living north of Highway 101 use to go to the Marketplace and Girsh Park—climb a fence and run across the freeway. This time, Christina was hit and killed by a motorist.
• For years, a bike/pedestrian bridge has been sought there. Goleta Mayor Michael Bennett said that the proposed bridge is about public convenience, safety and connecting neighborhoods.
• Traffic mitigation money for a bike/ped bridge had been set aside by Marketplace construction. In 1999, it was nearly funded, but the North County members of SBCAG voted to return a million dollars to the state rather than build the bridge. If voters pass Measure A this fall, $7 million bridge funding will be available.

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