November
2003

Ortega Hill path gets SBCAG boost



Bicyclists climbing Ortega Hill Road will have an option that will bypass the increasingly busy road. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The bikepath and Highway 101 auxiliary lane between Summerland and Montecito had funding set aside ten years ago by Caltrans and SBCAG. However, because of our state's dire financial straits, it decided to "borrow" those funds last summer, effectively delaying the project 18 months—or longer.
• Most recently, events turned favorable when the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Board voted on October 16 to loan Caltrans $3.1 million to get the project back on track so it can start next year. The bikepath will be 12 feet wide, have lighting, be raised a few feet above the north side of Highway 101, and be separated from it by a 5-foot chain-link fence.
• SBCAG also voted to loan Caltrans $8 million for the Milpas-Hot Springs Highway 101 improvements. The state had likewise borrowed that project funding. It's of interest to bicyclists because it includes a new tunnel under 101 at Cacique Street in Santa Barbara. The tunnel will help Eastside bicyclists and pedestrians reach jobs and recreation on the waterfront without navigating the Milpas roundabout.
• The most contentious issue discussed by the SBCAG Board was the Highway 101 Implementation Plan (101 IP). When conceived last year, it was designed to assess all means of alleviating congestion along the South Coast 101 corridor between Winchester Canyon and the Ventura County line. During several months of discussion, however, North County members were adamant that widening the South Coast highway be a required outcome of the study.
• Public and Board member discussion involved whether all approaches to relieving traffic would be judged equally, or whether adding lanes would be exempt from comparisons with other alternative transportation and traffic management means. The final wording says that the 101 IP shall result in projects that will add lanes to Highway 101 within the existing right-of-way. The study will include consideration of other means to relieve South Coast congestion. The process will take years and will likely include the role of bicycling if we insist on a fair evaluation.

Five from area attend Walk/Bike conference



Kathryn Hughes, Oakland's bicycle coordinator, points out city features during a Facilities Tour. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The first Walk/Bike California conference, held October 15-18 in Oakland, attracted five participants from Santa Barbara County: Bicycle Coalition members Eva Inbar, Erika Lindemann, Ralph Fertig, plus Marco Alvarez and Jessica Scheeter.
• This is the conference that we tried to bring here, but Oakland solicited more funding than we did. Much more funding. In two years, there will be another one in San Diego, Los Angeles, or—if we can swing it—in Santa Barbara!
• There were 30 breakout sessions to chose from, plus an opening reception, lunch and closing sessions, bike rides and walks, and special-interest meetings. Everybody recognized the great improvement that Caltrans has achieved since Gray Davis brought Jeff Morales from Chicago to head the agency. Indeed Morales received a standing ovation after his presentation about changes that they have accomplished. There was a deep concern that governor-elect Arnold Schwartznegger might replace him.
• James Corless, California director of the Surface Transportation Policy Project, expressed hope that the new administration's concern with physical fitness and youth safety will result in an emphasis on youth activities that include bicycling to school.

Flat Tire
Word from the President, by Wilson Hubbell

• Based on my own experience and that of other bikies, this year has brought a goathead thorn epidemic that is deflating bike tires throughout the southwest-and particularly near our local Santa Barbara County bikepaths. The goatheads will remain until the rains come, but meanwhile there are some precautions we can take to minimize our flat tire susceptibility. Such as:
• Don't ride in the dirt adjacent to roadways and bikepaths. If you need to place your bike off to the side of the road or bikepath for some reason, check the tires for thorns before you ride away.
• Think Kevlar and Aramid. Some bike tires are less susceptible to thorns than others, and now may be the time to get a pair. Tires with Kevlar or Aramid casings may not save you from broken glass or a nail, but they do seem to be effective against most thorns.
• Can't find Kevlar or Aramid tires in your wheel size? Get yourself some Mister Tuffy tire inserts. These may add a little weight to your wheels but they will stop all but the toughest thorns from getting through.
• If all else fails, get some Slime from your local bike shop. This stuff is a favorite among Arizona and New Mexico mountain bikies who must deal with cactus type thorns year round. It comes as a greenish liquid that is inserted into the inner tube through the valve stem. Once inside it coats the inside of the tube and plugs any holes that may be caused by thorns, broken glass or other road debris. The big drawback to Slime is it can add significant weight to your wheels.
• Above all else—Keep Riding!

Biking to Vandenberg

• In the 2000 Census, some military bases had high levels of bike commuting. Vandenberg AFB has 4.5% of workers biking to their jobs, way above the County's average of 2.7% and above even the City of Santa Barbara's 3.4%.
• Perhaps the military's emphasis on physical activity and strict enforcement of motorist laws leads to higher bike levels. Does anybody know?

October meeting topics

• Our October 7 Bicycle Coalition evening meeting at the Good Earth Restaurant attracted 16 individuals. It included these topics:
• Joshua Patak gave a very favorable report on Portland's Community Cycling Center. The cost of creating a similar facility here, however, seems daunting.
• Georgia Case discussed Bikestation facilities at the upcoming Granada Garage in Santa Barbara. She passed out a draft survey that will be put online. The main challenge to Bikestation operation is staffing expense.
• Pierre Delong described his bike crash and problems he's had because both he and the motorist were uninsured. A possible solution was suggested.
• Gary Wissman will coordinate our activities at the upcoming California Lemon Festival.
• Ralph Fertig reported that the UCSB student bike committee will fund repairs to the path near Goleta Beach Park.
• Mike Hecker has identified a developer who may allocate land and construction support for a $650,000 concrete velodrome.

Road bicycling class

• On Saturday, November 8, three licensed bicycling instructors will lead a "Bike I" bike skills class. Erika Lindemann will be joined by Joshua Patlak and Chuck Anderson for the 8-hour class from 8:30-5:00. Location is yet undetermined. For details, contact Lindemann at 961-8901 or elindemann@sbcag.org.

Planners get bike tour



Faster bicyclist-planners await more leisurely ones at an ocean overlook near Hope Ranch. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• As part of the California Chapter of the American Planning Association's annual meeting in Santa Barbara last September, a number of "mobile workshops" were offered to participants. One of them was a Bicycle Facilities Tour that was led by the Bicycle Coalition's Ralph Fertig and Wilson Hubbell.
• The 24-mile tour took them through Downtown Santa Barbara, outer State Street, along the Maria Ygnacio and Atascadero Creek bikepaths, through Hope Ranch and finally through Mesa and past the waterfront. As if on cue, the fog lifted at the top of Shoreline Drive and a setting sun illuminated the harbor, wharf, city and mountains. All along the way, features both favorable and detrimental to bicycling were pointed out.
• If you wish to know what was covered, the handout for the ride has been posted online at www.sbbike.org/temp/CCAPA-MW8.pdf. It's a 300 KB file in Adobe PDF format. Once you have it, you can enjoy the ride yourself and save the $20 that APA members paid.

Transportation funding is extended

• On October 1, President George Bush signed the Surface Transportation Extension Act which provides a 5-month extension of the TEA-21 federal transportation act. This gives Congress through February 2004 to complete work on a new 6-year bill.
• The Extension continues funding for all TEA-21 programs at levels slightly higher than in 2003. The Extension is a concern because it allows states to transfer money between programs so large projects won't be halted. However, the Transportation Enhancements component that provides funding for bicycle projects could be shunted by Caltrans into large road projects. We will be watching.

Coalition brings Dan Burden to Goleta

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition teamed up with the Livable Streets Coalition to bring well-known, livable-community consultant Dan Burden for a four-hour tour of Old Town Goleta followed by a presentation of his recommendations for improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. It took place on October 26, after this newsletter went to press, so look for a report in December Quick Release.
• If you have biked on Hollister Avenue in Old Town, you know how scary it can be. It's a wide remnant of the Pacific Coast Highway designed to move motorists, not people on foot and bike. In late 2001, Antonio Guerca was killed by a pickup driver while legally biking to work on Hollister. Last August, Victor Nunez Lamas was hit and killed in a Hollister crosswalk. Certainly changes can be made by the City of Goleta to make it safer for residents and visitors. We hope that Burden can identify those changes.
• Burden is a founder of the Bicycle Federation of America (now National Center for Bicycling and Walking), and of Bikecentennial (now Adventure Cycling). He is currently the director of Walkable Communities, a nonprofit organization in Florida. He offers consulting for community planning and zoning, traffic calming, street and intersection design, bicycle and pedestrian facility design, and ADA disability standards.
• It's our hope that what Burden recommends for Old Town Goleta will provide an impetus to make other areas within our County safer for us all.

Coalition sells helmets at Festival

• Thanks to Gary Wissman for his coordination of our participation in what has grown from a local Goleta festival into the California Lemon Festival.
• This year, our third at the Festival, we were located in a "Safety Street" area with the Red Cross, County Sheriff, Fire Department, the CHP and others. Bicycle Coalition volunteers talked bicycling in general, the Bicycle Coalition in particular, and sold 55 low-cost helmets to adults and kids. If we had had more kids' helmets, we could have sold them too.
• Our gratitude goes to those who helped handle the helmets and promote bicycling to everybody at our booth: Bob Cooper, Jean Thomson, Garrick Sitongia, Pierre Delong, David Madajian, Bob Swinney, Owen Patmoor, and Doris Phinney.

Traffic Solutions’ new street skills classes

• Erika Lindemann at Traffic Solutions, the regional SBCAG program that promotes alternatives to driving alone, is offering several classes on bicycle skills. The five classes are based on League of American Bicyclists' program; Lindemann is an instructor certified by the League to teach their courses. They are available for employers or individuals. The five classes are:
• Street Skills, 2 hours. Basic biking skills.
• Road I, 9 hours. A full bicycling understanding.
• Bicycle Commuting, 3 hours. Essentials for bike commutes.
• Kids I, 3 hours. For parents and teachers.
• Kids II, 9 hours. For 5th-6th graders.
• The short classes are free, and the 9-hour ones are $30. For details, contact Lindemann at 961-8901 or elindemann@sbcag.org.

University committee funds path renovation



This is the AS BIKES committee when they met on October 2nd. Chairman Edward France is at the upper right. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• At their first meeting of the UC Santa Barbara school year, the Associated Students Bicycle Improvements Keep Everyone Safe (AS BIKES) Committee voted unanimously to fund improvements on the section of University bikepath that leads to Goleta Beach County Park. That path serves not only University people, but because it's part of the South Coast's Coast Route, it attracts other commuters and recreational cyclists.
• Led by newly-elected chairperson Edward France, the committee considered their role in improving conditions for students, staff, and faculty who bike on campus. Guided by staff members Jamey Wagner, Dennis Whelan, Marsha Zilles and Alan Williams, the group considered new bike parking at the Music and Engineering II buildings, along with bikepath improvements and other future possibilities. A permanent AS Bikeshop location along the Pardall bikepath was also suggested.
• Ralph Fertig attended and represented the Bicycle Coalition; he stated that our immediate interest was the bikepath conditions near Goleta Beach where there was a history of cyclist crashes. An article in October's Quick Release called for action on the situation.
• The committee started with $128,000 left unspent from prior years, and it is anticipated that another $40-$50 thousand will be added from student fees this school year. Each student pays $.75 per quarter for funding bicycle facilities. The estimated cost of the bikepath improvements is $70,000, the amount approved by the committee.
• The bikepath project consists of realigning the path so the blind curve next to the University's sewage pump station will be removed, widening the path from 10 to 14 feet, and repaving with a 2.5-inch asphalt overlay. If things move quickly, bids can go out in November and construction will take place during the December break. What kind of bicyclist detour will be offered remains to be determined.
• The AS BIKES committee is one of 26 Associated Students' committees and boards. AS BIKES is responsible for three functions:
• Prioritize expenditures of funds collected from the Associated Students and Graduate Students Association Bicycle Lock-In fees.
• Be responsive to student input related to bicycle paths and bicycle parking at UCSB.
• Be an active bicycle system advocate, and take all reasonable steps to increase student, staff, faculty, and administration awareness of bicycle system issues.

Obesity & bicycling—a correlation

• Data available from the US 2000 Census on biking to jobs, and from the Center for Disease Control on obesity (for 1991-2001), can be compared on a state-by state basis.
• A graph of the fifty states shows a moderate correlation. California is exactly in the middle for obesity, but fifth highest in terms of bicycling to work. The four top bicycle states, from highest down, are Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and Hawaii. The correlation suggests that on a statewise basis, bicycle commuting results in lower weights, but it doesn't prove that one causes the other. Santa Barbara County has a bike-to-work percentage over three times our state average.

Bob Swinney: one bike, zero cars
by Erika Lindemann



Bob Swinney and his trusty bike live at his home in Santa Barbara's Eastside. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• If you have been in Santa Barbara for long, you have certainly seen Bob Swinney around. Maybe it's at Nite Moves, the summer swim/run event starting at Leadbetter Beach or maybe it's at one of the half-marathon events. Back when the Jazz Festival was in Santa Barbara, he was there too. Wherever it may be, I always find Bob with a warm, welcoming smile and without doubt he is helping to make the event run more smoothly. And his bike is never far from his side.
• Bob has a unique view of Santa Barbara since he has lived here since he was a boy. He remembers the streets being wider and having fewer bike lanes, although he admits the wider State Street of old had a special character during Christmas because there were trees along it bright with Christmas lights. Bob's favorite place to ride in Santa Barbara, even with its changes, is cruising State Street.
• For the past couple of years Bob has joined the ranks of concerned bicyclists who volunteer their time and energy and contribute to the efforts of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. He is a regular at our meetings and events. Bob is thrilled by the possibility of the Highway 101 Operational Improvements that will improve mobility under the freeway, mainly the under-crossing at Cacique Street and the Ortega Hill Bike Path project.
• Bob's favorite part about living in Santa Barbara is being able to ride his bicycle everywhere. He loves not having a car. Biking around town saves him money, keeps him in touch with his community and keeps him healthy.
• Wave and say hello to Bob the next time you see him—he'll surely smile back. We're fortunate to have Bob among our ranks of active bicyclists here in Santa Barbara.

Active members

• Please thank and support the following businesses that are Bicycle Coalition members:
• King Cycle Group, Shasta Lake
• MarBorg Industries, Santa Barbara
• Nett & Champion Insurance, Santa Barbara
• Rincon Cycles, Carpinteria
• Tri Paradise Sports, Santa Barbara
• Lightning Cycle Dynamics, Lompoc
• We welcome new member Garrick Sitongia, and thank those who renewed their memberships: Jeffrey Stoutenborough, Mike Hecker, Tony Johansen, and Cecilia Brown.

Attended “bike station” parking
by Ralph Fertig



The Fruitvale facility, to open in December, will have a capacity for 240 bikes on two levels. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• As part of Walk/Bike California conference, I went on a tour of three attended bicycle parking facilities in the Bay Area BART transit system. Here are what I learned:
• Bikestation Berkeley. This is inside the BART station, in a 500-square foot steel cage. Opened in 1999, it cost $75,000 to build and holds 77 bikes. Its six employees are managed by the Bicycle Friendly Berkeley Coalition. Weekday only hours are 7:30 AM-8:00 PM.
• Embarcadero Station. Just open four months, this is inside a San Francisco BART station. It cost $350,000 to construct and can hold 150 bikes. Operated by Mike's Bicycle Centers through BART's payment of $80,000 a year, it's only open weekdays 7:00 AM-7:00 PM.
• Fruitvale Station. Scheduled to open in December, this Oakland facility is costing $475,000 to build. Its two-level bike area will hold 240 bicycles. To reach the upper level, the attendant climbs a circular stairway while using a small elevator for the bike. The facility is next to the Fruitvale BART station, located inside Fruitvale Village, a new mixed-use transit-oriented development. Its weekday hours will be 6:00 AM-8:00 PM; Saturday hours will be 10:00 AM-7:00 PM. A "request for proposal" for an operator is coming soon.

California bike/ped training underway

• Caltrans has contracted with Alta Planning+Design to develop a state-of-the-art Technical Reference Guide for California. The Guide will include the latest standards and best practices in the bicycle and pedestrian field. Caltrans workers (and eventually others) will be able to find the latest practices, policies, and designs for virtually any aspect of the bicycle and pedestrian worlds. Potential improvements to Caltrans' bicycling chapter in their Highway Design Manual will be identified.
• An innovative feature of this effort will be a curriculum designed to be taught three ways: in a classroom, on an interactive CD, and on a website. Given the size of California and Caltrans, these methods will allow for much greater coverage and flexibility.

Refugio MTB race



Riders line up for the start of the Refugio Mountain Bike Challenge in Santa Ynez. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The Refugio Mountain Bike Challenge & Family Fun Ride, a first-time event on October 19, attracted about 100 participants to the Santa Ynez area. The mountain bike race was an 8-mile uphill climb up 2000 feet. We hope that the events that benefitted the Gildred Family YMCA in Santa Ynez will repeat in the future.

Shoreline Drive project advances

• On October 21, the City of Santa Barbara received word from Caltrans that funding will be released for the City's Shoreline Park Expansion project. It effects bicyclists two ways:
• a new bikepath will be created between Shoreline Park and Leadbetter Beach
• two traffic lanes and the downhill bikelane on Shoreline Drive will be removed; the uphill bikelane will be retained.
• The reason for the project delay up to now—and possible loss of all funding—was that the state has "borrowed" Transportation Enhancement funds that accounted for 54% of the project's money. And two of the other three funding sources had time limits that were running out. Because of the impending loss of the other funds, Caltrans apparently moved Shoreline higher in priority.
• The upshot is that now the project can go out to bid for construction. If all goes well, it should be finished by spring 2004.