December
2007

Missing UCSB bikepath link wins funding



A bicyclist heads east on the "Broida Expressway," but cannot yet connect past Bren to Lagoon Road and the bikepath to the Obern Trail. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• James Wagner, the University of California Santa Barbara's Transportation Alternatives Program manager was pleased that he was able to obtain funding to complete a missing bikepath link on campus. Working with the County's Matt Dobberteen on the application for California's Bicycle Transportation Account funding, they obtained $135,000 toward the $150,000 project that will be constructed next year.

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Meet our new Caltrans bikeman

• Come to our monthly meeting December 4th where we will be introducing David Kuperman, the new Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator for our Caltrans district, a job he started in October. He is involved with non-motorized transportation planning within the five-county Caltrans district that includes Santa Barbara County.
• Kuperman studied Transportation Technology and Policy at University of California Davis, where he received a Masters of Science degree. We expect that all the excellent bicycling facilities that Davis has crafted over the past four decades will be high in Kuperman's consciousness.
• According to Aileen Loe, Caltrans Deputy District Director, Kuperman will serve as a resource both inside and outside Caltrans, and complement the Santa Barbara County planning efforts of Pat Mickelson and other contacts for regional agencies. He will consider local bicycle plans and assure that those plans are appropriately incorporated into Caltrans planning products. Finally, he will raise overall awareness about bicycling and pedestrian issues within District 5.
• So come to our noon meeting on December 4th to welcome Kuperman to our community.

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UCSB students learn they can go places by bike



Students on the bike tour stop at the Santa Barbara Airport where they looked at new bike racks that accommodate 12 bikes. There were seven bicycles parked in them. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Students at UCSB use bicycles as their main way to get to and around the campus, but most do not consider that their steeds can take them farther afield. To show them what's possible under their existing pedal power, Katie Maynard, the campus Sustainability program coordinator, organized a Sunday morning bike tour on November 18th. The Bicycle Coalition's Ralph Fertig led the way, accompanied by Associated Students' BIKES committee chair Sarah Henkel. Students invited on the pilot ride were freshmen who live in Santa Rosa dormitory and expressed an interest in environmental studies.
• The 11-mile tour took them around campus, through Isla Vista, to the Marketplace farmers' market, then over Highway 101 to the North Goleta Route bikeway, then south on Fairview to Goleta Beach and home.
• Henkel noted afterwards, "I do think they learned a lot and they really enjoyed it. One guy said to me that we should plan these 'mini-adventures' more often. It was definitely beneficial. I think it really opened their eyes about the possibility of actually getting somewhere on their bikes." Overall, this might be the beginning of new, healthy mobility for the students.

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Wet Willy Sez
by Wilson Hubbell

• Dear Wet Willy: As a child I was taught to ride my bike facing traffic. That is illegal nowadays. So…why the change? — Perplexed
• Dear Perplexed: Wet Willy also remembers seeing instructions to ride your bike facing traffic. Some older non-cyclists still believe this to be true and in 2001 the Massachusetts State Legislature defeated a proposed law (introduced by an older non-cyclist) that would have required bicyclists to ride facing traffic in that state.
• It turns out that riding against traffic is an extremely dangerous thing to do. Motorists normally scan for traffic going in the lawful direction—where it is expected to be—and wrong way bike traffic can be too easily overlooked. To give only a single example, a motorist turning right at an intersection scans to the left for oncoming traffic on the new road and briefly glances to the right for any pedestrians that may be in the area. Often, this motorist cannot see or anticipate a relatively fast-moving wrong-way bicyclist approaching from the right. What happens next can be catastrophic to all concerned, particularly the wrong-way bicyclist.
• Wrong-way cycling is also extremely dangerous to other cyclists. Can you imagine riding in the bikelane on outer State Street in and encountering another cyclist coming straight at you? Not a pleasant thought, yet it has happened to Wet Willy—and probably some of you reading this.
• In summary, what well meaning folks once told you about riding against traffic is dangerously wrong—and illegal. Cyclists who do it are endangering themselves and other cyclists too.

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Fueling California

• "Transportation accounts for 40 percent of California's annual greenhouse-gas emissions, and we rely on petroleum-based fuels for 96 percent of our transportation needs. This dependency contributes to climate change and leaves workers, businesses, and consumers vulnerable to price shocks from an unstable global energy market."
• — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Coalition supports Goleta safety projects



This is the very narrow bridge over San Pedro Creek that we urge Caltrans to fund replacement. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The City of Goleta has applied for funding from California's Safe Routes to School program. On November 15th, our Bicycle Coalition urged Caltrans to fund several safety improvements along the North Goleta Bike Route.
• We wrote: "The North Goleta Route is a popular bikeway through residential neighborhoods. It avoids the busy parallel arterials to the north and south, making it the preferred route for people of all ages on bicycles. It serves school children biking to Goleta Valley Junior High School, the Goleta Library, and Kellogg Elementary School.
• However, there is one dangerous intersection where bicyclists have to cross the north-south arterial Fairview Avenue. Funding for the Goleta grant application will allow the city to install a traffic signal there, making it safer for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists alike.
• Funding will also allow for replacing the aging community connector bicycle/pedestrian bridge over San Pedro Creek, repair other North Goleta Route bridges, and install missing sidewalk gaps near the Goleta Library on Fairview Avenue."
• We're very pleased that the City of Goleta recognizes these problem areas and is seeking funds to make bicycling safer for schoolchildren and other residents.

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November Coalition meeting topics

• Our November 6th monthly Bicycle Coalition was an evening meeting at Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant, attracting 13 people to discuss these topics:
• Ralph Fertig described progress of the South Coast committee for developing a Measure D 2008 tax renewal plan. An important meeting takes place November 7th.
• Dru van Hengel described the upcoming Street Skills for Cyclists class that takes place on November 15-17th. Ads will be inserted in three consecutive issues of the Santa Barbara Daily Sound.
• We met Raymond Beltran, a new employee at SBCAG. He described the regional Bicycle Plan for jurisdictions in Santa Barbara County, with his expectation of holding workshops throughout our county in the next month or two.
• Drew Hunter described the Santa Barbara stage start activities for the Amgen Tour of California, including a kids' race, movie night, evening party, and Health Fair.
• Dave Everett updated us on the South Coast trail situation, the SB City/County/US Forest Service meetings so far, and the upcoming public workshop on November 17th. He urged those who use local trails to attend and speak out.
• We discussed the first half of the KEYT special program on bicyclists versus motorists, as they framed the two-part report. The second part, yet to come, supposedly will offer solutions. We will see.

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Pedro Nava supports 101 bicyclist safety



Southbound bicyclists approaching the Mussel Shoals exit currently face a missing roadway shoulder and weaving action with exiting motorists. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Our state Assemblymember Pedro Nava recently urged Caltrans District 7 to work with bicyclists and other concerned community members in planning the freeway widening project near La Conchita. Nava wrote to Doug Failing, director of the Los Angeles and Ventura Caltrans district, saying "I understand your office is working with local groups, including the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and the Channel Islands Bicycle Club during the planning process. I appreciate and encourage that Caltrans continue to do so as this process moves forward."
• The $151 million, six-mile project will widen Highway 101 to six lanes between Mobil Pier in Ventura County and Bailard Avenue in Carpinteria. We spoke up for bicyclist safety at a public workshop last August, and have been in touch with Caltrans planners who are considering several possible safety measures including a new separate bikepath. We thank Nava for his concern and expect to have designs to review soon.

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Trails workshop
by Dave Everett, edited by Ralph Fertig

• The November 17th Front Country trails workshop in Santa Barbara turned out to be a productive and informative meeting for everyone who attended. It was part of the Front Country Trails Task Force process to study local trails. It's comprised of representatives from the City of Santa Barbara, the County, and the National Forest Service. About 50 people from major community trail organizations attended.
• Before the workshop, the Task Force plan had been to come to a decision on the trails, then to use their February meeting to send this plan off to the Board of Supervisors and Santa Barbara City Council. Following this workshop however, it was clear that we are very very far from any type of trail plan.
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Trail Supervisor Melanie Beck spoke about their trail management plan. They have worked on a plan for over ten years, and are still unfinished. Like ours, the Santa Monica area is multi-jurisdictional.
• Following the Santa Monica presentation, Task Force members enquired about their trail guidelines used to determine multi-use standards, referring to joint use by hikers, equestrians and bikers. The questions, however, caught Beck unprepared to answer.
• There was a discussion of draft recommendations for our trails. Staff laid out a potential plan including administration, community outreach, trail management and trail maintenance. Perhaps first is the creation of a memorandum of understanding among the three agencies, stating that they will pursue management of the trails. They discussed setting up a management agency or nonprofit, including the hiring of staff. Task Force members finally agreed that they had heard enough and want to move forward.
• The Task Force hopes to use the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP), a common form of trail assessment, to rate our trails for conditions and suitability for multiple users. The UTAP process, if adopted, will likely take a long time to implement.
• At least two of the Task Force Commissioners said that they want trail policy built on fact. The Multi-use Trails Coalition hopes it will be based on a rigorous assessment of trail conflicts, trail conditions, complaints, accidents, and the desires of trail users.
• You can learn more about the Task Force at www.santabarbaraca.gov, under Committees, and the Multi-use Trails Coalition at www.multiusetc.org.

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Holiday gift shopping



This is one of our flags that hangs along State Street in Santa Barbara each May during Bike Week. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Looking for ideas of what to get for that special bicycle person you know? Look no further than our Bicycle Coalition gift suggestions:
• Bicycle Coalition membership. Give a years worth of Quick Release, bike shop discounts, invitations to special events, and a good feeling to boot. Regular membership is $25 a year. We will mail a card announcing your thoughtful gift order.
• Street Skills Class. Buy a certificate that's good for one of our Street Skills for Cyclists classes. We will offer classes every other month in 2008, starting in January, so your lucky recipients can choose the time that best suits them. Cost is $30. We'll mail an announcement card with your gift order.
• Bicyclist flag. Want something to show off? Get one of our big 4x6 foot Bike Week flags, like the ones that hang along State Street each May. Each flag is made from heavy nylon with two grommets at the top for hanging, it has a white bicyclist logo on a terra cotta background. Flags are priced at $33 each.
• We have a holiday order form waiting for you at www.sbbike.org/docs/order.pdf.

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KEYT reports pit bicyclists against motorists

• On November 5th and 6th, Santa Barbara's television station KEYT broadcast two short reports purporting to show "a two-wheel versus four-wheel conflict that occurs all too often on our streets." You can view them at:
• www.keyt.com/news/local/11052931.html
  www.keyt.com/news/local/11096256.html
• The shows feature bicyclists running mid-block Santa Barbara red lights, talking on cell phones in Isla Vista, and riding two abreast. It stressed that bicyclists endangered pedestrians, although motorists kill several thousand as many each year. The "solution" to the problems, they advised, was to cite scofflaw bicyclists, and ask motorists to be more careful. Our Bicycle Coalition email list hosted a flurry of messages, none favorable to the unthinking programs.

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New UCSB bike policies proposed



Bike rack supply often fails to meet demand. Here outside Woodhouse Lab, bicycles quickly fill the racks, so students heading to classes park their bikes as best they can. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• The UCSB Associated Students' BIKES committee has written a draft Bicycle Plan for Construction on the campus. It has arisen because several new buildings were designed to accommodate service vehicle and pedestrian access during and after construction, but neglected travel and parking needs for those on bicycles. Buildings opened with classrooms, but no bike parking in sight. Bikepaths were closed with construction fencing, and no provisions were made for detours.
• On November 19th, BIKES committee advisor Scott Bull asked the Transportation Alternatives Board to review the draft recommendations, to which they agreed. Vice Chancellor Donna Carpenter had already been sent a copy. The student Legislative Council will soon consider endorsing it. The proposal deals with three main areas:
• Bike Routes. New buildings and additions must have bike lanes or paths that connect to dedicated bike parking. Pedestrian refuges at high volume crossings and safe dismount zones between bikepath and parking area are required. Damage caused by construction vehicles must be repaired.
• Bicycle Parking. Bicycle racks will provide capacity for 25% of the building faculty/staff/worker population, plus 60% of student classroom capacity. Bike rack areas will be clearly defined, highly visible, and near building entrances. Bike lockers or indoor storage areas will be provided for 5% of the building population.
• Commuter Amenities. New buildings should include shower/changing facilities to promote responsible transportation for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
• The guidelines are based on those at other UC campuses (UCSD, UCI, UCLA, UCSC, and UCD) as well as policies in place at the Universities of Washington and Oregon. It was noted that with our gentler, drier climate, we don't need expensive covered bike parking for rain or—gasp—snow.
• The proposal closes by stating: "Increasing gas prices and awareness of human impacts on global climate change are resulting in greater numbers of bicycle commuters. By making bicycling a more convenient mode of transportation, UCSB will continue to be a leader in supporting campus members' efforts towards sustainability."
• We'll be tracking the policy's progress.

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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
• The Bike Barn, Santa Maria
• Café de Velo, Santa Barbara
• Open Air Bicycles, Santa Barbara
• Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria
• Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Company, Santa Barbara
• Chris King Precision Components, Portland OR
• Run Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara
• In addition, we welcome new members Scott Wilson and Dan Hammack. We further thank those who renewed their memberships: Jeff Stoutenborough, Peter Glatz, Benjamin Ellsworth, Arnie Schildhaus, Fred Perner and Patsy Bolt.

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“Ride the Route” warm up for Tour



This is the Santa Ynez Valley time trial route that you can ride with others on December 6th.

• The Amgen Tour of California is coming our way for the third consecutive year. To stoke public excitement for the February 2008 race, there will be a welcoming ceremony, continental breakfast, and opportunity to ride the Solvang time trial route on:
• Thursday, December 6th, 10:00 AM
  Solvang Park, Mission Drive at First Street
• The 15-mile ride will feature "guest professional cyclists" but is free and open to everybody. Supervisor Brooks Firestone is expected to ride again, joined this year by our Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig and vice president Wilson Hubbell.
• The Thursday event is sponsored by the City of Solvang and the Conference and Visitors Bureaux of both Santa Barbara and Solvang.
• Something different will happen this year on the Stage 6 of the Tour. The ride will again start along Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara, but instead of going along Highway 192 in the Capinteria foothills, it will pass along Carpinteria Avenue in the heart of the city. This change will provide an opportunity for local residents to view the cyclists and entourage of support vehicles. There will be a sprint for extra points at the intersection of Casitas Pass Road. The City and their Chamber of Commerce are developing ways to promote community fitness into the local event.

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UC earns a B+ for sustainability

• The Sustainable Endowments Institute, a research nonprofit, just published an assessment of sustainability practices at 200 large US colleges and universities. It didn't break down individual campuses of large schools, so we don't know how UCSB ranked. However the University of California was given an overall B+ grade. Only five schools did better and they all received an A- grade.
• In the Transportation category, the UC system achieved an A grade, making it one of 34 "Transportation Leaders." Favorably cited were bike shops, shuttles, sharing systems, trails, and lanes. The summary notes a clear "green groundswell" on campuses, reflecting a concern over climate change and rising oil prices.

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Bicycling loses Measure D funding

• Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig went to a decisive South Coast Measure D advisory meeting hoping to obtain a greater slice of the tax revenue pie, but left with less than we started with.
• Two things happened at the November 7th meeting to effect us. One was that Fertig had been looking at major sources for funding bicycling and pedestrian projects, and he determined that the "safe routes to school" projects typically devote about 75% to pedestrian projects like sidewalks, with 25% going to bicycle projects like bikelanes or paths. These almost always help all residents, not just kids going to school. The result of all major funding sources was that 60% went to pedestrians, and 40% to bicyclists. Fertig proposed to the Measure D committee to shift revenue percentages a bit to make the proportion a balanced 50:50. However, committee members failed to support the proposal, so it was dropped.
• Near the end of the meeting, after a plea from Dennis Story for increasing the $15 million for commuter rail between Ventura and Goleta, Supervisor Salud Carbajal proposed a shift in funding to increase it to $25 million. It was to be taken away from six other categories, including the Bicycle/Pedestrian portion. The problem in Fertig's view was that it hit categories disproportionally, as shown in the above graph. Fertig proposed that the same percentage be taken from all six "doner" categories—about 2.3% reduction from each—but nobody supported that either.
• The result of the day was that we not only didn't gain, but we lost 7% of potential bike project funding. We ended with $430,000 a year shared among South Coast bicycle and pedestrian projects.
• Next in the process, a voter survey to test the proposed plans will be conducted in early 2008, bringing possible changes to the plan. It is expected to go before voters in November 2008.

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