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Support SB 127

Complete Streets Bill Would Help San Luis Obispo County Bikes and Peds

The following comes to us from our friends at the California Bicycle Coalition:

We’ve all had this experience.

We’re out walking a dog or riding a bike through our neighborhood when, all of a sudden, a car zooms by, too close for comfort. Our hearts race at the close call. We shake our fist at the driver, “Can’t you see people walking here?”

But when those dangerous streets and intersections are state-owned roads, we really should be shaking our fist at the state Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which designs roads that encourage speeding and dangerous driving in urban neighborhoods and rural main streets.

We can do better, but we need help from the state legislature because the worst streets in our communities aren’t under local control. These so-called “state highways” that run through our communities as urban streets or rural main streets are wholly owned and operated by Caltrans.

In San Luis Obispo County from 2016-2017, State Route 41 (Atascadero Rd, E.G. Lewis Hwy, Morro Rd, Robert and Pat Nimmo Memorial Hwy) saw 82 crashes, injuring 109 people, and killing 7 people. Out of those crashes 10 people were injured or killed while walking or biking on or across this state-owned road. The problem is even worse when Caltrans roads go through low-income neighborhoods where more people get around via transit, biking, and walking.

A new bill now moving through the legislature will fix it. The Complete Streets for Active Living bill, SB 127, will mandate that whenever Caltrans repaves or expands a state-owned surface street that passes through urban neighborhoods, they must create safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Do you walk or bike on Highway 41? Or Highway 1? Or Highway 58? Passage of SB 127 will make these vital streets safer for everyone.

Caltrans will often claim to make streets safer when they repair them. They even have a Complete Streets policy that requires their engineers to consider such improvements in every project. But in practice, they prioritize fast traffic over the communities demanding more livable streets almost every single time. While Caltrans should fix dangerous state highways without stronger direction from the Legislature, they often don’t. That why we need the Complete Streets Bill, to provide that direction, and force the safety improvements necessary to stop the killing and maiming on state-owned roads. Caltrans calls them highways but we call them home — lined with small businesses, schools, senior centers, places of worship, parks, and people dear to us, like our children.

The bill is not strict; Caltrans won’t have to implement safety improvements if they’re not appropriate for some reason—for example, if they’re too expensive. And the law only applies to sections where you’re likely to see people walking and biking, about 17% of the total system. But it will force Caltrans to implement safety improvements when it’s cheapest to do so: when they’re repaving the street anyway.

This kind of policy has strong support. A David Binder Research poll found that 78 percent of California voters support a policy requiring safety improvements when improving a road. They want children to be able to safely walk or bike to school.

Californians want safer, more livable streets that support local businesses and local jobs. They want the ability to walk and bike safely, because it’s affordable, healthy, and fun.

Fixing state highways to accommodate all users will improve our communities, our health, and our local economy.

The Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (SB 127) passed the Assembly Transportation Committee, but it has more hurdles to go before it becomes law. Even after months of negotiations with stakeholders to get the bill approved by the Senate, Assembly Members could kill or severely weaken the bill. Every provision that elevates the importance of biking and walking safety is at risk.

That’s why we need you to tell your state assembly member vote YES on SB 127, the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill today.

Take Action here.

Hot August Bikes is Back!

Hot August Bikes is back and HOTTER than ever!

If you missed last year’s first ever Hot August Bikes, you might be asking “Hot August whut”? If you attended last year, you already know it’s like a vintage car show but with AWESOME BIKES instead! We’re happy to announce that the Central Coast’s only summertime bike show is returning to Central Coast Brew on Saturday, August 17.

Come to look or enter to win!

You can come just to enjoy a beer while you gaze in awe at all of the amazing two-wheeled wonders, or you can enter your bike in the competition and maybe win all the glory! General audience admission & participation (you get to vote for the Audience Favorite award) is only $5 at the door.

Entering a bike in the competition? Space is limited! Please Pre-Register your bike by 11pm on Wednesday, August 14, it’s only $10! Register at http://bit.ly/HotAugustBikes2019

Day-of bike registration is $20, and is limited to 15 spots!

Our guest judges will award prizes for the best in five categories:

DIY – From tall bikes to home-brewed cargo bikes
DAILY DRIVER – Show us your commuter bikes!
VINTAGE I – Classics from 1987 or EARLIER – Eroica pretty bikes, classic cruisers, etc.
VINTAGE II – Any sweet bike from 1988-2000
TOURING BIKES – decked out in all of their touring glory

There will also be a prize for the bike chosen as the Audience Favorite.

Please RSVP here on Facebook and watch this space for info about raffle prizes, sponsors and more!

Stand up for the Bob Jones Trail

Tell your Board of Supervisors to vote YES on the Bob Jones Trail

On Tuesday July 10th at 9 a.m., the SLO County Board of Supervisors will vote on the engineering design contract for the section of the Bob Jones Trail from the Octagon Barn to Ontario Road.

The item, #25 on the consent agenda, needs the support of at least four of the five supervisors to pass. Please attend the meeting if possible and speak in favor of approval. If you would like to speak, make sure to fill out a “Board Appearance Request Form” and submit it to the Clerk before the Board before begins consideration of the item. Please plan to keep your remarks short (under three minutes) and respectful. To make sure you get a chance to speak, it is suggested that you show up by 9 a.m.

If you can’t attend, please send an email to the Supervisors at boardofsups@co.slo.ca.us. Clicking the link should open a pre-written email. Simply add your name at the end or change the remarks to your liking and send.

The text of the sample email is also provided below if you would prefer to cut and paste:

Esteemed Supervisors,

I’m writing today to encourage you to vote in favor of the Item 25 of the consent agenda:

“Request to 1) approve a contract for professional consultant services with Wallace Group, in an amount not to exceed $1,003,051, for the Bob Jones Pathway from the Octagon Barn to Ontario Road; 2) authorize the Director of Public Works to approve amendments to the contract, in an amount not to exceed a contingency of $60,000; 3) approve a new capital project for Bob Jones Pathway from the Octagon Barn to Ontario Road Project; and 4) authorize a budget adjustment, in the amount of $1,429,427, from remaining balance of Capital Project – Bob Jones Trail Ontario Road, to fund Capital Project – Bob Jones Pathway from the Octagon Barn to Ontario Road, through the initial design phase, by 4/5 vote.”

Completion of this phase of the Bob Jones Trail project will benefit SLO County residents from all districts. This project not only provides SLO County residents (and visitors) with a great form of recreation, it also helps the County move closer to their mode-share goal of 20%, helps move SLO County towards achieving Vision Zero and addresses the goals in our County Climate Action Plan.

Please vote in favor of this item.

Thank you for your work on this project,

 Your Name Goes Here (Change this!!)

Anholm Bikeway Design Charrette

The Anholm Bikeway Design Charrette takes place this Thursday May 10th from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at the City/County Library, 995 Palm Street in SLO. (Lingo alert! A charette is an intensive planning session where citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the planners/designers/etc.)

 

SLO City Council asked staff to reach out to the community to develop plans which include diverters on Broad Street and traffic calming devices along the peripheral streets in an effort to shift vehicle traffic out of the neighborhood and onto Santa Rosa. This is your opportunity to suggest concepts to be considered in the Anholm Bikeway Plan.

Bike SLO County is asking for members in the bike community to come join in the workshop and provide a voice in support of safe routes for vulnerable roadway users and to increase ridership within our city. We anticipate many vocal residents who are opposed to any significant change to the roadways to show up and argue against any diverters, changes to circulation, or removal of parking. Bike SLO County needs you to come out and provide constructive suggestions that align with the City’s modal shift goal, climate action plan, and bike master plan. We believe that the best way to attract new riders is to provide more bicycle facilities like bike boulevards and protected bike lanes. Protected bike lanes have been discussed thoroughly and are considered the backup option if the bike boulevard approach is not received well or not likely to meet the city’s goals. This workshop will only focus on developing ideas for a bike boulevard with traffic calming and we want your to help shape that into something the bike community can support. 
 
The staff will take the suggestions developed during the workshop to the Active Transpiration Committee (formally Bike Advisory Committee) on May 17th. This will be another opportunity to voice your support. Staff will then continue to refine the plans for approval from the Planning Commission in July and from SLO City Council in August. 

 

It’s Bike Month 2018!

Are you ready for Bike Month 2018?

Bike Month is back! And once again this year there is a whole lotta cyclin’ goin’ on! Wondering where to find the latest, greatest information about Bike Month 2018 events in SLO County? Bike SLO County has lots of stuff going on this month (read below), but you can learn more about all kinds of Bike Month events over at SLOShift.org’s brand new events calendar (Right here! http://sloshift.org)

SLO Shift is a group of fun loving volunteers who love bikes and wish that Bike Month was every month. With that in mind, SLO Shift’s calendar won’t stop in May. Look to SLO Shift for bike-related events all year round. Want to start your own bike-related events? If’s easy to add your event to SLO Shift’s calendar so that lots of people who bike can find out about it.

Rideshare.org has great information about this year’s Bike to Work Day and Bike to School Day.

Bike SLO County Bike Month 2018 Events

Check out Bike SLO County’s Events Page on Facebook to see all of our Bike Month 2018 events: https://www.facebook.com/pg/BikeSLOCounty/events/

You’ll find things like pArts After Dark, Pedal to Pizza, Bikes & Beauty, The SLO Ride of Silence and more.

Commemorative Bike Month 2018 Coffee Mugs

Our limited edition reusable mugs are going FAST! We have less than 50 left. You can buy them for just $10 at the Bike Kitchen, during normal Bike Kitchen hours and at our Bike Month 2018 events. You can use them all month long (and longer) and help cut down on the paper, plastic and Styrofoam cups we see too many of during Bike Month. ReCycle! ReUse!

On Civility and Cycling

(UPDATED 6:48 PM 4/23/2108: In response to our request, Cal Coast News removed the comments of SLO_Children_at_play and “added a short leash” to the user and apologized for the trouble.)

On March 19th a Cal Coast News reader using the pseudonym SLO_Children_at_play posted a number of highly disturbing, inappropriate, threatening and illegal suggestions in response to an editorial about the proposed Anholm Bikeway. The comments included the following:

  • “…I suggest sabotaging the current bike freeway that exists on Morro Street.”
  • ”At night clandestinely place tacks and small nails in the intersections where only bikes can pass through. ”
  • ”String fishing wire at about handlebar level between the signs at the bicycle-only intersection.”
  • “If you want to put some money into the resistance, dump large quantities of ball bearings wherever the bicycles traverse. Do the same at Broad Street when it’s complete.”
  • “Make the new bicycle freeways as dangerous and unappealing to bicycles as possible.”
  • “I would even suggest that we start slashing tires on all bicycles in the city.”

Bike SLO County reached out to the moderator of Cal Coast News to ask for the comments to be removed and the comments have been taken down.

While we understand that some people are frustrated by the prospect of change, speech threatening harm is never, ever acceptable in a democratic, civil society. Bike SLO County strongly condemns these irresponsible, inflammatory comments. While we encourage civil engagement and urge everyone to participate in local government (at City Council meetings as well as at the ballot box), suggesting sabotage that will cause physical harm to the children and adults that ride bicycles in the City of San Luis Obispo crosses a line that should never be crossed.

As of yet there are no reported incidents matching SLO_Children_at_play’s suggestions. Bike SLO County urges people on bicycles at remain alert and if you see something suspicious, call the SLO Police Department at 781-7317.

If you have any additional information about SLO_Children_at_play making other threats or following through on their threats, please let the police know. You can ask to speak to an officer about case number 180420054.

Bike SLO County encourages members of the bicycle community to continue to engage in civil dialog and resist sinking to the depths demonstrated in SLO_Children_at_play’s inflammatory comments. Please continue to be the change you want to see as we all work to make SLO County a better place for everyone.

Speak up for the Anholm Bikeway!

On Tuesday, April 10th at 6:00PM, the Anholm Bikeway is on the SLO City Council agenda. Again.

As some of you are aware, the SLO City Council adopted a resolution on the Anholm Bikeway Plan on February 20th as a consent item.  Subsequently, the City received a letter from members of the public outlining beliefs that the Council violated statutes of the Brown Act, by adopting the resolution as part of the consent portion of the agenda. The City Attorney reviewed the claims in the letter and concluded that the Council acted within its legal discretion and that there was no violation of the Brown Act. However, since the City’s primary objectives in public engagement are to accommodate different perspectives and encourage more residents to be involved in shaping decisions, the item has been placed back on the Council agenda but as a regular business item with the recommendation that Council rescind the prior resolution adopted on Feb 20th and take separate action on the Plan with an updated resolution. The Plan itself remains as Council approved at the Feb 20th meeting.  More details are in the full staff report.

Staff’s recommendation is to adopt the resolution with the same outcome from the Feb 20th meeting, which allows staff to continue to explore a couple more options for the middle section. There are long time residents that live in the Anholm district, and others within our community, that are vehemently opposed to any bicycle infrastructure improvement projects, as it changes the status quo that they are comfortable with. It is crucial that we, as bicycling and community advocates, continue to voice our support of these improvements that impact and improve bicycle safety, create better community and move our community forward.

Here is where you come in. Whether your live, work or play in San Luis Obispo, we need to encourage the SLO City Council to adopt this resolution as it is presented. We need you to come to the Council meeting and speak up in favor of the adopted resolution. Below is a template letter to Council and talking points. Please modify and add to bring your own experience and voice to the letter. We have a few more efforts to make on this project, but this project will set the expectation for how the City of SLO tackles our mode shift, climate action, and vision zero goals. The item is first on the public comment so be there promptly at 6:00 to speak up on April 10th at SLO City Council Chambers (map). Keep it brief and to the point, we’ll debate the options for the middle section of the plan in the near future. Additionally, you can email your comments to the Council at emailcouncil@slocity.org

Item 1 – Anholm Bikeway

Dear Mayor and Council,

I am speaking to urge you to adopt the resolution as presented tonight and agreed upon during the Feb 20th meeting. I believe this approach/resolution is an accurate reflection of your intent after a lengthy public comment on Feb 6th. I respect the decision to adopt the resolution in a more engaging fashion. This project has been contentious, but many of us are supportive of the decisions you have made and your willingness to tackle some of the difficult issues facing our city and environment. Moving forward on this project, we need to choose the option that best meets our city goals and is best for every road user and community member. Please adopt the resolution as presented tonight.

Thank you,

(Your name)

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We’re Hiring: Executive Director

Bike SLO County is on the lookout for an awesome Executive Director.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director (ED), with the Board of Directors, is responsible for implementing the strategic plan of the organization. The ED works with staff, board members, community partners, volunteers, government agencies, and an active membership to keep our plan current and responsive to community needs and opportunities. The ED is responsible for managing a $1/4 million budget and for successful fundraising through cultivating individual donor and business partner relationships. The ED manages, develops, and empowers a staff of ~4 people to conduct effective bicycle advocacy, educational programs and activities such as the Bike Kitchen and Bike Valet. The ED connects and engages with our diverse members, and works to expand our membership base to better reflect all San Luis Obispo County bike riders, including underserved groups and communities. The ED is the primary public face of the organization, speaking to media, government agencies, and at public functions. Weekend and evening work will be required at times to attend board meetings, fundraising events, member programs, etc.

Ideal Experience and Capabilities

  • At least three to five years’ experience managing people, including a demonstrated ability to hire, develop, and lead talented and committed staff.
  • Success leading advocacy work in areas such as sustainability, transportation, urban planning, land use, social justice, public health or a related field. Experience with bicycle advocacy is a plus.
  • A strong history of effective fundraising, including individual, business, government and foundations.
  • A deep commitment to Bike SLO County’s mission of improving quality of life through safe cycling.
  • Experience working in a non-profit organization.
  • Expertise facilitating participatory decision-making in an advocacy organization whose members hold diverse views.
  • Skilled at building coalitions.
  • Demonstrated ability to prioritize organizational efforts given input from a broad range of stakeholders and multiple competing interests.
  • Ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and to maintain composure in challenging situations.
  • Strong experience representing organizations with the media and with the public at large.
  • Strong financial, organizational, management and program design and implementation skills, preferably with a nonprofit organization.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • A bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
  • Additional requirements include California Driver’s License and ability to lift 40#.

Compensation

Salary based upon experience.

How to Apply

Email a cover letter and resume to edsearch@bikeslocounty.org. Your cover letter should specifically address the experience and capabilities identified above. Please include “Executive Director – YOUR NAME” in the subject line, and please mention how you found out about the position. Inquiries may made by contacting the Executive Board at: executive@bikeslocounty.org.

Preferred Deadline for Applications: April 15, 2018. Applications received after April 15 will be reviewed, but priority will be given to applications received prior to that time.

Equal Opportunity Employment  Bike SLO County is an equal opportunity employer.

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Not ready to be the Executive Director? We’d love for you to get involved by becoming a volunteer or a member!