Bidding Farewell to Elissa

02/14/2014/in Profiles /by coalition2001

This week we are sad to say goodbye to our Programs Manager, Elissa McDade.

Elissa joined our team in 2012 and brought years of project management to our team. With her on board we were able to grow our Bike Valet and Bike Education programs extensively. Providing more assemblies to schools throughout the county and parking bikes at loads of local events as well.

We wish Elissa all the best as she finishes her Masters in City and Regional Planning program at Cal Poly. Cheers Elissa, thanks for your incredible work at the Bicycle Coalition!

Building a Bicycle Advocacy Force

12/03/2013/in Advocacy /by coalition2001

Your Bicycle Coalition has big plans for our expanded advocacy efforts in 2014 and needs your help to make it happen! We ask you to make a year-end donation to help the Bicycle Coalition build this stronger advocacy force.

Advocacy makes it happen, if we don’t show up and ask, bicycle projects will not get built. Thanks to our dedicated advocates we completed major victories this year:

Achieved adoption of a new Bicycle Plan in San Luis Obispo including $64 million in projects.
Maintained that future Bob Jones trail segments be removed from roadway traffic.
Rallied community support for new bike lanes on Grand Avenue in Grover Beach.
Secured 4x funding for bicycle projects in San Luis Obispo.
Supported installation of new bike lanes on Rambouillet Road in Paso Robles.
And even more!

In 2014 we will inspire decision makers to lead the charge for better bikeways or otherwise be replaced. Our plan for next year is to focus on advocacy, directing our energy to move more projects from concept to completion. We will:

Cultivate an army of families advocating for young riders and safe routes to school.
Influence elections to achieve a bicycle friendly majority serving in elected bodies countywide.
Innovate our advocacy efforts through unique online tools and communications.

Make a donation of $25, $50 or $100 today; invest in the Bicycle Coalition and our ambitious vision for incredible bikeways in SLO County. Your generous support will make you an integral part of this shared vision. We are committed to making you a proud supporter again in 2014.

Bike Valet @Oyster Festival

09/24/2013/in Bike Valet, Events /by coalition2001

We are huge fans of SLO County’s local seafood, and are thrilled to host our Bike Valet at the 2nd Annual Central Coast Oyster Festival overlooking the spectacular Morro Bay!

SHUCK YEAH! The ‘one of a kind’ Central Coast Oyster & Music Festival has been Voted by Fox News as #4 of the top ten Oyster Festivals in the nation and the largest Oyster Festival on the West Coast! You will not want to miss out!

Held again at the Morro Bay Golf Course, overlooking the Oyster Farm and Morro Bay Rock. The Morro Bay Oyster Company will provide succulent oysters, which are some of the most renowned oysters on the west coast. In addition to oysters, alternative food choices will also be provided.

Ride your bike and park with us at the Bike Valet to get there and park your bike for free!

When: Saturday October 19, 12:00 – 8:00 pm
Where: Morro Bay Golf Course, 201 State Park Road, Morro Bay (map)

For more information and tickets, visit the Oyster Festival online. Use the special coupon code “bike” for $4 off tickets!

Update: Highway One Chip Seal Treatment

09/24/2013/in Advocacy /by coalition2001

Last year, Caltrans used a larger than normal aggregate to resurface a portion of the world renowned Highway One route north of Cambria. As part of this resurfacing, the roadway became incredibly rough for bicycles and kicked up small rocks into the path of both bicycle riders and motorists. This safety issue has made its way from local to state to national news through popular bicycle groups.

: Potholes, some several inches deep, are seen outlined in the bike lane after having been camouflaged by the repaving. SLO Tribune. Photo by Joe Johnston

: Zoomed way out (old surface top vs new surface bottom)

Soon, thanks to the efforts of numerous advocacy groups, this 20 mile section of roadway will be remedied to provide sufficient smoothing! After a series of test treatments as part of a study by the UC Davis Pavement Research Center, a sand seal will be applied to a portion of the roadway before moving forward with the remaining roadway. The test sand seal is set to be applied in 3-4 weeks.

From an official Caltrans statement:

“I am happy to announce through our association with the UC Davis Pavement Research Center and input from the cycling community, Caltrans is preparing to begin work on Hwy. 1. With this fact based decision we are now moving forward with finding a solution for resurfacing Highway 1. While the full report continues to undergo review, enough information is available to begin work on Highway 1,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Tim Gubbins.

The results of this study indicate a sand seal treatment is expected to be effective in smoothing the surface of Highway 1. Caltrans will apply a sand treatment to a short test section of Highway 1. A sand seal is a sprayed application of asphalt emulsion followed by a covering of clean sand or fine aggregate.

This is great news for coastal riders, upcoming fundraising rides which use this beautiful route, and motorists who don’t want rocks flung at their windshields.

The selection of this surface treatment follows work by the UC Davis Pavement Research Center and Caltrans that tested eight sections of surface treatment on State Route 198 in Monterey County.

A sand seal was applied to one of the test sections and resulted in an improvement on the highway, according to feedback from cyclists and specialized equipment used to measure the texture of the highway.

Your Bicycle Coalition will be sure to keep you up to date as the process moves forward. In the meantime more news on the subject is available online for your review:

Caltrans to test fix for rough stretch of Hwy. 1 north of Cambria – SLO Tribune
Highway One Chip Seal Update – Caltrans

California By Bike Summit

09/24/2013/in Advocacy, Events /by coalition2001

We are at an exciting and powerful moment in the history of bicycle advocacy in our state. Governor Brown has provided more money than ever for active transportation infrastructure and he’s given us a blank slate regarding rules on how to spend it. Are we prepared to make the most of this opportunity?

Our statewide partners, the California Bicycle Coalition, are hosting an incredible summit in November to address the future of bicycles in the state. Aimed at brining bicycle culture, infrastructure and excitement to all corners of the golden state, the California by Bike Summit is guaranteed to inspire!

On November 7-10 in Oakland, CA, California by Bike will bring people together so that we can say, “Yes, we can.” This is a gathering of more than just bike advocates and the bike industry, but leading bike-minded people in transit, urban planning, health, design, technology, and tourism as we share, envision, connect and collaborate on how to best improve biking in California.

Your Bicycle Coalition will be in attendance to learn and share from others, with the central coast having many recent victories for bicycles. We are also excited to hear what other similar parts of the state are doing to make bicycle riding better in their communities. We’d love to see you there as we all continue to work together to making places better for bicycles!

When: November 7-10, 2013
Where: 685 14th St, Oakland, CA (map)

For more information, to register and receive early-bird registration (ends September 30!) visit the California by Bike Summit online here.

Mud Mash Benefits the Bicycle Coalition!

09/20/2013/in Events /by coalition2001

Our friends at All Out Events are hosting the 4th annual Mud Mash on October 26 – and the Bicycle Coalition is receiving a portion of the proceeds!

What is a Mud Mash?
It’s an epic course made of obstacles inspired by the military, rock climbing, nature, and more on a 5k run with hundreds of participants. The goal is to have fun, be active, and push yourself on the adventure course!

Photo by Kaori Photography

How do I support the Bicycle Coalition?
Register as a group in the “Industry Competition” and the Bicycle Coalition receives some of the proceeds!

What is the “Industry Competition”?
It’s not just against yourself and other teams, race against your industry! The awesome organizers of the Mud Mash have made it easy to register for a group of 5 (for the price of 4) in the “Industry Competition”. It’s a great way to get your groups name out there and secure bragging rights for next year!

1. Get five people together from your organization
2. Register and get five people for the price of four in the 5k event
3. Let them know what industry you are in (ex: colleges, wineries, non-profits, etc)

We are excited to be a part of this unique Central Coast event, and can’t wait to see everyone climbing, crawling, running and dragging themselves through the mud-infested course!

When: Saturday October 26, 7:00-8:30 am check-in … 9:00 first wave begins
Where: Laguna Lake Park, SLO

For more information, visit the Mud Mash online.

Advocacy Alert: 3ft Passing Bill on Governor Brown’s Desk

09/08/2013/in Advocacy, Safety /by coalition2001

Our statewide partners at the California Bicycle Coalition are one step closer to victory in their latest Give Me 3 campaign.

Give Me 3 is a Bill to get drivers to give a safe three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle rider. Assembly Bill 1371 amends the Vehicle Code to specify three feet as the safe passing distance. Twenty-one other states have enacted similar legislation.

The bill has been passed by the California State Assembly and as of August 27th, 2013 it passed the Senate on a 31-7 vote! Now it sits on the Governor’s desk awaiting final approval.

The legislation would “require a driver to pass a bicycle at a distance of at least three feet”, but when drivers cannot leave that much room due to road conditions they must slow to “a reasonable and prudent speed” and pass only if doing so would not endanger the cyclist’s safety. A violation would be punishable by fines starting at $35. It also sets a base fine of $220 (that’s $959 once court fees and other expenses are added) for injuring a bicycle rider in violation of this statute.

This current version of the bill is an attempt to address the concerns raised by the governor in vetoing previous 3-foot passing bills over the past two legislative sessions. This has given him the distinction of becoming only the second governor to do so – joining Texas’ Rick Perry.

Over 40% of fatal bicycle collisions are caused by motorists passing unsafely. And yet, Governor Brown has vetoed CalBike’s previous two “3 foot” bills. With your help today, the third time could be the charm.

AB 1371, if signed into law by the governor, could become an effective educational tool in making roads safer for all users. Please send a note urging Governor Jerry Brown to pass this important piece of legislation, and require California drivers to give a safe distance when they pass you on your bicycle.

Loads of Kid Friendly Bike Events Coming Up!

09/05/2013/in Events /by coalition2001

In the next few days, there are quite a few opportunities for bicycle fun for kids in SLO County!

Your Bicycle Coalition is the host of Kidical Mass and provides free helmet fits for participants of both Bike Rodeos, which focus on bicycle education and skills practice for kids, just in time for the school year. All events are free to attend! Check them out below.

Kidical Mass

When: Thursday September 5, 2013 … 5:30 pm
Where: Mitchell Park, SLO (for a brief safety talk before we ride) (map)

The Last Kidical Mass of 2013 with a UNICORN theme! Bright white horns, magical sparkles, and mythical animals are welcome as we ride through downtown, to share in the joy of riding bicycles.

We hope to see you for the fun before we end in the Mission Plaza, in time to enjoy the Thursday night Farmers Market!

SLO Bike Rodeo

When: Saturday September 7, 2013 … 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Where: Hawthorne Elementary School, SLO (map)

This annual Bike Rodeo has everything kids need to practice their riding skills! A full safety town to ride through, helmet fit to make sure heads are properly protected, mechanic stations to tune up bikes, and more.

Plus, it’s free! Join us for riding skills, and then follow it up with a stunt show spectacular at 2:00.

Kidz Ride Paso

When: Sunday September 8, 2013 … 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Larry Moore Park, Paso Robles (map)

This family-oriented event is designed for kids ages 4-13 to have fun, improve their bike handling skills, and learn bike safety and etiquette.

Kids and their parents can “take to the road” on a course through the park to try out their new safety skills. Event includes a bike & helmet safety check and goody bag to all kids.

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