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We're at the State Capitol so you don't have to be.
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Help wanted: web designer (pro bono)
Are you a talented, eco-friendly designer with strong web development skills, a solid portfolio, and an affinity for CBC's mission?
Help us by donating your services to create a new, CMS-based website that will raise CBC's profile and improve the way CBC communicates with the world. We have the vision and the content -- what we really need is your creative genius.
This is a short-term, pro bono gig.
To learn more, contact CBC Communications Director Jim Brown at 916-446-7558 or jimbrown@calbike.org
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| Federal economic stimulus funding |
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CBC calls for local bike-ped project funding
CBC is calling on its members, local bicycle coalitions, cycling clubs and other advocates to identify local bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects that can be built with federal economic stimulus funding allocated to metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and regional transportation planning agencies (RTPAs) throughout California.
California received $77 billion in stimulus funding specifically for transportation enhancements (TE), a category of federal transportation spending that includes bike-ped projects. Of this amount, $48 million goes to MPOs and RTPAs for local TE projects, with the remaining $29 million to be spent by Caltrans on TE projects located on the state highway system.
Earlier this year the state enacted legislation that set priorities for spending these funds. Assembly Bill X3-20 gives first priority to TE projects that can be built by the California Conservation Corps or local equivalents, and gives second priority to bike-ped projects. Caltrans plans to obligate as much of this funding as possible by June 30, 2009, so local bike-ped projects must be completely ready to go out to bid.
Read CBC's 5/18/09 Action Alert
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| Complete Streets |
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Complete Streets guidelines coming soon?
Look for draft guidelines from the Governor's Office of Planning & Research later this month that reportedly will contain guidance to cities and counties on implementing the Complete Streets Act sponsored by CBC and signed into law last October.
The guidelines will be part of draft California Environmental Quality Act guidelines being prepared by OPR to meet greenhouse gas reduction requirements laid out in Senate Bill 97. CEQA requires environmental review of projects that meet certain criteria, as well as development of city and county general plans. OPR periodically updates guidelines for CEQA reviews and general plan updates.
CBC and other interested organizations, as well as agencies like Caltrans, will have 30 days to comment on the draft guidelines. OPR must submit revised guidelines to the Resources Agency by June 30, with final adoption no than Jan. 1, 2010.
Under the Complete Streets Act, any substantive revisions made to the circulation element of a general plan after Jan. 1, 2011, would require the city or county to ensure that the element meets the needs of all roadway users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, children, persons with disabilities, seniors, and movers of commercial goods, as well as motorists.
The guidelines being developed by OPR, with input from CBC and other advocacy groups, will advise cities and counties on how to ensure that their circulation elements meet the intent of the Complete Streets Act.
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Caltrans moves on Complete Streets
Caltrans is moving forward with implementation of its Complete Streets policy for state highways, called Deputy Directive 64-R1 or DD-64-R1, by appointing an implementation project manager and convening an executive-level working group to oversee the DD-64-R1 implementation effort.
Last October, in response to CBC's efforts to enact Complete Streets legislation, Caltrans unveiled a revised version of DD-64 that declared Complete Streets to be the agency's policy for the state highway system.
Marsha Mason, Caltrans' new project manager for Complete Streets implementation, hopes to complete a plan by June 30 that will account for all efforts and projects within Caltrans that have a bearing on DD-64-R1 implementation. The June 30 deadline reflects the prospect of major layoffs within Caltrans as the result of the state's worsening budget crisis.
Already in progress is a revision of the Highway Design Manual, which will incorporate Complete Streets features. Unlike the current version, which addresses nonmotorized transportation in a single chapter, the revised version will reflect Complete Streets principles throughout.
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Seniors often overlooked in Complete Streets planning Less than a third of the Complete Streets policies adopted by more than 80 states and localities in the U.S. explicitly address the needs of older roadway users, according to the AARP Public Policy Institute, even though one in four U.S. drivers will be age 65 or older by 2025. And nearly two-thirds of some 1,000 transportation planners and engineers surveyed by the institute say they have not yet begun considering the needs of older roadway users in their multi-modal planning. The findings are contained in the institute's new report, "Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America," issued this month. In a poll conducted for the report, large numbers of older adults reported inadequate neighborhood sidewalks and dangerous intersections near their homes. Half of those surveyed said they'd walk, bike or take transit more often if these problems were fixed. The report emphasizes three basic Complete Streets principles that could benefit seniors: - Reduce speeds at key intersections to give older drivers and pedestrians enough time to make decisions and respond. - Make the physical layout of transportation systems easier to navigate for older drivers and pedestrians who have lost some physical dexterity. - Make it easier for older drivers and pedestrians to notice, read, understand and respond to visual cues and information.
AARP has made Complete Streets a national policy priority. AARP California Chapter joined CBC as a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 1358, the Complete Streets Act of 2008. Read the AARP report: 2-page summary or full 128-page report (PDF format) |
| Sharing the road |
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NEV network bill unplugged
Legislation to allow neighborhood electric vehicles to share bicycle lanes in Palm Desert appears to be stalled and possibly dead.
Late last month a hearing in the Senate Transportation & Housing Committee for Senate Bill 663 was cancelled by the bill's author, Inland Empire Sen. John Benoit, usually a sign that a bill is in trouble. CBC opposes the bill.
NEVs are restricted to streets with a 35 MPH speed limit or lower. With the Legislature's approval, a community can allow NEVs to use streets with faster traffic in separate NEV-only lanes or shared NEV-bike lanes. Lincoln and Rocklin east of Sacramento and a new planned community in Orange County have Legislature-approved NEV networks.
CBC strongly supports alternative-fuel vehicles, but continues to challenge the state's piecemeal approach to authorizing where NEVs can operate. CBC and other advocacy organizations have called for statewide standards that treat NEVs like any other motorized vehicle and give NEV operators the same responsibilities as other motorists.
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| CBC News |
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Fundraising parties net more than $7K so far
Last week CBC raised $4,600 at a fundraising party in Alameda toward its goal of raising $25,000 this summer. Last month a fundraiser in Sacramento raised $2,600.
The funds will be used to match a $25,000 grant CBC is seeking from the Alliance for Biking and Walking. CBC is raising money to help expand its outreach efforts and hire a full-time executive director.
CBC plans a series of fundraising events around California through this summer.
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CBC joins Car-Free Challenge
How few miles do you think you can drive in one month?
Join the California Bicycle Coalition in taking the Car-Free Challenge in June to find out!
We're putting together a team of folks like you who are setting and reaching personal low mileage goals for the month of June (some are going entirely car-free, others are just trying to drive a little less).
Together we'll send a message to our leaders that we need better biking, walking and transit options in order to fight climate change and make our communities better places to live.
We'll also raise needed funds for our work and the work of TransForm, a nonprofit we partner with to improve biking, walking and transit options in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each person who takes the Challenge sets a fundraising goal, and whatever money is raised by people on our team gets split 50-50 between CBC and TransForm.
Our team (and you as an individual) can win great prizes! This is also a fun way to share your stories (good and bad) of biking, walking and taking transit - and raising up our issues to a wide audience. Visit our team page to see what we're up to and how others are taking the Challenge. We hope you'll join us in driving less and living more! Visit www.TransFormCA.org to learn more about and sign up for the Challenge.
To join our team, you first need to sign up as an individual and then choose to sign up on our team. Thanks for being a part of this!
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| Education |
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Upcoming bicycle safety classes
NapaLevel 1 Street Skills, Weds., June 3
Level 1 Street Skills, Mon., July 13
Level 2 Smart Cycling, Sat., Aug. 8 OceansideTraffic Skills 101, Fri. & Sat. May 29 & 30
Traffic Skills 101, Fri. & Sat. June 26 & 27 Palo Alto Middle School Bike Skills, Sun., May 31
Middle School Bike Skills, Sat., June 6
Roseville
Road Skills II, Sat., June 6, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. San Luis Obispo Street Skills, Sat., July 18, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Santa Monica SmartCycling: Street Skills 101 (Part 1 of 3)
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