www.sbbike.org Serving Santa Barbara County We’re a countywide advocacy and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe transportation and recreation.
2003: a year of accomplishments by Ralph Fertig
Looking back, we are proud of a long list of Bicycle Coalition achievements during 2003. Events raised the visibility of bicycling within our county, and our advocacy efforts paid off with many projects being completed or moving ahead. For 2004, we’re going to monitor progress of projects, and pursue opportunities to make bicycling for transportation and recreation better than ever. Here are examples of great things we did in 2003:
How to reach us Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition PO Box 92047 Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047 phone 568-3046 email info@sbbike.org web www.sbbike.org
January 6th meeting Join us on Tuesday, January 6th for our monthly meeting. Let’s improve bicycling in 2004: Tuesday, January 6 Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant 3524 State St, Santa Barbara No-host dinner at 6:00 Meeting at 7:00
BIKE TO WORK DAY Our annual Bike to Work Day event attracted 400 bicyclists to Downtown Santa Barbara. A countywide total of 1200 showed up at our 11 sites.
Online email list We sponsor an online email forum where you can post and read messages that pertain to regional bicycling issues. It’s easy and free. To subscribe to our general forum, just send an email message to: sbbike-subscribe@topica.com
Leave the subject line and body of the message blank. That’s all!
Join the Coalition You can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in Santa Barbara County by joining others in our own regional Bicycle Coalition advocacy group. Together we will continue to make a real difference. See page 6 for details.
BICYCLE TO SUPPORT EARTH DAY Here Bud Laurent (left), director of the Community Environmental Council, and the Bicycle Coalition’s Ralph Fertig are at our booth to announce raffle winners.
For sale: video & flag We’re pleased to offer our own video “Decide to Ride.” It’s about a young woman who learns to bike commute to work. It’s only $18 (tax and US shipping included) from us, address above. Plus, we’re selling Bike Week flags, 4’x6’ heavy nylon, terra cotta and white. They’re $33 plus tax. Look at this PDF file: www.sbbike.org/art-home/ flag.pdf
January 2004
DAN BURDEN IN GOLETA The Bicycle Coalition brought community transportation expert Dan Burden to advise Old Town Goleta on bicyclist and pedestrian safety measures.
• Advocated new and extensive bike trails on the north shore of Cachuma Lake. • Worked with Melinda Burns at the Santa Barbara News-Press to write a major front-page bicycling story. • Helped Brazilian touring cyclist Fernando da Silva buy a new bike to replace his stolen one. • Spoke out for all-weather paths in the Ellwood-Devereux open space in Goleta. • Proposed safer bikeway facilities on El Colegio near UCSB’s upcoming San Clemente housing. • Sponsored a visit by Dan Burden to assess Old Town Goleta. • Worked with UCSB’s student bike committee to get improvements on the University campus. • Gave a “bike facilities” tour of the South Coast for California planners attending an American Planning Association conference in Santa Barbara. • Sold 55 helmets to kids and adults at our California Lemon Festival booth. • Successfully fought to keep bicyclist access to San Antonio Creek Road near Tuckers Grove County Park. • Successfully convinced Representatives Capps and Gallegly to put bike facility “Transportation Enhancements” back into a House transportation bill. • Asked that the Atascadero Creek Bikepath be renamed “The Obern Trail” in honor of Bicycle Coalition members George and Vie Obern who were responsible for creating the bikepath. • Asked for and received CREF funding for new planks on the Obern Trail bridge near Patterson Avenue. • Hosted meetings on what services to offer in Santa Barbara’s upcoming Bikestation. • Supported the South Coast’s “101 Implementation Plan” that will study alternatives as well as widening of Highway 101 between Milpas Street and the Ventura County line. • Held our annual “Member Appreciation Barbecue” that brought 60 people together. • Conducted our 7th annual bicyclist count for the City of Santa Barbara. We counted 3145 bicyclists at 25 intersections! • Worked with COAST to get 1350 kids to bicycle on Bike to School Day. • Put on another Bike Week full of events throughout Santa Barbara County. • Asked that Isla Vista street barriers be retained, but the shrubbery trimmed for bicyclist safety. • Had a booth, bike parking, raffle prizes of gift certificates at bike shops, and free check-ups at Earth Day. (continued on page 2, Accomplishments)