www.sbbike.org Serving Santa Barbara County We’re a countywide advocacy and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe transportation and recreation.
How to reach us Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition PO Box 92047 Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047 phone 962-1479 email info@sbbike.org web www.sbbike.org
January 3rd meeting Join us on the first Tuesday of each month for our general meeting: Tuesday, January 3 Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant 3524 State Street Santa Barbara 6:00 PM no-host dinner 7:00 PM meeting
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@lists.riseup.net
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.
Looking back while sprinting ahead The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition has just finished another successful year of accomplishments. Our 15th year to be exact. Here are the highlights of what we have done in 2005 to make bicycling safer and better for people who bicycle in Santa Barbara County: • Brought Rick Cole to speak about sustainable communities on the Central Coast. • Offered six Street Skills for Cyclists classes during 2005, including one in May that was part of the South Coast’s Adult Ed series. • Advocated keeping the Santa Ynez River area within the Santa Ynez Valley Community Plan, in anticipation of funding for the River Trail. • Gave a presentation to Santa Barbara City’s Transportation and Circulation Committee on non-automobile transportation for tourists. • Brought Judy Keim and Wilson Hubbell onto our Board of Directors, and added Matt Dobberteen as an Advisor. • Asked the City of Santa Barbara for better bicyclist access to their upcoming Bikestation. • Represented regional bicyclists at Caltrans’ GoCalifornia workshop in San Luis Obispo. • Took an active role with other regional nonprofits in pursuing a more equitable renewal of Measure D half-cent transportation tax. • Gave our report Posts on Bikepaths to Caltrans for them to use in their workshops on standards for bike facilities. • Protested to the UCSB administration about the closure of bikepaths for building construction projects without the provision of detours.
• Coordinated the annual bike tour for the Sustainability Project’s “Parade of Green Buildings.” • Crafted two do-it-yourself bike tours in the Santa Ynez area that follow Sideways film locations. • Five members attended—and two gave presentations about our activities—at the Walk/Bike California conference in Ventura. • Conducted a “Santa Barbara Recharge” bicycle facilities tour following the Walk/Bike conference. • Participated in a “Restorative Justice” process following contentious bicycle impounds at UCSB. • Proposed the installation of secure bike lockers at the Goleta Amtrak station. • Conducted another count of bicyclists within the City of Santa Barbara, suggesting stable numbers, but increasing riding on sidewalks, and decreasing use of helmets. • Distributed 288 flashing LED lights to lowincome residents who bike to jobs, funded by the Goleta Valley Cycling Club. • Coordinated another Bike Week of events that included our Annual Bike Week Celebration dinner featuring adventure cyclist Willie Weir. • Worked with UCSB’s Associated Students BIKES committee to plan new bicyclist facilities. • Participated at the Earth Day event with bike parking, free bike checkups, and an information booth, for our 14th year. • Suggested improvements to the City of Goleta’s proposed Transportation Element. • Convinced Amtrak to put bike racks on all Surfliner trains after some refurbished cars without them went into service.
Coalition distributes safety lights to biking workers
Our CycleSmart program The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition’s CycleSmart bicyclist education program offers bicycling skills classes for school children and adults. Look for details of upcoming classes inside Quick Release, or contact our Co-coordinators Dru van Hengel and Erika Lindemann by email CycleSmart@sbbike.org.
January 2006
Bob Cooper offers flashing LEDs to bikers near UCSB, as Bicycle Coalition commuter David Madajian looks on.
During the last three months of 2005, the Bicycle Coalition has given away 288 red flashing LED bike lights to low-income workers who depend on their bicycles to get to their jobs. Funded by a grant from the Goleta Valley Cycling Club, and coordinated by Bob Cooper and Dru van Hengel, the lights provide needed visibility and extra safety for nighttime commuters. Some lights were given directly to workers, and others to employers to distribute. When asked how many workers biked to one operation, the response was “all of them.” Near the Goleta Beach on December 8th, Bicycle Coalition people passed out 20 lights to workers heading home to Isla Vista. The riders were surprised, suspicious, and then thankful. Two South Coast papers, the Santa Barbara News-Press and Independent picked up the stories about our good deeds.