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
September 6th meeting Join us on the first Tuesday of each month for our general meeting: Tuesday, September 6th Cody’s Cafe 4898 Hollister Ave, Goleta No-host dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM
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.
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.
September 2005
Voters favor bicycle facilities over widening 101 or commuter rail On August 17th, results of the crucial SBCAG survey of voter opinion on Measure D half-cent sales tax renewal were released. What it tells us is that voters in Santa Barbara County give top priority to spending their transportation tax dollars on alternative transportation measures—for bike, train, bus or foot—above those for relieving traffic congestion, or maintaining existing streets, or improving public safety. The differences are shown in the pie chart below. When individual alternative transportation projects were considered by those surveyed, safe routes for kids biking or walking to school was favored by 84% of the voters—tied for top alternative place with more bus service. Bicycling paths and facilities still had 72% of the surveyed voters strongly or somewhat favored. And neighborhood traffic calming measures that increase our safety by slowing motorists, came in at 73%. All three bicycling-related projects were ahead of the proposed and highly-publicized commuter rail between Ventura and Santa Barbara that 69% favored. The bar graph below shows how bicycling measures compare with other alternative transportation measures. Separately, although it’s not an alternative project, the controversial widening of Highway 101 between the Ventura County line and Santa Barbara achieved a 70% voter favor—again, less than that for bicycling. With 72%-84% of the voters favoring bicyclist-related projects, it is a strong indication that, if explicitly included in the new Measure D, they will help the measure achieve the two-thirds vote needed to pass. Conversely, if not included, it might jeopardize passage. This “Survey of Santa Barbara County Voters Regarding the Feasibility of Renewing the Measure D Sales Tax” is the critical survey that SBCAG’s Gregg Hart told us about at our August 2nd Bicycle Coalition meeting. Tramutola LLC (web site http:// tramutola.com) is the head consulting firm hired by SBCAG to assess and advise on the tax renewal process. They worked with True North Research (www.TN-Research.com) that conducted the survey. At the SBCAG meeting, Tramutola president Larry Tramutola emphasized several times that proper measure components must be crafted for the renewal to pass. He urged government jurisdictions to seriously reconsider the current apportionment where 70% of the Measure D tax goes to the cities and the County for transportation expenses of their choice, and 30% goes to major roadway projects. He further suggested that, out of the 30-year life of the tax, it might include a review of the structure every five years. The survey’s conclusion is that voters favor a balanced tax plan that includes not only alternative modes, but also programs that address traffic congestion, road maintenance, and public safety. Larry Tramutola emphasized that only if the right package of measures are included in the renewal proposal will it have a good chance of passing. Still, with a 30-year tax bringing in a projected $2 billion, it will only partially fund our mobility needs—so some things will be included in the tax and others left out. What’s next? SBCAG Board of Directors told their staff to come up with a possible package to be presented to them at their September 15th meeting in Santa Maria. Our Bicycle Coalition will be watching and working to include bicyclist-favorable conditions in the tax renewal package.