6
www.sbbike.org January 2009 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 [email protected] web www.sbbike.org January 6th meeting Join us for our general meeting: Tuesday, January 6th Rusty’s Pizza 15 East Cabrillo Boulevard Santa Barbara No-host dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM Online email list We sponsor a free online email forum where you can post and read messages about regional bicycling issues. To subscribe, send an email to: [email protected] Leave the subject and body blank. Join our Coalition You can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in Santa Barbara County by joining others in our bicycling advocacy group. See page 6. CycleSmart program The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition’s CycleSmart bicyclist education program offers bicycling skills classes. Details at www.sbbike.org/ CycleSmart/ apply.html, or email coordinators at CycleSmart@ sbbike.org. Bici Centro program Bici Centro of Santa Barbara is our community bicycle program, helping people who bicycle. Look at www.sbbike. org/bici/BiciCentro.html, or phone 617-3255. Quick Release is published monthly by the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Subscribe for $25 per year. Issue # 207. What a great year 2008 has been! Village Dirtbags & Bicycles Unlimited give bikes to kids Seventy lucky Vandenberg Air Force Base children re- ceived free bicycles thanks to generosity of a Lompoc bike club and shop. The Village Dirtbags Mountain Biking Club teamed up with Steve Miller at Bicycles Unlimited to bring wheeled holiday joy to children who have a parent serving overseas. The big giveaways took place in front of the bike shop on H Street in Lompoc on December 20th. Most children knew in advance that they were getting new Trek bicycles and helmets, but others were kept in the dark until they arrived at the giveaway event. The Village Dirtbags club is an informal group of off-road bikers. “Our mission,” they say, “is to pro- mote mountain biking that is environmentally sound and socially responsible. The best part about being a Village Dirtbag is great exercise, healthy competition, good friends and most important darn good beer.” Learn about them at www.villagedirtbags.com. Here are a future cyclist and her mother, posing for a keepsake photo with the new handlebar-tasseled bicycle. As we embark on our nineteenth year of bicycling activism, a look at our 2008 activities reminds us of all we’ve done, and gives us goals for 2009. Here are our major 2008 accomplishments: g Formalized an agreement with the community bike program Bici Centro of Santa Barbara, ex- panding our outreach to underserved bicyclists. g Offered six Street Skills for Cyclists classes, including one in Spanish thanks to Robert Caiza. g Worked with a local committee to offer a Kids’ Race, bike party, and bike parking at the Santa Barbara stage of the Amgen Tour of California. g Asked Caltrans for a safe bikepath along Highway 101 near La Conchita. g Worked with UCSB to write and adopt bike facility standards for upcoming campus construction. g Helped craft and pass a bike-favorable Measure A transportation tax to replace the expiring one. g Supported a Front Country trail management plan for equitable trail use. g Worked with Goleta staff to devise safer bicyclist options on a new bridge over the railroad and Highway 101 ramps at Los Carneros Road. g Had an increased presence at Earth Day with an info booth, bike parking and free check-ups. g Advocated for safer bicyclist conditions in conjunction with major Caltrans construction in eastern Carpinteria. g Addressed bicyclist safety as proposed in UCSB’s Long Range Development Plan. g Organized a whole Bike Week of activities, includ- ing a Celebration dinner, presentations by Willie Weir, and a Bike Art project. g Obtained funding from the Goleta Valley Cycling Club for bike bells and lights for distribution to commuting bikers, plus support for Bici Centro. g Encouraged Carpinteria to remove “Walk Bikes” signs from the Santa Ynez bridge, which they did. g Asked for safer biking on La Purisima Road and its intersection with Highway 246 near Lompoc. g Presented data and ideas of better bicycling to the Santa Barbara Planning Commission working on revising the city’s General Plan. g Brought John Pucher here for a Walk/Bike Forum with Grant House, Janet Wolf and Michael Chiacos. g Advocated for bike access to the north shore of Cachuma Lake as part of recreational expansion. g Attended BikeBike! and Pro Walk/Pro Bike confer- ences, returning with renewed inspiration. g Supported California “Complete Streets” require- ments that became law in September. g Spoke out in favor of safer biking conditions at State/De la Vina intersection in Santa Barbara. g Helped Santa Maria craft an updated Bikeway Master Plan. What more can be said—it was a terrific year!

0901

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Presented data and ideas of better bicycling to the Santa Barbara Planning Commission working on revising the city’s General Plan. Supported California “Complete Streets” require- ments that became law in September. Worked with Goleta staff to devise safer bicyclist options on a new bridge over the railroad and Highway 101 ramps at Los Carneros Road. Attended BikeBike! and Pro Walk/Pro Bike confer- ences, returning with renewed inspiration. [email protected] g g g g g

Citation preview

www.sbbike.org January 2009

Serving Santa Barbara CountyWe’re a countywide advocacy and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe transportation and recreation.

How to reach usSanta Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047phone 962-1479email [email protected] www.sbbike.org

January 6th meetingJoin us for our general meeting:Tuesday, January 6thRusty’s Pizza 15 East Cabrillo Boulevard Santa Barbara No-host dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM

Online email listWe sponsor a free online email forum where you can post and read messages about regional bicycling issues. To subscribe, send an email to:[email protected] the subject and body blank.

Join our CoalitionYou can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in Santa Barbara County by joining others in our bicycling advocacy group. See page 6.

CycleSmart programThe Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition’s CycleSmart bicyclist education program offers bicycling skills classes. Details at www.sbbike.org/ CycleSmart/apply.html, or email coordinators at CycleSmart@

sbbike.org.

Bici Centro programBici Centro of Santa Barbara is our community bicycle program, helping people who bicycle. Look at www.sbbike.org/bici/BiciCentro.html, or phone 617-3255.

Quick Release is published monthly by the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Subscribe for $25 per year. Issue # 207.

What a great year 2008 has been!

Village Dirtbags & Bicycles Unlimited give bikes to kidsSeventy lucky Vandenberg Air Force Base children re-ceived free bicycles thanks to generosity of a Lompoc bike club and shop. The Village Dirtbags Mountain Biking Club teamed up with Steve Miller at Bicycles Unlimited to bring wheeled holiday joy to children who have a parent serving overseas.

The big giveaways took place in front of the bike shop on H Street in Lompoc on December 20th. Most children knew in advance that they were getting new Trek bicycles and helmets, but others were kept in the dark until they arrived at the giveaway event.

The Village Dirtbags club is an informal group of off-road bikers. “Our mission,” they say, “is to pro-mote mountain biking that is environmentally sound and socially responsible. The best part about being a Village Dirtbag is great exercise, healthy competition, good friends and most important darn good beer.”

Learn about them at www.villagedirtbags.com.Here are a future cyclist and her mother, posing for a keepsake photo with the new handlebar-tasseled bicycle.

As we embark on our nineteenth year of bicycling activism, a look at our 2008 activities reminds us of all we’ve done, and gives us goals for 2009. Here are our major 2008 accomplishments:

g Formalized an agreement with the community bike program Bici Centro of Santa Barbara, ex-panding our outreach to underserved bicyclists.

g Offered six Street Skills for Cyclists classes, including one in Spanish thanks to Robert Caiza.

g Worked with a local committee to offer a Kids’ Race, bike party, and bike parking at the Santa Barbara stage of the Amgen Tour of California.

g Asked Caltrans for a safe bikepath along Highway 101 near La Conchita.

g Worked with UCSB to write and adopt bike facility standards for upcoming campus construction.

g Helped craft and pass a bike-favorable Measure A transportation tax to replace the expiring one.

g Supported a Front Country trail management plan for equitable trail use.

g Worked with Goleta staff to devise safer bicyclist options on a new bridge over the railroad and Highway 101 ramps at Los Carneros Road.

g Had an increased presence at Earth Day with an info booth, bike parking and free check-ups.

g Advocated for safer bicyclist conditions in conjunction with major Caltrans construction in eastern Carpinteria.

g Addressed bicyclist safety as proposed in UCSB’s Long Range Development Plan.

g Organized a whole Bike Week of activities, includ-ing a Celebration dinner, presentations by Willie Weir, and a Bike Art project.

g Obtained funding from the Goleta Valley Cycling Club for bike bells and lights for distribution to commuting bikers, plus support for Bici Centro.

g Encouraged Carpinteria to remove “Walk Bikes” signs from the Santa Ynez bridge, which they did.

g Asked for safer biking on La Purisima Road and its intersection with Highway 246 near Lompoc.

g Presented data and ideas of better bicycling to the Santa Barbara Planning Commission working on revising the city’s General Plan.

g Brought John Pucher here for a Walk/Bike Forum with Grant House, Janet Wolf and Michael Chiacos.

g Advocated for bike access to the north shore of Cachuma Lake as part of recreational expansion.

g Attended BikeBike! and Pro Walk/Pro Bike confer-ences, returning with renewed inspiration.

g Supported California “Complete Streets” require-ments that became law in September.

g Spoke out in favor of safer biking conditions at State/De la Vina intersection in Santa Barbara.

g Helped Santa Maria craft an updated Bikeway Master Plan.

What more can be said—it was a terrific year!

Quick Release ~ January 2009 ~ Page 2

Bici Centro’s new winter classes

Our Bici Centro of Santa Barbara program is offering three bike classes this winter in addition to regular open shop hours. The classes have eight meetings each, beginning in mid January:gEarn a Bike Youth Class. This four-week

class meets twice a week, 3:30-6:00 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays for ages 12-17. Students learn bicycle repair, street biking safety, and will receive a refurbished bike with lock, helmet and lights at the end.

g Learn Your Bike Basic Adult Class. This eight-week class focuses on troubleshoot-ing and diagnosis of basic bike repairs. Wednesday evenings 7:00-9:00 PM.

g Learn Your Bike Advanced Adult Class. This advanced eight-week class focuses on diagnosis of more complicated repairs. Monday evenings 7:00-9:00 PM.

To learn more, go to www.bicicentro.org or phone 617-3255. Bici Centro is at 601 E. Montecito Street, in Santa Barbara. Open shop times are Thursdays 4:00-8:00 PM and Saturdays 1:00-7:00 PM.

Plans for Carpinteria bikeways move ahead

Caltrans just released a Draft Environmen-tal Impact Report for a $97 million project to improve transportation near Highway 101 in eastern Carpinteria. The project will help motorists and pedestrians, but will also benefit bicyclists in three main ways:

g New bridges over Highway 101 at Linden and Casitas Pass Roads will have 5-foot bikelanes on each side (now there are none).

g The current bikepath that connects Via Real with Carpinteria Avenue under Highway 101 will be replaced with a new one entirely on the west bank of Carpinteria Creek, rather than crossing the Creek. (Steelhead trout will have a better migration path after the creek path is removed.)

g Separate segments of Via Real will be con-nected, providing continuous bike travel without crossing to the south of the free-way. New bikelanes will be striped on Via Real within the project area.

The project is one of 11 identified “opera-tional improvements” in a 1996 study of traffic congestion reduction projects that could be implemented. They include the finished Ortega Hill bikepath between Sum-merland and Montecito.

On January 22nd, Caltrans will hold a public workshop on the project:

Thursday, January 22, 5:30-8:00 PMCanalino Elementary School Cafeteria1480 Linden Avenue, Carpinteria.

While beneficial bicyclist facilities are be-ing incorporated in the project, it’s always helpful for officials and planners to hear it again. You can read the 346-page Draft EIR at: www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/projects/linden_casi-

tas/draft_eir.pdf.

December Coalition meeting topics

Our December 2nd monthly Bicycle Coali-tion meeting was held at noon in Downtown Santa Barbara, with 16 participants talking about these topics:g Ralph Fertig described UCSB’s improved

bikepath plans for the Ocean Science Educa-tion Building.

g Ed France said that COAST donated $200 to buy flashing LED lights that Bici Centro people and others will give away Dec 15th.

g Dru van Hengel described State/De la Vina alternative designs that will go to the City of SB’s Transportation Committee Dec 11th.

g Ralph Fertig encouraged people to enjoy the Goleta Valley Cycling Club’s holiday ride Dec 20th.

g Dru van Hengel described progress with plans for the Jake Boysel bikepath along Calle Real and Highway 154.

g Ed France talked about upcoming Bici Centro classes, plus possible programs with Parks and Recreation, or La Cumbre Junior High.

g People were reminded about the Amgen Tour of California Ride the Route event in Solvang Dec 15th.

g Robert Caiza reported on a small turnout, but successful Street Skills class in Spanish last month.

g Ralph Fertig showed drawings of UCSB’s proposed changes to Ocean Road that will effect bicyclists there.

The current bikepath under Highway 101 crosses the Carpinteria Creek bed that floods in winter. The new one will stay dry on the west creek bank.

Braille Institute seeks tandem riders

This coming August 7-9th, there will be an-other Cycling for Sight ride from Santa Bar-bara to San Diego. Although all are welcome to participate, the main goal is to introduce individuals to bicycling by pairing a sighted tandem captain with a sight-impared stoker.

The ride is being organized by Dave White in San Diego, but he’s hoping that some local person will volunteer to coordi-nate things at the Santa Barbara end.

The Santa Barbara Braille Institute’s di-rector Michael Lazarovits is hopeful that cycling can be offered to his people. Now is the time to start planning for the August ride. You can read about the ride at www.

cyclingforsight.org. For information about the San Diego program, contact Dave White at 858-484-4225 or [email protected]. If you have a tandem to donate to our Braille Institute, phone Lazarovits at 682-6222.

Quick Release ~ January 2009 ~ Page 3

Bici Centro offers Dia de los Muertos altar

The Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time when Mexicans and others visit with the souls of the deceased. People go to cem-eteries and build altars that contain favorite memorabilia of their loved ones.

In keeping with that tradition, Bici Centro members Fran Cerami, Christine Bourgeois and Jim Farned constructed an altar in Casa de la Raza on November 2nd. It consisted of a white painted “ghost” bicycle decorated with marigolds that in Mexico are called the flor de muerto (flower of the dead) thought to attract souls of the dead to the offering. “Rest in Peace, Fallen Cyclists” said the cloth underneath. Vases of more marigolds stood nearby, and a papel picado, or traditional Mexican perforated paper illustrated an el-egantly dressed skeleton was on the wall.

In other US communities, interactions be-tween Mexican traditions and American cul-ture are increasing. In Missoula, Montana, for example, skeletal celebrants passed through town on bicycles. Our communities can richly benefit from such cross-cultural awareness and appreciation.

A “ghost bike” commemorates those bicyclists who have been lost. Photo by Christine Bourgeois.

The Santa Barbara City Council recently an-nounced that it had selected Ed France as a member of the City’s Transportation and Circulation Committee (TCC). We know him as a member of the our Bicycle Coalition’s Board of Directors, and as the director of our partner organization, Bici Centro of Santa Barbara.

The seven-person TCC advises the City

Tax benefit for bikingIf you bike commute to work 60% of the time in a given month, you might be able to receive $20 from your employer. The new fringe benefit comes from a bill that Congress passed last fall. It began January 1 and depends on whether your employer has set up a program. Ask about it.

Employers benefit with improved em-ployee morale and recruitment without in-creasing compensation costs. You can read details at www.bikeleague.org under Bicycle Commuter Act, frequently asked questions.

For the third year in a row, the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) will hold its decisive Time Trial stage in Solvang. The time trial is an individual race against the clock on a 15-mile loop from Solvang to Los Olivos and back. It’s often the time trial that al-lows individuals to gain precious seconds or minutes against their cycling rivals.

This year, the race will attract special at-tention because seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will return to cy-cling, now as a member of the Astana team. He will be competing against a field of other professionals, including Levi Leipheimer, the prior 2008 and 2007 ATOC winner.

On December 15th, Solvang held a “Ride the Route” event where the press,

Tour of California returns to Solvang Feb 20thdignitaries, and local cyclists were introduced to the time trial course. The guest speaker was professional cyclist and Santa Barbara resident Ken Hanson. A San Luis Obispo native, Hanson recently joined Team Type 1 that will be holding a training camp in

the Santa Ynez Valley this month.The fourth annual 2009 Tour of Califor-

nia is bigger than ever, covering 750 miles over nine days. It will start in Sacramento and end in Escondido.

The Solvang local organizing commit-tee is offering viewing packages, a “Race of Truth” amateur time trial, raffle tickets, and an evening Gala. Read about those and more at www.tourofcalifornia-solvang.com.

Dear Wet Willy: My tires are rated for 120 pounds of air pressure but the bike rides super harsh when I put that much air in. It feels way better with about 90 pounds of air and the bike isn’t any slower, but I worry about getting pinch flats due to underinflation. You got any thoughts on this? — Rock Hard.

Dear Rock Hard: The tire pressure listed on the sidewall of your tires is the maxi-mum for safe inflation according to the tire manufacturer. As you have discovered, what works best for you is less than that—as it is for just about all cyclists—and the amount of air you need to avoid pinch flats is prob-ably well below the listed maximum tire pressure.

Some tire manufacturers are now list-ing both maximum and minimum inflation

“Wet Willy” is an advice column authored by Coalition Vice President Wilson Hubbell. Please submit any questions you have about cycling issues to him at [email protected].

limits on the sidewall, which is a really good idea, but how can you tell what works for you within the available range? Trial and error is probably the best way because dif-ferent makes and widths of tires will feel differently even with the same air pressure.

Wet Willy weighs 170 pounds and rou-tinely runs 90 pounds of air in his road bike tires, which are usually rated for 110 to 120 pounds depending on what brand and width of tire I’m using.

If you’re not getting pinch flats and the bike feels better at 90 than 120, I say go with 90 and enjoy the ride.

Here are professional cyclist Ken Hanson and other Ride the Route participants. Photo by Jeremy Ball.

Wet Willy Sez

Ed France appointed to SB City committeeCouncil and Planning Commission on trans-portation issues such as bicycling, walking, transit, land use, and neighborhood traffic management issues, while using the Circula-tion Element as a guiding resource.

Our congratulations to France for win-ning the competitive appointment. And we certainly look forward to his valuable input on transportation issues within the city.

Quick Release ~ January 2009 ~ Page 4

Upcoming bike meetings and events

Winter’s here, but we still have fine days, so make the best of them. Check our website for ongoing updates and longer event de-scriptions at www.sbbike.org/meet/meet.html.

January 6, Bicycle Coalition General Meeting, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. This is an evening meeting at Rusty’s Pizza, 15 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara. No-host dinner 6:00 PM, meeting at 7:00 PM. Email Ralph Fertig sb-ralph@

cox.net with your agenda topics.

January 12, Earn a Bike Youth Class, sponsored by Bici Centro. This four-week class meets twice a week, 3:30-6:00 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays. Ages 12-17. Students learn bicycle repair and street safety. 601 E. Montecito Street, Santa Bar-bara. Phone 617-3255.

January 12, Learn Your Bike Advanced Adult Class, sponsored by Bici Centro. This advanced eight-week class focuses on complicated repairs. Mondays 7:00-9:00 PM. 601 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara. Phone 617-3255.

January 14, Learn Your Bike Basic Adult Class, sponsored by Bici Centro. This eight-week class focuses on basic repairs. Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 PM. 601 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara. Phone 617-3255.

January 22, Carpinteria Road Project Public Hearing, sponsored by Caltrans. Details on page 2.

January 22 and 24, Street Skills for Cycling Class, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. Learn how to cope better with traffic in an urban set-ting. The class will help you foresee and avoid accidents, be visible day and night, position your-self in traffic, equip your bike, and lots more. The class is being held at the Granada Garage Bikesta-tion. Email questions to [email protected].

CEC publishes responsible transportation planSanta Barbara’s Community Environmental Council has organized a team of trans-portation experts, led by our Board member Michael Chiacos, to work for over a year crafting a blueprint for reducing our transportation fossil fuel footprint. The re-sult is the recently released Transportation Energy Plan that you can view online atwww.fossilfreeby33.org.

The “Bicycles and Electric Bicycles” section was written by our Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig. Other Bicycle Coalition members who helped

craft the report are Robert Bernstein, Dave Bourgeois, Lisa Murawski, and Matt Dobberteen.

The report notes that 48% of total energy consumed in Santa Barbara county goes to transportation—just moving around. The 12 publication sections deal with bike, walk, bus, train, ridesharing, community planning, cost pricing, and motor vehicles.

Please check out the bicycle section and envision how the suggestions can be imple-mented to improve our community.

LaHood will be new US DOT secretary

President elect Barack Obama has appointed Representative Ray LaHood as Transporta-tion Secretary. The little-known LaHood has been a Congressional representative from downstate Illinois since 1994. He is a mem-ber of the Congressional Bike Caucus, he co-sponsored the Bicycle Commuter Benefit bill last year, defended the Transportation En-hancement program, voted in favor of bills that restrict the use of fossil fuels, and was on the House Transportation Committee.

LaHood, a Republican, has a reputation for being bipartisan. While he may not be bicycling advocates’ first choice for Trans-portation Secretary, we feel he will seriously consider our issues. We will be watching.

500 bikes for kidsSince 2004, Isla Vista resident Lou Ventura has spearheaded a growing holiday program “Kids and Bikes” that this year gave away over 500 bicycles to needy children in the South Coast. Thanks to generous donations solicited throughout the year, plus a group of “Bikefest 2008” volunteers, the nonprofit organization managed to buy and assemble a sea of new bicycles. This year, the bikes were bought at cost and distributed to Unity Shoppe, Catholic Charities, Transition House, Teddy Bear Foundation, New Life Church, Bishop Diego Garcia High School, and other organizations serving struggling families. You can learn about this wonderful program at www.kidsnbikes.org.

Caltrans to put 101 bikepath along ocean

Our Bicycle Coalition has been actively seek-ing safer cycling conditions along Highway 101 between Carpinteria and the old Rincon Highway. With support from Assemblyman Pedro Nava, we have spoken at public meetings and written to Caltrans, urging a separate bikepath along the highway.

Bicycle Coalition members Mark McClure, Michael Chiacos, Ralph Fertig, Eva Inbar, Wilson Hubbell, and Courtney Dietz have written helpful suggestions on the project.

Last month, Caltrans District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties) published recom-mended alternatives. For bicyclists, they now propose an 8-foot wide bikepath along the ocean instead of between the railroad and highway as had been proposed earlier. It would be separated from the highway with a concrete barrier. Although it would provide an attractive oceanside path, cyclists would still be allowed to ride on the 10-foot highway shoulders in either northbound or southbound directions. They would now be able to descend from the bikepath on a ramp to the beach opposite La Conchita if they wished.

The 409-page Caltrans document describ-ing the project and its impacts is available at www.dot.ca.gov/dist07/resources/envdocs.

Caltrans’ new design moves the concrete barrier inward so cyclists will be on a bikepath next to the ocean, rather than today (as shown), where they’re between parked cars and 65 MPH traffic.

“Our communities will better serve all of their residents if we are able to leave our cars, to walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives. As president, Barack Obama will re-evaluate the trans-portation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account.” —Barack Obama, 2008 campaign website

Quick Release ~ January 2009 ~ Page 5

We thank our active membersPlease thank and support these Bicycle Coalition business members:g Bicycle Bob’s, Santa Barbarag Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbarag Open Air Bicycles, Santa Barbarag Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Mariag Chris King Precision Components, Portland, Oregong Run Santa Barbara, Santa Barbarag Hazard’s Cyclesport, Santa Barbarag Dr J’s Bicycle Shop, Solvangg Big Bang PR, Santa Barbara

We welcome our new members Don Goldberg, Judy Pirkowitsch, Heidi Wieland, Dorothy Littlejohn and Paul Herning.

Plus we greatly appreciate those who renewed their member-ships: Doug Allard, Judy Keim, Benjamin Ellsworth, Diana & Mike Gard, Dan Hammack, and Woody Wilde.

Quick Release accepts advertisements. Circulation reaches about 500 people. Ad details and an order form are available online at www.sbbike.org/QR/ad.pdf .

UCSB bike roundabout designed to increase intersection safety

Workers at UCSB were recently busy removing a dangerous bike-path planter and replacing it with pavement and a new striped roundabout. The location is at the Y-intersection of popular cam-pus bikepaths, just east of the bike tunnel under Ocean Road, and north of the Student Affairs and Administration Service Building (SAASB). A staff worker there told our Board member Don Lubach that she has seen horrific bike accidents at this site and was so pleased that an attempt is being made to make it safer.

The Associated Students BIKES committee had given it a high priority for improvement for a while, but only this year has fund-ing become available. After considering several path designs sug-gested by campus planner (and bicyclist) Dennis Whelan, they selected a painted roundabout as the most desirable.

Just how successful it will be in reducing crashes will be seen this year as students become used to the new design. Will they fol-low the striped paths? We’ll let you know.

Viewed from an SAASB balcony, the new campus roundabout replaces the old planter that can still be detected as darker asphalt.

State and De la VinaOn December 11th, the City of Santa Barbara’s Transportation and Circulation Committee (TCC) voted unanimously in favor of re-moving the free right-turn lane off of east-bound State Street onto De la Vina. For years, motorists at that intersection have endan-gered straight-heading bicyclists, not to mention pedestrians and other drivers struggling to cross De la Vina just after the turn. At the TCC meeting, city staff offered four options:g Remove the free right turn and adjacent islandg Remove the free right turn, but keep the islandg Keep the free right turn, but narrow it.g Keep the free right turn, narrow it, and add a pedestrian refuge at

Samarkand Drive.

At the meeting, 16 people gave public comment—12 of whom sup-ported removing the free right turn. Several described their own scary experiences there. The others were motorists who thought that the intersection was fine as is, saying don’t waste state fund-ing. The Committee members obviously disagreed.

We thank Bicycle Coalition members who spoke—Ralph Fertig, Eva Inbar, Wilson Hubbell, Alex Pujo, Ed France, Diane Krohn, Courtney Dietz, and June Pujo. Next stop is the City Council.

P.O. Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSANTA BARBARA,

CAPERMIT NO. 647

MEMBERSHIP IS VALID IF LABEL BELOW SAYS “MEMBER”

Is an address label missing?

Put your name here by joining theBicycle Coalition and have Quick Release

delivered directly to you!

Shop discountsBicycle Coalition members benefit from discounts at local shops. It’s another reason to join our group. To get your discount, take your copy of Quick Release to the shop and show them your address label that says “MEM-BER” on it. Or cut out the label box and take it. Discount details are online at www.sbbike.org/SBBC/who.html.

Bicycle Bob’s 250 Storke Road #A, Goleta 15 Hitchcock Way, Santa Barbara

Bicycle Connection 223 W. Ocean Avenue, Lompoc

Hazard’s Cyclesport 110 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara

Mad Mike’s Bikes 1108 E. Clark Avenue #G, Santa Maria

Main Street Cycles 311 East Main Street, Santa Maria

Open Air Bicycles 224 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara

Pedal Power Bicycles 1740 Broadway, Santa Maria

Santa Barbara Electric Bicycle Phone 275-2335

VeloPro Cyclery 633 State Street, Santa Barbara 5887 Hollister Avenue, Goleta

“If you bicycle, you should join the Bicycle Coalition”

Application for MembershipYes! I want to help make bicycling better for all of us in Santa Barbara County.

❏ Individual, 1 year $25 ❏ Student/Senior, 1 year $12 ❏ Household, 1 year $40 ❏ Individual, 2 years $45 ❏ Student/Senior, 2 years $22 ❏ Household, 2 years $75 ❏ Business, 1 year $100 ❏ Business, 2 years $180 ❏ Lifetime $1000

name _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

city, state, zip _______________________________________________________________________________________________

phone ___________________________________ email _____________________________________________________________

❏ New membership ❏ Renewal membership ❏ Email me Adobe PDF files of Quick Release newsletters instead of printed ones. Make payable to Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Mail to Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047,

Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPresident, Ralph Fertig, 962-1479

[email protected] President, Wilson Hubbell, 683-1240

[email protected], Mark McClure, 967-5031

[email protected], David Bourgeois, 899-3728

[email protected], Judy Keim, 687-2912

[email protected], Don Lubach, 722-2349

[email protected], Ed France, 252-9064

[email protected], Michael Chiacos, 284-4179

[email protected]

Director, Erika Lindemann, [email protected]

Advisor, Dru van Hengel, [email protected]

Advisor, Matt Dobberteen, [email protected]

Advisor, Lori La Riva, [email protected]

Road repair contactsCaltrans

www.dot.ca.gov/maintform.htmlCarpinteria

Tom Evans, 684-5405 [email protected]

GoletaBill Millar, 961-7575 [email protected]

LompocLarry Bean, [email protected]

Santa Barbara CityDru van Hengel, 564-5544 [email protected]

Santa Barbara CountyMatt Dobberteen, [email protected]

Santa MariaDavid Whitehead, 925-0951 [email protected]

SolvangBrad Vigro, 688-5575 [email protected]

UCSBDennis Whelan, [email protected]