BFBC's Bicycle Film and Video Festival attracts films from all over the country! In addition to viewing a world-class lineup of independent bicycle-related films, shorts, animation, and documentaries, you will be able to bid on an assortment of bicycle parts and accessories in the Silent Auction...so bring some cash or checks and expect some great deals!
Among this year's films are Chicago Messenger, Autoschreck, Beauty and the Bicycle, and Meet the Pedalmyn, which recently premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Ecotopias exhibit. Performance art and bicycle music will also be featured.
The highlight again this year is the popular Bicycle Film Contest, in which audience members vote for their favorite film from a selection of new works screened at the Festival. This year's first place prize is $200 in cash.
Remember the three regionwide, county, and local goals for 1999? If last month's editorial has faded from your memory here is a brief reminder: Coordinators, Plans, and BPACs.
Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of Scott Mace with the Mid-Peninsula Bicycle Coalition, we have a solid proposal for a Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position in the Bay Area's Caltrans District 4. Such a position is crucial if we expect our state system of highways to address the needs of all users. Sure, we could continue to deal with design problems on a case-by-case basis. But this ad hoc approach allows a multitude of barriers to non-motorized travel to be constructed each year. Ironically, most such street and highway projects are labeled "improvements." As the leading street and highway agency in the region, Caltrans sets a horrible example for the counties and cities in the region.
We propose that Caltrans set an example by always considering the needs of non-motorized users. This can only happen if one or more professionals, knowledgeable of bicycle and pedestrian facility designs, is employed by the District to coordinate planning with other engineers and local jurisdictions. The counties and cities should not be expected shoulder the burden of correcting the problems wrought by Caltrans.
The beauty of the strategy devised by Scott is that it is a grassroots campaign. We ask each of you to convey to your city councilperson and county supervisor a copy of the following resolution with a polite request that they adopt it. Be sure to mention one or two local examples of unfriendly bicycle/pedestrian designs on nearby State highways or freeway crossings. And finally, you might mention that their support will be duly noted at Bike to Work Day ceremonies and media events on May 18.
-Robert Raburn
A Resolution requesting the Director of Caltrans District 4 to create an Office of the Bicycle/pedestrian Coordinator for the District.
WHEREAS, it is the Mission Statement of the California Department of Transportation to promote economic vitality and enhance the quality of life for the people of California by providing for mobility of people, goods, services and information; and
WHEREAS, it is highly desirable that the development of District 4's transportation system take into consideration the interests, needs, and contributions unique to each transportation mode; and
WHEREAS, it is likewise desirable that the interests, needs, and contributions of bicyclists and pedestrians be considered; and
WHEREAS, there is presently no mechanism to ensure that those interests, needs, and contributions are considered; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the Director of Caltrans District 4 be requested to create an Office of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator for District 4 of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). It shall be the responsibility of the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator to form a citizen bicycle/pedestrian advisory committee for the District and to assume such duties as the District deems relevant to achieve its mission of fighting congestion and air pollution through accommodation of bicyclists and pedestrians.
The following document could accompany the resolution as it circulates through the various localities, but the key mission is to get each locality to adopt the language above.
SUGGESTED RESPONSIBILITIES OF CALTRANS DISTRICT 4 BIKE/PED COORDINATOR
Serve as a leader within the District, helping to make bicycling and walking safe and successful, and contributing to a sustainable, efficient and effective multi-modal transportation system.
Planning/visioning: Assist all congestion management agencies (CMA's) and other communities in achieving a multi-modal, sustainable transportation and land use vision. Oversee the development of pedestrian/bicycle elements to all comprehensive plans. Serve as a technical advisor to the District, communities and CMA's as they build and/or localize intermodal, safety, congestion management and other transportation plans.
Transportation safety: Take a proactive role in the development of ped/bike elements of safety plans in each community. Help each community achieve its ped/bike safety goals. Address both performance and environment improvements. Assure full development of traffic education and school crossing guard safety throughout the District.
Production/design: Assure that pedestrian/bicyclist needs are fully met in all metropolitan and rural areas; especially on all new construction and roadway widening projects. Provide continuity and management. Assure that needs are built into the early review of all plans. Provide technical assistance to designers, operations and maintenance staff. Assure that systems needs (can I get from here to there?) are addressed.
Communication/network: Serve as the district link with communities on all issues and needs related to the pedestrian and bicyclist. Serve as the friendly, helpful, and dependable contact, or cheerleader with communities as they seek to build more friendly walking and bicycling environments. Troubleshoot any emerging or ongoing problems. Help communities achieve high levels of citizen participation. Convey any local/regional concerns with state level program officials. Participate in all state level conference calls. Initiate and facilitate local coordination meetings of area ped/bike coordinators.
Training: Take an active role in all training courses for community/district coordinators, and maintain appropriate knowledge and involvement in emerging local, regional, state and national issues. Provide guidance and support for statewide training. Assist with the professional training of all district staff, and help schedule, coordinate, promote and evaluate the success of district and local training courses.
Quality assurance: Oversee the quality and comprehensiveness of district production to ensure a timely, cost-effective pedestrian and bicycle system.
Transit link: Assure that bicyclists and pedestrians are fully considered in all District funded transit planning and operations. This includes both inter-urban and intra-urban corridor and system development.
Community system development: Serve as an advocate to city/county governments urging the fullest possible support for off-system pedestrian and bicycle facilities development. This includes the full consideration of comprehensive walking and bicycling facilities, ample bicycle parking, convenient and friendly transit links, and key-employer commuter assistance programs.Interagency and intra-agency development: Coordinate and energize district staff, regional and community agencies in the full development of the walking and bicycling modes. Use an aggressive, imaginative and creative course of action. Involve citizens fully in this process, and serve effectively as a proactive proponent for walking and bicycling as cornerstones to a successful community. Offer suggestions for and participate in research that leads to improvements in walking and bicycling.
Thanks to Chris Morfas of the California Bicycle Coalition for providing suggested wording and to Scott Mace of the MidPeninsula Bicycle Coalition for coordinating the districtwide campaign. The resolution is based on one approved by the Senate of the State of Virginia on January 20, 1997. The suggested responsibilities are based on a Florida Department of Transportation document, "District Pedestrian/Bicycle Coordinator Responsibilities for the Nineties."
The Berkeley Transportation Commission has scheduled a Special Meeting on January 28, 1999 at 7:00 pm regarding a plan to re-stripe traffic lanes on Claremont Avenue between Ashby Avenue and College Avenue. The proposal would replace the present two lanes in each direction with a single lane in each direction, a two way center turn lane, and bicycle lanes in each direction. The proposal is designed to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and reduce speeding. The Traffic Engineering Division is expected to present the results of a traffic analysis conducted to evaluate the proposal, including a video simulation of the future traffic conditions. Representatives from the Fire Dept. will present their concerns with the proposal. Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposal and to offer suggestions for other possible methods to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in the corridor. For additional information, contact Nathan Landau, City of Berkeley Planning and Development Dept at 510-705-8136, or email nal1@ci.berkeley.ca.us.
Knightsen Township (east of Oakley): Dave Stoeffler of the Delta Pedalers pressed for a CoCoCo sponsored project to install bike lanes on Delta Road. As a result of Dave's activism, the CoCoCo BAC supported the allocation of TDA Article 3 money for the project. Furthermore, his efforts led Julia Bueren, Assistant Public Works Director, to commit the $70,000 balance that the committee could not fund.
EBBC "President's Day" Retreat will be held from 10:30 am to 3 pm on Monday, February 15 at the home of Dennis and Marilyn Scherzer, 2261 Clarke St., East Palo Alto. Everyone is welcome to join us as we plan for this year's calendar of events and identify advocacy strategies. It is also an opportunity for you to meet other advocates from around the Bay. Our generous hosts have always prepared an awesome lunch for the assembly. To get there, you may travel either by CalTrain or BART with your bike. CalTrain leaves SF at 8:00 am arriving at Palo Alto 8:59 am, which gives you enough time to have breakfast and visit the Bryant St. Bike Boulevard before following University Ave to East Palo Alto. The return train leaves Palo Alto at 3:27 pm arriving in SF at 4:30 pm. You can also join us on a 15-mile ride from Union City BART at 8:54 am. We will briefly survey Union City station design proposals before riding down Decoto over I-880 to the SR-84 Bike Path by Ardenwood and over the Dumbarton Bridge.
EBBC Library Work Party will be held 1-4 pm, Saturday February 20 at Michelle DeRobertis' home, 1834 Casterline Rd, Oakland (above Fruitvale & MacArthur). Join the fun as we sort through materials covering our 27 years of advocacy. Call (510) 482-9010 for directions.
Lafayette Assault by a motorist on a bicyclist left Morgan "Mickey" Caldwell with a dislocated left shoulder. On the afternoon of January 13, 1999 the passenger of a vehicle grabbed Mr. Caldwell while he rode on Pleasant Hill Rd causing him to fall from his bicycle. Despite identification of the assailant, Sgt Duffell (925-313-2660) has not taken action. We urge full prosecution by the CoCoCo District Attorney of all individuals who attack or threaten cyclists.
Linda Scates' possible release to Contra Costa County from Patton State Hospital will be considered in a Superior Court hearing on February 24, five years after she heard "get the demons" before mowing down seven members of the Oaktown Wheelmen, killing Vladimir Quinn. On February 9, members of the EBBC will discuss the possible conditions of her release with a representative who oversees the conditional release program. We will seek assurance that the County will provide the resources necessary to prohibit her from ever driving again.
New EBBC Hazard Elimination Director We welcome Ian McDonald (ian@roymcdonald.com) for volunteering to assist in continuing our very successful hazard elimination program. This grassroots program empowers individual bicyclists to effect minor repairs and street maintenance by faxing our Hazard Elimination Form to the appropriate city or county. Hazards can also be reported through the EBBC web page (www.ebbc.org).
Richmond WB I-580 Freeway Bike Lane closure from February-April will curtail access to Pt Molate. According to Carol Streeter, Caltrans Public Transportation (510-286-5562) repair of slide damage on the freeway will force lane closure for bicyclists, but not for motorists.
Golden Gate Transit implemented its interim Bike Racks on Buses Program on January 1 with the installation of bike racks on 14 buses. The interim two-option program will be in place until GGT completes installation of bike racks on all 269 of its buses in June 1999.
The City of Pleasant Hill invited three members of the EBBC and supporters of the Pleasant Hill Road Steering Committee to review a Conceptual Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Study in early December. This is a part of a larger traffic study commissioned by the City Council in April 1998 being prepared by the community-development consulting firm of McGill Martin Self, Inc.
At issue is improving Pleasant Hill Road which is very inadequate to serve the traffic which uses it today and is intimidating to bicyclists and pedestrians alike. The community is very much concerned for children's safety in particular.
The older part of Pleasant Hill Road which extends from Geary Road to Gregory Lane is in sections, a narrow two-lane road, generally without shoulders, bicycle lanes or pedestrian amenities such as sidewalks. The line of sight is restricted in many places and the road's primitive drainage system dates back to the early part of the century when open channels were dug alongside roadways. It is clearly a substandard local thoroughfare.
Yet this road remains an important bicycle route for north-south circulation between the southwest neighborhoods of Pleasant Hill and surrounding areas. Pleasant Hill Road is designated as a bicycle route on EBBC's East of the Hills Bicycle Transportation map.
That short portion of Pleasant Hill Road, which basically runs east to west beyond the intersection with Oak Park Boulevard, has received special attention in the consultants' study. This is in part due to four notable activity centers at this intersection including the Pleasant Hill Elementary School, the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District's "School House," the Play and Learn Daycare Center and the Oak Park Assembly of God church. All four of these centers rely on this Pleasant Hill Road intersection for their daily operation.
The most obvious identified problem with the operation of Pleasant Hill Road is excessive speed on the part of automobiles. While the posted speed limit is 35 mph, the police generally do not enforce any limits and vehicles commonly travel at 50 mph or higher, posing significant danger to other traffic, bicycles and pedestrians. In recognition of this problem, the Steering Committee and consultants are proposing an interesting traffic calming approach at two intersections.
The proposal is that two intersections have raised intersections installed; one at Oak Park Boulevard and Wendell Lane to the east of the junction with Pleasant Hill Road, and one at Pleasant Hill Road and Paradise Lane, to the west of the same major intersection. A raised intersection, also called a speed table, is a flat raised surface, sometimes of red bricks with sloped ends extending across a street to force drivers to reduce speed.
The speed table is constructed similarly to speed humps that have a twelve-foot gradual approach to a raised intersection at least three inches above the normal street surface. Raised intersections have been installed in similar conditions by the jurisdiction of Howard County, Maryland at twelve intersections. The reports from Maryland are that the raised intersections are completely successful in slowing traffic.
While these proposals are beneficial to cyclists and pedestrians, they have not been approved yet for even a trial installation by the Pleasant Hill City Council. This issue may be brought up to the City Council in mid-March, tentatively on March 15.
There are members of the community who use Pleasant Hill Road as an expressway and will argue against any attempt to create a needed safe and comfortable environment. We need to balance those viewpoints. Please plan to come to the City Council meeting to express your views on a safer better street. Call John Ruzek at (925) 939-5181 for further information on this situation.
- John Ruzek
Bicyclists made a tremendous impression on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. Our appeal for access on the proposed new 5-mile trestle span was repeated by many BCBC commissioners to CalTrans. In fact, many Commissioners took the opportunity to chastise CalTrans for ignoring bicyclists in the EIR for the new bridge.
We are not over the bridge quite yet. First, the BCDC must vote on February 4 (1pm, rooms 8 and 9, 425 Market Street, San Francisco) in favor of adding a bikeway condition to the permit. Letters in support would be very helpful, and should note the "Option 4" is a feasible ($3.8 million) way to provide public access to the SF Bay. If we win this battle, the elevated section of the bridge will next require much thought and effort to retrofit a shore-to-shore route. For now, we must convince Commissioners of the sound reason in building what we can, when we can.
Over the past year, the EBBC has participated in numerous meetings on the project with the BCDC Design Review Board and staff. In addition, we have repeatedly met with CalTrans in an advisory role to prepare four options for bicycle and pedestrian access. The current permit application and EIR are negligent for not specifying any of the options we examined to provide maximum feasible public access.
Two public access problems arise from the proposed new bridge project: public access to the shoreline adjacent to the toll plaza would be impeded by adding the three-booth mini toll plaza; and the proposed new trestle span would exclude bicycle or pedestrian access. The proposed toll plaza further precludes any future bicycle/pedestrian access unless such proposals added fill to the Bay. In the many years of working with the BCDC, we have never advocated for a project involving bay fill on our behalf. The prospects for retrofitting a path on the 5-mile trestle span at a later date are equally disturbing from economic and environmental viewpoints.
Feasible options for public access to both the toll plaza shoreline and the new trestle span were developed by CalTrans. We support a north alignment bicycle path proposal to realign the roadway and toll facility to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians to this shoreline area without filling the Bay. Alternatively, eliminate the added toll facility altogether. Without such bicycle/pedestrian provisions, even the toll booth operators will have no option but to be dependent on automobiles to reach their worksite amid the network of Bay Trail paths.
At an estimated $3.8 million cost, Option 4 is an economically feasible way to provide for future shore-to-shore access. It further allows CalTrans to achieve their stated project purpose and need to add motor traffic capacity while adding shoulders to improve operational needs and safety on the bridges. The resultant deck would offer three traffic lanes and a full right-hand shoulder next to a solid barrier separating an 8-foot path from the roadway. The path itself would offer emergency access and a safety refuge for stranded motorists. Additional emergency access would be available by crossing the four-foot gap from the full shoulder on the adjacent eastbound structure. Although the resulting 8-foot path is less than ideal (same as on the Dumbarton Bridge), it is a compromise to provide public access while working within the bridge width proposed by CalTrans.
The BCDC should not be misled by specious safety arguments made by CalTrans for two full shoulders on each bridge. We only need to look at what happened to similar shoulders on the Dumbarton Bridge when CalTrans chose to convert them to travel lanes.
Unless public access conditions are added to the permit, the SM-Hayward Bridge will likely be the only span over the Bay not to offer non-motorized travel and recreational alternatives during the 21st century.
CHAIR was Robert Raburn.
TREASURY now contains some $24,000, John Siemsen reported.
LINDA SKATES is the mentally ill woman who drove her car into a group of six cyclists on Danville Blvd five years ago, killing one and severely injuring others. There will be a court hearing in Feb to determine if she will be released from Patton State Hospital to live in the community, under strict supervision, including not being allowed to drive. Raburn will arrange a meeting between interested persons, including the surviving cyclists, and Art Paull, the psychiatric social worker who is in charge of the program that supervises patients who, like Ms. Skates, were found not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity.
OFFICERS NOMINATED FOR 1999: Robert Raburn, chair; Dave Campbell, vice-chair; John Siemsen, treasurer; Yehuda Sherman, sec'y, until April, (when he plans to depart for Israel to do bicycle advocacy there;) Kathy Tate is being cajoled into taking over that job then. In order to continue to qualify as a non-profit, tax-exempt, organization we need a Board of Directors of eleven. In addition to the four officers we will have Leo DuBose, bike shop liaison; Eric McCaughrin, Ride-On editor; Michael Jackson, the Co Co Co bike coordinator; John Ruzek and Kathy Tate also of Co Co Co; Doug Faunt, Andrew Rudiak, and Al Forkosh of Alameda Co.
"Bike Dave" Favello and Craig Hageland were elected to serve as Co Co Co reps on the Bike/BART Task Force.
We are recruiting for a volunteer coordinator, bike club coordinator, and a "hazards elimination" person.
CHUCK PASCOE is now a free man. He was the Cherry City Cyclist who was being prosecuted because his organization did not have a parade permit for their annual ride in the Livermore area.
EBBC ANNUAL RETREAT is set for Mon, Feb 15, 1999, Presidents Day, from 10 AM to 3 PM at the East Palo Alto home of Raburn's friends, Marilyn and Dennis Scherzer, 2261 Clarke Ave.
MARIN CO BIKE MAP just published. For copies at $9 each contact Joe Breeze, 18 Meadow Rd, Fairfax 94930 (415) 454-6536. Also Marin Co Bike Coalition, PO Box 35, San Anselmo 94979 (415) 457-8687.
LIBRARY WORK PARTY Sat, Feb 20, 1999, 1-4 PM, at home of Michelle DeRobertis, 1834 Casterline Rd, (510) 482-9010. Location is by Diamond Park at the high altitude end of Fruitvale Ave.
EAST-OF-HILLS MAP is being revised. There will be a prize for the person who finds the most errors in our current map.
CO CO CO REPORT FROM MICHAEL JACKSON who just returned from Wash, DC, where he attended the meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Michael is attempting to get state law changed regarding the type of local bike plan needed in order to obtain funds from the Bicycle Transportation Account (or Fund,) formerly know as the Bike Lane Account.
Michael is also trying to get a special auto license plate advertising bicycles, with the money going for bicycle facilities.
PLEASANT HILL ROAD (PHR) TRAFFIC CALMING: John Ruzek reported on efforts to get a speed table or platform, similar to a long speed hump, installed in Pleasant Hill where PHR intersects with Oak Park Blvd. Many motorists travel at excessive speeds on PHR, and this intersection is an S curve on which are two schools for small children.
CARROLL COURT DECISION said that governmental jurisdictions in Calif are not legally liable for injuries sustained by cyclists due to poorly maintained bike paths. Attempts are being made to amend the law. Also, Raburn is arranging a meeting with local trail maintainers, including East Bay Parks, ABAG's Bay Trail, and Rails-to-Trails.
HAYWARD-SAN MATEO BRIDGE trestle widening project was discussed. BCDC sentiment favored a bike-ped path on the new trestle section, whereas CalTrans is balking. However, we now have a new Governor, a new head of CalTrans, and a new Attorney General, all of whom are improvements as far as bicyclists are concerned.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING will be at the Co Co Co Transportation Authority on the south side of Treat Blvd across from the Pleasant Hill BART station, on Tues, Feb 16, 1999, (the day after our retreat,) at the usual 7:30 PM time.
Respectfully submitted by Yehuda Sherman, sec'y.