SGV Traffic Diversion Program
On March 11, 2017, the City of El Monte became the first community in southern California, if not California, to implement a local traffic diversion program for people cited while riding a bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle. The new program provides an opportunity for people to attend “traffic school” for people on bikes or similar devices, in lieu of paying the full cost of fines and fees associated with the citation.
On January 1, 2016 California state law (Assembly Bill 902) went into effect making it legal for local jurisdictions to offer law enforcement-sanctioned traffic diversion classes for people cited with a traffic infraction. In lieu of paying the full fine, persons cited while on a bike or other non-motorized vehicle in the City of El Monte now have the option of attending traffic school, just as people cited while driving a motor vehicle do. This is particularly important as the monetary cost of a violation on a bicycle is generally the same as when driving a motor vehicle, a reality that can pose a significant burden to lower-income individuals and families who may rely on bicycling as a means of everyday transportation, yet have never received any formal education or training on bicycling in a safe, legal manner in the San Gabriel Valley.
Made possible by Metro Los Angeles grant funding awarded to the City of El Monte, the 3-hour City Cycling courses are coordinated by local active transportation non-profit, Bike San Gabriel Valley (BikeSGV). Class curriculum covers the rules of the road as they pertain to bicycles, safe riding skills, and on-street instruction. The courses are offered at the Jeff Seymour Family Center - home to the San Gabriel Valley Bicycle Education Center at 10900 Mulhall St, El Monte - as well as other locations along the I-10 corridor. Taught by bi-lingual nationally certified bicycle safety instructors (LCI), courses are also free for the general public.
Currently the SGV Traffic Diversion program is only available for people who have received a citation in El Monte, CA, yet we are looking to expand the program to other cities in the San Gabriel Valley.
For questions please contact:
Jose Jimenez, Education Director
jose@bikesgv.org
(626) 566-8302
Diane Velez, Program Coordinator
diane@bikesgv.org
(626) 415-8406
On January 1, 2016 California state law (Assembly Bill 902) went into effect making it legal for local jurisdictions to offer law enforcement-sanctioned traffic diversion classes for people cited with a traffic infraction. In lieu of paying the full fine, persons cited while on a bike or other non-motorized vehicle in the City of El Monte now have the option of attending traffic school, just as people cited while driving a motor vehicle do. This is particularly important as the monetary cost of a violation on a bicycle is generally the same as when driving a motor vehicle, a reality that can pose a significant burden to lower-income individuals and families who may rely on bicycling as a means of everyday transportation, yet have never received any formal education or training on bicycling in a safe, legal manner in the San Gabriel Valley.
Made possible by Metro Los Angeles grant funding awarded to the City of El Monte, the 3-hour City Cycling courses are coordinated by local active transportation non-profit, Bike San Gabriel Valley (BikeSGV). Class curriculum covers the rules of the road as they pertain to bicycles, safe riding skills, and on-street instruction. The courses are offered at the Jeff Seymour Family Center - home to the San Gabriel Valley Bicycle Education Center at 10900 Mulhall St, El Monte - as well as other locations along the I-10 corridor. Taught by bi-lingual nationally certified bicycle safety instructors (LCI), courses are also free for the general public.
Currently the SGV Traffic Diversion program is only available for people who have received a citation in El Monte, CA, yet we are looking to expand the program to other cities in the San Gabriel Valley.
For questions please contact:
Jose Jimenez, Education Director
jose@bikesgv.org
(626) 566-8302
Diane Velez, Program Coordinator
diane@bikesgv.org
(626) 415-8406
