 Many of us lead busy lives, and it's tough to keep up with all the decision-making being made in our names. The team at ActiveSGV is thus committed to making SGV residents aware of opportunities to support a more sustainable San Gabriel Valley. One of the most impactful and time-efficient ways you can make your voice heard is by calling your state legislators. These calls generally take 2 minutes or less, as legislative staff only want to tally community support/opposition to bills, and confirm your residency within the district. To be adopted, bills must be approved by both houses of the legislature, and then be signed by the Governor. If you've never called your State Senator or Assembly Member before, we have included a sample script below, as well as a brief summary of each bill ActiveSGV has taken a formal stance on. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us for more info! Pending, ActiveSGV-supported BillsThe following bills are still making their way through the CA legislature and in need of support!
Sample Call ScriptHello my name is___________ and I'm calling today as a local constituent from the City of _______ to urge my representative to support the following bills: [Share which bills you support here, such as:]
[Staff may ask you for your home address to verify you live in the District.] Thank you and good day! SGV Area State Legislator NumbersUnsure who your rep is? Find out here. Once you know yours, we strongly recommend saving their numbers on your phone to make any future calls even easier.
Bill Checker: Pending, Adopted, Shelved Bills[AWAITING GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE]
Call the Governor's office at 916-445-2841 to help carry these bills over the line!
[ADOPTED BILLS]
[PUNTED to 2020] Sometimes legislative authors elect to put their bills on a two-year track, to buy themselves more time to garner support.
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 Teamwork makes the dream work. Here at ActiveSGV, we are fortunate and grateful to work alongside some amazing folks! This month's Staff Spotlight is Carly Curiel. 1. How did you get started working at ActiveSGV? I met Diane Velez (my work wife) through People’s Yoga Teacher Training and we became friends because we shared a lot of similar interests (hip-hop, podcasts, environmental justice, funny memes). I started to follow Active (then BikeSGV) through her and attended some events including the first 626 Golden Streets. I had just moved back to the SGV after living in San Francisco for 7 years and was missing the Bay Area and its efficient public transportation system and access to parks and open spaces. I was so happy that there was an organization working to make the SGV more sustainable, equitable, and livable! I knew I had to be a part of this organization. 2. What do you like most about ActiveSGV? I love that our entire team is made up of a diverse group of people who are from or who currently live in the SGV. We are not outsiders coming in; we ARE the SGV and we’re passionate about these communties and the issues burden them. It also helps that I love each one of my coworkers like family. They are all so unique and talented and I’m grateful to be able to work alongside them.  3. Favorite and/or memorable ActiveSGV experience Some of my favorite ActiveSGV memories were working my first 626 Golden Streets: Mission to Mission and our staff retreat to Seattle, Washington. 4. If a friend from out of town were to visit, which place in the SGV would you take them to and why? I would pick up some some food from one of my favorite SGV restaurants (we seriously have the best food, don’t @ me), then bike over to Legg Lake in Whittier Narrows for a picnic and maybe some yoga and reading. 5. What you're listening to/ reading/ watching/ digging right now: Currently reading “The Sun and her Flowers” a book of poems by Rupi Kaur and just started “A Manual for Cleaning Women” by Lucia Berlin for my book club. Currently watching “Euphoria”, “Barry”, “Stranger Things”, “Jane the Virgin”, & Bachelor in Paradise is my very guilty pleasure. Currently listening to a lot of Tyler the Creator, Blood Orange, Cuco, and Natalia Lafourcade.
  Class IV "Protected" Bike Lane (NACTO) A growing body of research underlines the many safety benefits of physically-protected bike/rollways, not just for people on bikes, but for everyone on the road. ActiveSGV thus applauded a March 5, 2019 motion from Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis directing the Department of Public Works to assess the feasibility and cost of converting the County's existing network of Class II Bike Lanes to Class IV Protected Bikeways. Los Angeles County as a whole continues to suffer from troublingly high rate of serious roadway injuries and fatalities. The very clear safety issues on our streets remains a significant barrier to greater adoption and normalization of healthy, sustainable, zero-emission modes of transportation such as walking, biking, skateboarding, and scooting. Making matters worse, for decades LA County has criminalized the use of low cost, sustainable modes of micro-mobility on County sidewalks. In contrast to many other cities in the region, it remains illegal to ride a bike, skateboard, scooter, or other wheeled device on any sidewalk in unincorporated County, regardless of age of user or the continued lack of streets designed to safely accommodate these modes. As a result, people of all ages, including students, are faced with the choice of putting their own lives in harm's way, or risking a several hundred dollar ticket, to get from home to school or work while on a bike, skateboard, or scooter. Not surprisingly many choose the latter, and every year some of these individuals are cited for doing so. Since launching a "Traffic Diversion Program" with the El Monte District Count in 2017, ActiveSGV has helped dozens of residents have their citations and court fees waived for sidewalk riding. In most cases these individuals rely on low-cost modes of active transportation as their primary means of mobility, and cannot easily afford the high cost of these citations. Buffered Bikeways: a Golden Opportunity? Class II "Buffered" Bike Lane (NACTO) One of the primary reasons ActiveSGV was founded almost a decade ago was to support the development of a cohesive network of protected bike/rollways. The County's review of existing bikeways within the 2010 Bicycle Master Plan, which lacked protected, on-street bikeways, was therefore warmly received by staff, volunteers, and members who live, work, shop, or just pass through one or more of the many unincorporated communities within the San Gabriel Valley. As the image above illustrate, Class II buffered bike lanes offer separation for people on bikes from moving vehicles via a striped buffer generally several feet in width. Over the past decade multiple studies have shown that vertical infrastructure such as bollards, delineators, or even parked vehicles provide a safer environment for people on bikes than painted lines alone. By reducing the likelihood of high-speed rear collisions, protected bikeways result in fewer severe injuries and fatalities when collisions occur. July 2019 - County Recommends PBLsIn July the Department of Public Works released the results of its protected bike/rollway study (the full report can be downloaded here, or viewed above). Of 46 miles of existing Class II bike/rollways in unincorporated LA County, staff determined that 6.4 miles could be feasibly converted to Class IV protected bike/rollways at this time. A number of other lane miles were identified as requiring further study due to existing parking and driveways, or not having sufficient space for a buffer. None of the recommended conversions included a parking-protected lane at this time, a potential opportunity for further review and analysis given the widespread adoption and use of this treatment in other cities across the United States and world.
If you would like to see the County advance protected bike/rollways and safer streets, we strongly encourage you to contact your County Supervisor and let them know. Unsure what district you live in? Find out here. Contact Information for LA County Board of Supervisors District 1 - Supervisor Hilda Solis
District 2 - Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
District 3 - Supervisor Sheila Kuehl
District 4 - Supervisor Janice Hahn
District 5 - Supervisor Kathryn Barger
 Teamwork makes the dream work. Here at ActiveSGV, we are fortunate and grateful to work alongside some amazing folks! This month's Staff Spotlight is Andrew Fung Yip. 1. How did you get started working at ActiveSGV? I met Javier Hernandez, who was the former Executive Director of ActiveSGV, in 2011. I volunteered as a ride marshal and quickly moved on to other tasks such as tabling and graphic design. At the time, I was still at Mt. San Antonio College and often took transit to school. When I transferred to Azusa Pacific University, I rode my bike every other day to school from my home in Hacienda Heights. I realized how horrible our streets were for transportation modes other than driving. I wanted to do more and found ActiveSGV's Facebook page. I remember volunteering at the Emerald Necklace rides and moved on to plan some small rides myself. I was certified as a League Instructor in 2013 and helped coordinate and teach over 50 classes throughout the San Gabriel Valley. In 2013, I graduated from the San Gabriel Mountains Leadership Academy and was brought on ActiveSGV as the first part-time staff of the organization. My primary role was to help do outreach and advocate for a National Monument designation for the San Gabriel Mountains. I went to Washington D.C. to lobby with the San Gabriel Mountains Forever Coalition on behalf of ActiveSGV and by October 2014, I attended the National Monument designation by President Barack Obama at San Dimas' Frank G. Bonelli Park. It was a huge honor to be a guest of the White House and that cemented my passion for advocating for not only active transportation but for open space in our communities (read an article in The Guardian Andrew was quoted in).  By early 2015, I came on board as the first full-time staff member of ActiveSGV and my focus was on organizing community bike rides, designing materials, coordinating bicycle classes, and advocating for our San Gabriel Mountains. It was perfect timing because I was honorably discharged from the United States Army by the end of that year, which allowed me to take on more work at ActiveSGV. Fast forward to the present, I am now one of 14 staff so I'm not as lonely and it feels great knowing I can rely on my coworkers when I need help. 2. What do you like most about ActiveSGV? ActiveSGV touches on a lot of the issues that matter for me as a resident of the San Gabriel Valley. Our communities have been historically and systemically overlooked in the areas of education, transportation, environmental justice, and in general, money. I'm glad to be able to work for an organization that understands that and actively seeks out programs, grants, and projects that benefit our communities. Whether it's advocating for parks, transportation funding, air quality research, bike rides, etc; the focus is on improving the well-being and livability of our communities. 3. Favorite and/or memorable ActiveSGV experience Many memories have been made over the years. Although I can pinpoint all the happy ones, I do have to say the most memorable memory has also been one of the most tragic memories. When ActiveSGV was rolling out these new grants, it also meant a lot of new staff were coming on board. We're not just coworkers, but many of us are good friends outside of work. One of them was Brian Velez. He passed away suddenly and our hearts broke. It was through this difficult time that we found solace in each other's memories and experiences with one another. I want to make sure we remember him because he made such a huge impact in this organization and in many of our lives - in spite of the short time he was with us. I still think about Brian a lot, what he has done for this organization. And through all the new happy memories we create, I've always wondered whether he would have enjoyed our memories too.  4. If a friend from out of town were to visit, which place in the SGV would you take them to and why? I would take them to the top of the Puente Hills on a clear day to show them how vast Los Angeles County is since the hills offer 360 views. You can see the San Gabriel Mountains, Downtown Los Angeles, and even Catalina Island on a clear day. Even though the region is so large, we can see how our communities are interconnected. There are no visible borders except for our freeways. 5. What you're listening to/ reading/ watching/ digging right now: I'm currently reading "The Changs Next Door to the Díazes" by Wendy Cheng (KPCC interview here). The book talks about how racial identity is shaped by place with its focus on the San Gabriel Valley. Funnily enough, I found the book while browsing The Strand Bookstore in New York. I'm currently listening to "decolonized: a love story" playlist on Spotify. Give it a listen!  Follow Andrew on social media:
IG: @Yiperoo Twitter: @Yiptastico  Potential Pasadena to NoHo BRT route corridors (Source: Metro) Metro Los Angeles is in the midst of studying options for a new, high-quality, "Bus Rapid Transit" line connecting the communities of Pasadena, EagleRock, Glendale, Burbank, and NorthHollywood. Implementation of the new service is fully-funded and planned to be high-frequency (i.e. buses at least every 10 minutes). You can see a video about the project below and map of potential route options above. Unlike the Metro 501 bus service, which largely traverses the 134 freeway (and misses many destinations along the corridor), the proposed project would mainly run along City streets in order to connect each community's downtown district. At this stage in the process public input and support is critical if the new line is to be convenient and comfortable. HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? 1) ATTEND A MEETING and provide comment in person! Meetings include a presentation by staff and opportunities to share feedback in person or via comment card. You may attend any meeting to provide comment on the entire project.
2) SUBMIT COMMENTS VIA EMAIL. Your comments can have an impact. A sample email is below for your reference. Just be sure to submit by the August 14th deadline!
3) SIGN A PETITION supporting Bus Rapid Transit on Colorado Boulevard 4) SHARE WITH FRIENDS. Amplify your impact by letting others know about this project. SAMPLE EMAIL (Please personalize) As someone who shops, dines, and visits communities along the project corridor including [Eagle Rock, Glendale, Burbank, etc], I support the development of high-quality transit service connecting the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys. [Please personalize: why does better transit service matter to you?] Frequent service (every ten minutes or less), shaded stations, and dedicated bus lanes along city streets are key components to making "Bus Rapid Transit" convenient and comfortable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. The use of all of these components - in tandem - is critical for the proposed line to be successful. Cities around the United States including Boston, Seattle, and Las Vegas have realized successful BRT projects over the past decade, and witnessed the benefits of better buses firsthand. Many of these cities have also done so at low-cost, trying out bus-only lanes with cones and paint, measuring their impacts, and modifying them as needed. This project is an opportunity for Los Angeles County to learn from others as well as act on its commitment to sustainable mobility, clean air, and public health. I urge you to give BRT a chance to succeed with convenient service, a great user experience, and dedicated bus lanes on City streets. Sincerely,  More Resources/Information
 On Thursday June 27th the Metro Board of Directors formally adopted a "First/Last Mile Plan" for the Foothill Gold Line Extension Phase 2B.🛹🛴🚲 😀 Covering future stations in the Cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, and Claremont, the plan is the product of over 12 months of study and incorporates the feedback and input of over 1500 local residents. It is broken into five primary chapters, one for each station city. Each chapter includes detailed station plans, summaries of public feedback, and recommendations for improving access to the future stations. For your viewing pleasure, the team at ActiveSGV has included highlights from one station chapter below, including images, maps, and project renderings. You can view/download the full plan here. However before we dive in, a quick review of some of the high-level takeaways from the 5 community walk audits and public input process (image below). Across the five cities local residents strongly favored crosswalk and lighting improvements, shared/multi-use paths, pedestrian plazas, as well as secure bicycle parking and bike share. There was also a recognition that safe roll/bikeways should connect beyond a 1-mile radius of the station, as 3-5 miles was considered a distance that could reasonably be covered by rolling modes within 30 minutes.  Pomona Chapter Highlights Recommendations for the Pomona station are among the trickiest of the five stations, as the Gold Line will share space with the existing Metrolink station in the City, which is located between several high-speed arterials that are neither pedestrian-friendly nor easily-accessible by other rolling modes. The draft plan therefore recommends a bevy of improvements to improve conditions for people on foot, bike, skate, and other rolling modes. Thanks to ample street width, existing bike/rollways on Garey Ave. and Bonita Ave. could be upgraded to make them safer and more comfortable for people of all ages, improving the accessibility of the future station.
A proposed, new crosswalk with a pedestrian safety island at the track crossing and Garvey Ave., as well as new multi-use paths to the station from White Ave. and Garvey Ave., would further improve access from two high-speed, heavily-trafficked, arterial streets.
North-south access would also be improved by the extension of the Thompson Creek multi-use path into the City of Pomona, a transformation that would provide an off-street corridor for people on foot, bike, skate, scooter, or other rolling modes.  A summary of public input within the plan also highlights a number of other opportunities to create a vibrant walkshed around the City's new station. Examples include new bus stops adjacent to the station to facilitate transit transfers, retail/food service at the depot, wider sidewalks on Garey Ave. south of the tracks, and new street trees to provide shade for people on foot.  To learn more about recommendations for the Pomona station - or Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, or Claremont stations - check out the full First/Last Mile Plan for the Foothill Gold Line Extension here.
 Teamwork makes the dream work. Here at ActiveSGV, we are fortunate and grateful to work alongside some amazing folks! Learn more about our ActiveSGV team through our new series, Staff Spotlight. This month's spotlight is Danielle Zamora. Today is also her 3-year work anniversary! 1. How did you get started working at ActiveSGV? I discovered ActiveSGV years ago at an Earth Day event held near my home in North Whittier. It was cool to meet people who were friendly and inviting of others to ride bikes with them, especially since I didn’t feel comfortable biking on the street alone. I followed ActiveSGV on social media for a long time before I made it out to a Bicycle Safety Class held at the Jeff Seymour Family Center and then to a Bike Train. My first Bike Train was the Lunar New Year Bike Train in February 2016 where we rode from Peck Park along the Rio Hondo River Path to Whittier Narrows and Hai Nam Temple. I really appreciated the organizational culture and the types of programs they offered the community, so I selected ActiveSGV for my year long field work and research study for the completion of my Master’s in Community Psychology. I began volunteering with Women on Wheels and on Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Counts, completed a 3 day training with some of my colleagues to become a League Certified bicycle safety Instructor, and was hired in Summer 2017 to work on the SGV Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. 2. What do you like most about ActiveSGV? What I like most about ActiveSGV is being a part of an organization that is actively working to improve the health and sustainability of our neighborhoods. I enjoy organizing and taking part in free community events that get people moving and connect them with their local open spaces and hidden SGV treasures. It’s great to see new and familiar faces when you meet up for rides in different SGV cities. 3. Favorite and/or memorable ActiveSGV experience: My favorite memory is our 2018 retreat in Death Valley National Park. On our second day of riding we biked up an intense hill to Artist's Palette. It was worth the climb for the sense of accomplishment and to explore the colorful rocks. During a rest break at our destination, we played a game of Sardines (it's like Hide and Seek, but only one person hides while everyone else seeks and then has to hide with them). It wasn’t easy searching for someone hiding in a National Park, but it was a lot of fun. We work hard, but we’re also a playful bunch.  4. If a friend from out of town were to visit, which place in the SGV would you take them to and why? I would take them to the West Fork of the San Gabriel Mountains to walk or bike along the scenic road that leads to Cogswell Dam. We would pick wild blackberries and cool off in the river. I would also take them to see James Turrell Skyspace at Pomona College. It’s a whimsical outdoor art installation with a lighted canopy that frames the sky. The canopy is illuminated with changing colors every hour from sunset to sunrise. 5. What you're listening to/ reading/ watching/ digging right now: I can't stop listening to Mitski's album Be the Cowboy. I'm about half way through Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series currently reading Life, the Universe, and Everything. Social Media Handles: Check out my band! @rubbishhousegoons https://rubbishhousegoons.bandcamp.com/   We at Active San Gabriel Valley want to say a big THANK-YOU to everyone who joined us at 626 Golden Streets: Mission-to-Mission on Sunday, May 19! In case you missed it, the car-free open streets event spanned 5 miles across 3 cities in the San Gabriel Valley: San Gabriel, Alhambra and South Pasadena. Here are 6 highlights of #626GoldenStreets we’re thankful for:
And lastly, we want to give a big thank-you to our ActiveSGV team! This was our second #626GoldenStreets event (throwback to our first one back in 2017, 18+ miles), and we were excited to connect new communities to Gabe and friends. According to our event day participant survey, 626 Golden Streets | Mission-to-Mission was the first ciclovia for over half of the event attendees.  With a team entirely based in the San Gabriel Valley, ActiveSGV carries a love and passion for the SGV community. We want to see our communities thrive. With your support, we can continue hosting these fun, transformative experiences right here in the 626. Become a member today to directly support our work. Every contribution helps our work to create a more sustainable, equitable and livable region.
Love #626GoldenStreets as much as we do? Save-the-date for our next 626 Golden Streets event - SGV Streets and Treats - coming up on Saturday, October 26, 2019 in the cities of El Monte and South El Monte! The event will feature trick-or-treating stations along the route, costume contests, and three family-friendly activity hubs. For the latest updates on 626 and more, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @ActiveSGV.  Help realize the City of Pico Rivera’s first protected bike/rollway and a new pedestrian bridge across the San Gabriel River Tuesday June 25th. The proposed Pico Rivera Regional Bikeway Project would consist of a 1.5-mile protected bike/rollway along Mines Avenue (from Paramount Blvd to the San Gabriel River), a new pedestrian bridge over the San Gabriel River, and a bicycle facility along Dunlap Crossing Road.  Most of the bike/rollway would be protected by bioswales, a landscape element used to clean storm water before it goes into the storm drainage system. Drought-tolerant plants will be planted within the bioswales to help retain stormwater, cool the streetscape, and support wildlife.  People on foot, bike, skate, scooter, and other forms of healthy, active transportation would be able to use the facility, which would be separated from vehicle traffic by landscaped islands, curbs or parked vehicles as buffers. The project would also create safe connections to the existing Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River Trails. The new bridge to cross the San Gabriel River would be 14 feet wide for pedestrians and bicyclists, and would connect the west side of the San Gabriel River to the San Gabriel River Mid Trail on the east side of the river. Project renderings can be viewed here, and more information can be found on the City's website here.  Rendering of proposed pedestrian/bike bridge across the San Gabriel River. Take Action!YOUR input is needed! As always, public support and input is key to make streets safer for everyone. There are two simple ways you can do so. 1. GREATEST IMPACT: Attend the meeting Tuesday June 25th and provide public comment directly to the City Council.
2. ALSO HELPFUL: Send written comments to the City Council via email here: zcaltitla@pico-rivera.org
Template Letter of Support (please personalize!) Pico Rivera City Council 6615 Passons Blvd. Pico Rivera, CA 90660 Re: I Support the Pico Rivera Regional Bike/Rollway Project Dear Council Members, As a [local resident, student, employee, customer, etc], I am pleased to support the City’s efforts to make streets safer for everyone. Please personalize. Why do you support safer streets for walking/biking/skating/scooting? The Pico Rivera Regional Bike/Rollway Project would provide safe, separated space for children and people of all ages to walk, bike, skate, scoot, and roll to the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River paths. The project would also provide local and regional benefits, encouraging healthier, active lifestyles and taking a significant step towards realizing a network of safer, more sustainable streets in the City. Thank you for your time and consideration,  |
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ActiveSGV is a project of Community Partners, a non-profit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.