CALLING ALL CYCLISTS...

The 24th Senate District is spearheading "Water Wise" - a water education video project aimed at raising awareness about water and the many waterways throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The four-part, 5-minute each, video series will be posted on Senator Dr. Ed Hernandez's website and local cable networks. 

The project is in need of extras to ride their bicycles in the background of a scripted scene. All those interested, please report to Peck Rd. Park on Thursday, April 4, 2013 from 2pm - 5pm. 



The video series is as follows:

Video 1 - Where does my water come from? 
1.     Imported: State Water Project and Colorado River
2.     Groundwater: Natural Process- Rain, Snow, Wells
3.     Recycled Water: Source for irrigation via “purple pipe”/water relief

Video 2 - Water Sustainability
1.      A visit to our Aquifer (potable water)
2.     Conservation (low flow devices/ fixing leaks)/ 2/3 water volume is used outdoors
3.     Get involved to help develop city ordinances/ local SGV clean up campaigns

Video 3 - SGV’s “Superfund” Sites
1.     What is a “Superfund” site?
2.     History of SGV’s contaminated water basin
3.     Maximizing local resources/ investing in treatment facilities

Video 4 -  SGV’s Multi-Benefit Projects
1.     Field of Dreams
2.     Whittier Narrows
3.     Rose Hills
4.     Schools/ sports complex/ parks


For more information, please email Program Director, Javier Hernandez (javier@bikesgv.org).

Over the past several years Temple City has been at the center of bicycle greatness in the San Gabriel Valley.  A couple of years back TC city council approved their Bicycle Master Plan and has pushed the enveloped by including SGV's first on-street protected Class-I bike paths a.k.a. "cycle tracks." 

To bring further attention to their efforts and to encourage surrounding communities to explore similar initiatives, Temple City will be hosting a Bike Ride and Rodeo on March 23, 2013 from 9am-2pm at Live Oak Park. All participants must complete and submit a registration form. Registration is free. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

The bike ride will consist of an approximately 5-mile loop along the bike routes included in the city's Bike Master Plan. After the ride, all are welcome to join in the bicycle related festivities to learn more about:

- Temple City Bicycle Master Plan
- SGV Regional Bicycle Master Plan
- Bicycle safety and adjustments
- Legal operation of bikes on public streets
- and much more

BikeSGV is currently looking for volunteers to help with the children's bike rodeo, information booth, ride marshal, bike valet and fix-a-flat time trials. CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER. Your support is much needed and GREATLY appreciated, thank you in advance.  

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED! Please take a moment to urge CARB to set aside funds for bike and pedestrian projects!

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is accepting feedback on how to allocate funding raised from our state's new Cap-and-Trade program until 5pm on Friday March 8th. Even if you missed the public meeting in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday February 27th (4-7pm), it's not too late to make your voice heard!

The program is expected to raise billions of dollars annually, some of which could be set aside for bicycle, pedestrian and transit improvements. At present there are very limited state and federal dollars for active transportation projects, which local communities depend on to improve their bike- and walk-ability. In other words, this new program is an INCREDIBLE opportunity to increase the amount of funding available to make our cities more bike-friendly!  

Comments can be submitted electronically via the CARB website (look for the link below the meeting locations and above "Staying in Touch").  Please note that all written comments must be submitted by 5pm March 8th!  


MEETING DETAILS:

The State of California invites you to participate in a public workshop to provide input on the development of an investment plan for the auction proceeds from the Cap-and-Trade program to reduce greenhouse gases.  

Wednesday, February 27, 2013  (4-7pm)
Ronald Reagan Building - Auditorium
300 South Spring Street
Los Angeles, California 90013


SAMPLE LETTER (please personalize)

Honorable members of the California Air Resources Board,

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to provide comments on California’s Cap and Trade Program. As a Californian concerned about the health of our environment and communities, I strongly support the goals of AB 32 and SB 375 and am providing comment to encourage you to dedicate a portion of these revenues for bicycling and pedestrian projects.

15% of our total trips are by foot or bike, yet only about 1% of our transportation funds are spent on bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Making matters worse, federal spending on active transportation was recently cut by 33%, at a time when  demand for such infrastructure is peaking.

A growing number of local communities, especially in car-dependent, congested regions like southern California, are beginning to recognize the many benefits of active transportation to air quality, public health, and economic development. The potential for greater modal share by active and public transportation is significant: 40% of all trips in CA are two miles or less. A recent study of cities in the Midwest estimated that VMT in these states could be reduced by up to 20% by investing in walking and bicycling for short trips.

The benefits are clearly many, and the relative cost of such improvements minor. Please facilitate our state's transition to more sustainable, healthy lifestyles by setting aside funding for such projects, especially in disadvantaged communities. 

Thank you for your time and consideration,



SAMPLE TALKING POINTS (courtesy of the CA Bicycle Coalition)

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)

• A recent study of the Bay Area estimated that significant investments in active transportation could achieve a 14% reduction in GHG. 
• 40% of all trips in CA are two miles or less and studies have shown that investments in bicycling and walking infrastructure can encourage mode shift. A recent study of cities in the Midwest estimated that VMT in these states could be reduced by up to 20% by investing in walking and bicycling for short trips.
• In California approximately 62.4 % of children in CA live within 2 miles of school yet 51 % of these children are driven to school in a private vehicle. 
• California has some of the worst air quality in the nation, by shifting short trips to bicycling and walking large reductions in co-pollutants can be achieved by avoiding cold starts.

Current Lack of Funding

• 15% of our total trips are walking or on a bike, yet only about 1% of our transportation funds are spent on bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
• Federal spending on active transportation was recently cut by 33%.
• Coupled with the need for preservation and maintenance of the existing system to make it safe and increase biking and walking a conservative estimate of $18 billion over the next ten years is expected to meet minimum needs. Currently, the State spends less than a tenth of this amount.

Co-benefits of Active Transportation

• Bike and pedestrian fatalities, as a percentage of traffic fatalities, are nearly twice the national average. Improving conditions for bicycling and walking can improve public safety while encouraging more people to walk and bike.  
• Low-income and disadvantaged communities have higher rates of biking and walking and also higher rates of fatalities and injuries; seniors, minorities, and youth are at significantly higher risk of being hit and killed than other portions of the population.
• Over 80 percent of trips to and from transit are achieved by walking and bicycling. Our investments in transit need to be flanked by investments in active transportation to create a holistic and multi-modal transportation system.
• In California approximately $41 billion dollars are spent annually on medical costs related to obesity and lost productivity due to chronic diseases caused by physical inactivity. A recent study of the Bay Area reported that investments in active transportation could reduce chronic disease by 15%.

The Cap-and-Trade Active Transportation Solution
A dedicated percentage of cap and trade revenues for bike/ped investments that:

• Will assist regions and communities in investing in completing and expanding bicycle and pedestrian networks. 
• Promote first-mile/last-mile connections to transit. 
• Promote biking and walking access to schools, community and medical facilities, job and housing centers, and shopping and retail centers.
• Expand critical infrastructure into low income neighborhoods.

Local Success Stories
If you have a local success story, please present them as part of your oral or written comments.

Before a crowd of dignitaries, stakeholders, Metro/Caltrans staff, local residents, and BikeSGV organizers, the Temple City Council and other elected leaders officially broke ground on the $20 million dollar overhaul of a two mile stretch of Rosemead Boulevard in Temple City on Friday, March 1st. 

Made possible by 14 different funding sources - county, state and federal - the Rosemead Boulevard Project will include the San Gabriel Valley's first "protected" bicycle lane, or cycletrack, as well as wider sidewalks, public art, way-finding signage, new street trees, drought tolerant plants, transit stops, and improved pedestrian crossings. 

Congresswoman Judy Chu hailed the project as "state of the art" in presenting the Council a Congressional Certificate of Recognition. Newly elected State Senator Ed Chau proclaimed that the new Rosemead Boulevard would be a "catalyst for economic growth," thanks in part to 500 new trees, 6,000 plants, and other sustainable elements such as asphalt made from recycled tires and the city's first bicycle lanes. 

Representatives from State Senators Carol Liu and Ed Hernandez and Supervisor Antonovich were also on hand to present the Council with commendations, as was Alhambra City Council Member and current San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (COG) President Barbara Messina, who underlined that the new project was "exactly the type of collaboration" she and the COG wanted to see more of in the future. 

For local bicyclists, the completed cycletrack will provide welcome refuge from automobile traffic which averages north of 40mph along this major corridor. The on-street Class I Bicycle Lane will be physically separated from traffic along portions of Rosemead by planters, in stark contrast to the Class III Bicycle route signage recently installed by Los Angeles County directly north of the City. 

BikeSGV President Vincent Chang was confident Temple City's leadership in adopting bicycle infrastructure best practices will encourage other cities in the region to follow-suit, including neighboring communities such as the Cities of San Gabriel and Rosemead, the latter of which adopted a Bicycle Master Plan in 2012.  Temple City Mayor Yu appeared to echo this sentiment, noting that local leaders were "not doing it just for Temple City, but for the region."  

Project completion is slated for late 2014. Until then local cyclists would do well to steer clear of the construction zone, which has narrowed shoulder space and travel lanes, and subsequently reduced the amount of passing space for automobiles (i.e., be prepared to "take the lane" with motorists unaware of 25mph construction zone speed restrictions).

For more information and updates on the project, visit the Rosemead Boulevard Project webpage.