Category Archives: Big Blue Bus

City Council discusses Strategic Mobility goals tonight.

Tonight, Santa Monica City Council will have a study session on the City’s Strategic Mobility Goals and the Big Blue Bus. We believe investments in safety must be a key component of our City’s mobility strategy. Together with community partners we have formed the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance to promote 10 principles condensed here:

  • No traffic fatalities are acceptable. Traffic collisions must not be brushed aside as “accidents”: collisions are predictable and therefore preventable.
  • Invest resources to improve equity. Our mobility and transportation systems should be safe and ensure commitment to serve as a model of 21st Century constitutional policing.
  • All students and children have a right to walk, bike or scoot safely to school.
  • Our mobility and transportation systems should equitably serve Santa Monica residents and all those who study, work or visit in our community
  • Our transportation system should generate zero emissions. To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and to help strengthen our community, we need a Big Blue Bus (BBB) system to be popular, efficient and financially sound.
  • Streets are our largest public space. Street planning should integrate mobility and place-making to enhance social, economic and cultural opportunities, as well as our well-being needs.
  • Streets are essential environmental systems. We need to design our streets as critical components of our environmental and natural ecosystems so they contribute to safeguarding water, air quality and climate resilience.
  • Community co-creation is essential to enduring change. Diverse community voices are critical for identifying core values and the vision for transformative change, community stakeholders must be engaged from inception to completion of all projects.
  • Data drives decisions. We need to invest in robust, transparent collection and analysis of data which is essential for understanding what the tradeoffs are and to help provide transparency when challenging decisions are made.
  • Plan our city and mobility together. Policies on housing, open space, community facilities, commercial development, public spaces, and other land use policies should give priority to clean, affordable and sustainable mobility as it has a profound impact on our mobility options and choices.

We need safe streets, designed with infrastructure that supports sustainable environmental eco systems that are safe, livable and welcoming to all. That’s the commitment of the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance and is outlined in our Principles for Safe, Livable and Sustainable Streets in Santa Monica.

Email City Council at: council@smgov.net to tell them you support strong commitments to safety and environmental sustainability listed in the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance – Principles for Safe, Livable and Sustainable Streets in Santa Monica. 

Service Alert: Twilight Concert BBB Detours in Downtown SM

Free Bike Valet at Pier Concerts and Virtual Breeze Hub!

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Twilight Concert Detours Begin this Evening at 5:00pm

The Twilight Concert Series is back this week at the Santa Monica Pier. This highly popular concert series means thousands of concert goers descending on Santa Monica this evening.

In order to keep service moving throughout the system, Routes 2, 3, Rapid 3, 5, 7, Rapid 7, 8 and 9 will be on detour this evening from 5pm until approximately 9pm. Please allow extra time for all your trips.

Major highlights include:
  • Routes 2 and 9 will begin/end service on Arizona Ave. and 5th St.
  • Route 7 and Rapid 7 will begin/end service on Broadway and 6th St.
  • Route 8 will not serve Ocean Ave. between Pico Blvd. and Broadway, northbound and southbound buses will travel along 4th St. instead.
  • Big Blue Bus will offer a complimentary shuttle along 4th St. for Routes 2, 3, Rapid 3 and 9 customers traveling on northbound and southbound 4th St. to keep you moving through Downtown Santa Monica.

For more details, including stop closures and alternate boarding locations, click here.

Please note that real-time information systems may be subject to inaccuracies due to heavy traffic and planned detours.

 

May: National Bike Month, National Bike Challenge & More!

MAY: NATIONAL BIKE MONTH IS HERE!!!

TheLEAGUE-BikeMonthMay is National Bike Month, sponsored by the  League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to giving biking a try.bike_month_250x250

Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply to explore your community, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride.

Each year the number and diversity of Bike Month celebrations continues to grow, accelerating the momentum around bicycling nationwide.

Join us for the National Bike Challenge 

The National Bike Challenge is a nationwide event uniting thousands of current bicyclists — and encouraging countless new riders. In its simplest form it is a logging center for users to record miles ridden and be part of the national community of bicyclists. It is a free and easy way to challenge yourself, colleagues and the greater community to ride more. Users compete on a local, state and national level. The year the Challenge aims to unite 75,000 riders to pedal 35 million miles from May 1, 2015 until September 30, 2015. Now in its fourth year, the Challenge is a successful partnership between the PeopleForBikes and Kimberly-Clark’s Scott Natural Brand.

PeopleForBikes owns, operates, and maintains the National Bike Challenge website. PeopleForBikes mission is to making bicycling better for everyone by uniting millions of riders, thousands of businesses and hundreds of communities..

Join the Challenge and ride for team Bike Santa Monica!NBClogo-SCREEN

After you sign up for the National Bike Challenge. and create your account – join team Bike Santa Monica!

The National Bike Challenge officially starts May 1st. We are already warming up in April – don’t wait join now! This year there are 4 apps you can choose from to record your participation. Visit the app gallery here. IT”S EASY!

May 4th: National Walk Bike to School Day
& Bike it Walk it Week Santa Monica

Bike Walk to School

The first-ever National Bike to School Day took place on May 9, 2012, in coordination with the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Month. Almost 1,000 local events in 49 states and the District of Columbia joined together to encourage children to safely bicycle or walk to school.

The event builds on the popularity of Walk to School Day, which is celebrated across the country – and the world – each October. Many communities and schools have been holding spring walk and bicycle to school events for years. National Bike to School Day provides an opportunity for schools across the country to join together to celebrate and to build off of the energy of National Bike Month.

Bike it Walk it Week Santa Monica, May 2nd -6th

Santa Monica and Malibu schools celebrate Bike it Walk it Bus it Week May 2nd-6thth. Join the fun by contacting SRTS Coordinator Cory Keen, your PTA President or the Bike it Walk it Bus it coordinator at your school to find out about how you can participate.

SMMUSD Bike it Walk it

  • Lincoln Middle School: May 4th
  • Franklin Elementary: May 5th
  • Will Rogers Learning Community: April 29th
  • Edison Language Academy: May 4th
  • Grant Elementary: May 5h 
  • John Muir Elementary: May 5th
  • SMASH: May 5th
  • McKinley Elementary: May 4th – 6th
  • Roosevelt Elementary: May 3rd
  • John Adams Middle School: May 5th
  • Samohi: May 18th

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Bike Week / Month 2016

Bike Week LA is an annual week of community events sponsored by Metro and local advocates all over the County of Los Angeles to promote bicycling as a sustainable and practical mode of transportation. Check Metro website for events all over LA.  In Santa Monica we have you covered, to get connected in your area look up LACBC, or your areas LACBC Local Chapter.

Santa Monica Spoke we will again participate and host rides and events through out the week! More info on these rides and events is coming soon Check out our Event Calendar for the latest. Here is an overview of Metro Events some of what we have planned locally to get you excited!
More are being added – check calendar for updates! 

  • Nation Bike Challenge Begins. Log miles over smiles from May 1st to September 30th. Join Team Bike Santa Monica in this National Competition. More info online.
  • Sunday, May 1st – Gear Up! as we launch Bike Month! Get ready to ride, learn to pedal safely, and win free stuff! 11am-2pm McKinley School, 2401 Santa Monica Blvd
  • May 2nd – 6th – Bike it! Walk it! Bus it! to School – SMMUSD. For more information contact Cory.Keen@smgov.net
  • Sunday, May 1st – Adult Learn to Ride bike class. For more info and to sign up visit smbikecenter.com/services/bike-classes/
  • Every Wednesday Camp Coffee, #CoffeeOutside at Ballona Creek 7:00-8:00am. Bring your camp brew kit or ready made, It’s a great way to start your day. On the jetty at the end of Ballona Creek Bike Path past the bike bridge.
  • Wednesdays in May Bike Maintenance Workshop – 4 part series, Santa Monica Bike Center , more info visit smbikecenter.com/services/repair/
  • Every Thursday in May Handlebar Happy Hour – Celebrate all things bike as we explore our Santa Monica Buy Local, Bike Local business. This month we visit the Most Loved SM Happy Hour Finalists. Areal, The Craftsman, Rusty’s and Upper West.
  • Sunday, May 8th LA Bike Festival: Grand Park, Downton Los Angeles
    CycloFemme Rides
  • Thursday, May 12th, BREEZE BIKE SHARE Handlebar Happy Hour 6 Month Anniversary Celebration at The Craftsman Bar and Kitchen
  • Friday, May 13th Big Blue Bus Buy One Get One stock up on your BBB fare!
  • Saturday, May 14th Expo II Bike Path Ride info as confirmed at SMSpoke.org
  • Sunday, May 15th CicLAvia Southeast Cities 9am-4pm ciclavia.org

Bike LOCAL WEEK Santa Monica 

  • Sunday, May 15 – Breeze Bike Share Community Ride & Bike Route Tour 10am – noon, meet at 17th Street Expo station.
  • Meatless Monday, May 16 – Ride & Fundraiser to the Veggie Grill We meet at Colorado Center Park at 5:30 to ride (or meet us) at Veggie Grill, 2025 Wilshire blvd
  • Tuesday, May 17th Ladies Choice Women and Biking discussions over morning coffee at Sidecar Donuts  — 7:30am to 9am, 631 Wilshire Blvd, SM
    12th Annual Blessing of the Bicycles
  • Wednesday, May 18th Special Edition Bike Week Camp Coffee #CoffeeOutside at Ballona Creek 7:00-8:00am. Bring your camp brew kit or ready made, It’s a great way to start your day. On the jetty at the end of Ballona Creek Bike Path past the bridge.
    Guided SM City Bike Tour. We’ll check out the new Esplanade & cycle track, then ride some of the great bike facilities that earned Santa Monica its Silver Level Bike Friendly City Designation. We ride to a bonus Handlebar Happy Hour, location tbd
  • Thursday, May 19th is Bike to Work Day! Sponsored by Metro Visit our website for a full list of Santa Monica pit stop locations. We will be at City Hall as well as several other locations.
    Bike From Work Handlebar Happy Hour: TWO in Santa Monica! We will be at Areal 2820 Main Street Main St and Public Bikes 2714 Main St is hosting a Bike From Work Handlebar Happy Hour that benefits Santa Monica Spoke. WOOT!! So FUN and so close – you can do BOTH!
    People on bikes Ride Metro and Big Blue Bus for Free today!
    Visit metro.net/bikes/bike-month/ for Bike events all over LA County
    Free ride time on Breeze Bike Share Thursday May 19 to Saturday May 21
  • Friday, May 20th Opening Expo II light rail line and Expo II Bike Path. Festivities are scheduled for noon at 4th Street Terminus station – smgov.net/expo
    Expo Trains are FREE Friday & Saturday, May 20th & 21st
    Bike to the Movies / Date Night at the Laemmle Theater. Meet at the 4th Street Expo Station and ride to the movies at Laemmle Monica Theater. Time tbd
  • Saturday May 21st Expo II Station Parties. Visit all three stations, each is themed differently – we plan to be at all three stations. This historic event is one not to be missed. 10am-4pm all stations.
  • Sunday, May 22nd Santa Monica Spoke Family Bikes on Expo Tour. Let’s go multi-modal with the whole family. We start at 17th Expo Station take a short ride on the Expo II Bike Path and then jump on Expo to Exposition Park for a short ride around the Rose Garden, then back to Santa Monica. Fun for the whole family. Start time planned for 10am, final details posted to the website soon.
    Bike + Train Tour SM Learn to connect bikes to transit with PUBLIC Bikes & Sustainable Streets, free Breeze ride and tap card! 10am- 4pm meet at 2714 Main St.
    Intermediate Learn to Ride bike class. For more info and to sign up visit smbikecenter.com/services/bike-classes/

Close out Bike Month with Bike Night at Union Station! 

  • Friday, May 27th Bike Night is more than just bikes: music from Jungle Fire,    raffles and games, awesome prizes from Public Bikes and Tern Bicycles, and the highlight of the evening, a bicycle fashion show!

Join the National Bike Challenge: Ride for team BIKE SANTA MONICA

More Bike Week, Bike Month & Bike Local SM Specials posted “linked here” soon!

Climate Action Santa Monica: What a way to go – Bike, Bus. Expo!

eventbrite

Climate Action Santa Monica (CASM) will host its fifth public forum, “What a Way to Go – Bike, Bus Expo,”  at the Church in Ocean Park.

Focusing on Santa Monica’s transportation revolution, the forum will feature a keynote address by Rick Cole, Santa Monica’s new City Manager on “Grand Overview of How Expo Revolutionizes How We Move in the City.”

Emceed by Belinda Waymouth, Environmental Journalist and Huffington Post writer with a Master in Environmental Studies from UCLA. Additional will presentations include William Selby, Santa Monica College Geography and Earth Sciences Professor on “El Nino and Hot Climate News,” Cynthia Rose, Director of Santa Monica Spoke on “Biking in Santa Monica and Santa Monica’s New Breeze Bike Share System,” Aimee Wyatt of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system on “New BBB Routes and Expo Integration,” and Tom Jasmin and Stacy Yamato, Metro Rail Start up Manager and Metro Community Safety Director, on “Expo’s Safe and Far-Reaching System.”

Mayor McKeown & Council Member Pam O’Connor, will share important announcements about the upcoming Paris COP21 Climate Summit which they will be attending. O’Connor will be representing the United States as a member of our Delegation.

Denny Zane Executive Director of Move LA will be joining the program to discuss important future transit funding sources.

The program will include an interactive Transportation Festival between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm featuring a parked Big Blue Bus, the new Breeze Bike Share bikes and live music.

The forum will be held at The Church in Ocean Park,
235 Hill Street in Santa Monica.
Admission is free.

RSVPs here

Attendees are urged to use public and active transportation. For more information about the November 22 Forum, contact CASM at ClimateActionSantaMonica@gmail.com or call 424-259-3194.

Climate Action Santa Monica, a program of The Church in Ocean Park, empowers people to learn about climate change, locally and beyond, and directs their talents, habits and passion toward bringing Santa Monica to climate neutrality and community resiliency. Visit their website at Climate Action Santa Monica

Big Blue Bus Route Updates Integrate with Expo Start Today

Screen Shot 2015-08-23 at 5.27.55 PMMajor route, stop and schedule updates.

In anticipation of the opening of the Expo Light Rail Line in Spring 2016, BBB’s August 23, 2015 Service Change marks the beginning of a major redesign of Big Blue Bus routes. Including the publics input their goal is to provide greater service, better connectivity and more convenient transportation options for customers throughout the region. BBB will phase the implementation of changes and new service additions over the course of the next 12 months.

BBB’s upcoming Service Change is in the news! Here’s what the local media are saying:

  • Watch an interview with Ed King, BBB’s Director of Transit Services, about the upcoming Service Change.
  • Big Blue Bus Begins Expo Integration Service Overhaul This Month (Santa Monica Next)

View the complete Little Blue Book (Effective August 23, 2015)

Select your favorite route for additional details:

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