Category Archives: Bike Action Plan

1st Anniversary Party Santa Monica Bike Center this weekend!

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First Anniversary Celebration for Santa Monica Bike Center

Friday, Saturday and Sunday
November 16th – 18th, 2012

The Santa Monica Bike Center is happy to announce it’s one year anniversary.  Please join us this weekend at any of the events listed below or simply stop by to say hello.
Stay tuned for some more celebrations coming soon!
Please also Save the Dates:
December 1st & 8th as we plan the anniversary of the Santa Monica Bike Action Plan and a Santa Monica Bike Festival!  ….Details will follow!

This weekend’s events:

Friday, November 16th, (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

Members and visitors will enjoy lunchtime snacks from the Border Grill and vegan cupcakes from the kitchen of Ms. Cynthia Rose, aka Purple, (while supplies last). Can’t make it for lunch, then join us at 6 p.m. for a dinner ride led by SMBC staff to one of our favorite watering holes, Wurstkuche, where we’ll plow the froth and grab a bite to eat.

Wurstkuche address: 625 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, CA 90291;
(213) 687-4444.

Saturday, November 17th, (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)

SMBC Members and visitors are invited to the inaugural Santa Monica Sweet Spots tour. This 3 – 4 hour tour features a range of culinary sweets from local bakeries, ice cream shops and chocolatiers along an easy 10-mile route. This guided tour is free for members and guests, bring your own bike or rent one from SM Bike Center.  Helmets required for participants under the age of 18.

Sunday, November 18th, (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Join head mechanic Emily for a 5-hour 17-mile mountain bike adventure.  The ride will feature a long steep climb to a spectacular view of the Santa Monica Bay, followed by a thrilling descent back to SMBC, so please be prepared for a non-technical, highly aerobic ride that will burn off some pre-Thanksgiving calories.  Mountain biking experience is recommended.  Bring your own off-road bike or rent one from the SM Bike Center, and don’t forget to bring water and snacks!

Let’s Talk Santa Monica, Nov 10, 12 & 15th

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PLEASE consider attending one (or more) of these sessions with City Staff and Santa Monica’s City Manager Rod Gould. It is a unique and up close opportunity to give input for bikes and the Bike Action Plan (BAP) directly. The City needs to hear from you what the positives are for the infrastructure that has gone in so far and what we need to see in the future. For instance, new buffered bike lanes, Sharrows, bike corrals and racks.  This is especially important as some have been “loudly vocal” in opposition of new bike lanes even though we have received near 100% positive feedback from cyclists and others in the community. We need you to share your positive feedback with the City directly!
Please share this far and wide – We look forward to seeing you soon!
Cynthia Rose
Director
Santa Monica Spoke

Santa Monica Talks

Let’s talk about what’s happening in Santa Monica. Join us to meet City staff, make connections, learn about City services and finances, see what’s happening in your neighborhood and citywide, share your thoughts, and ask questions.

The same information will be provided at each meeting. Please attend the session that is most convenient for you. Drop in or stay for the entire time. Staff will be available during the first and last 45 minutes of each session for informal conversations. Rod Gould, City Manager, will talk about the City’s fiscal health, ongoing services, upcoming projects, and answer your questions. These conversations will inform the development of the City’s fiscal year 13-15 budget. Neighborhood association representatives will also be present.

Childcare, bike valets, and BBB vouchers will be available. A light dinner will be provided at the two evening meetings. RSVPs will help us meet child care needs and order food accordingly. Hope to see you at one of the upcoming meetings!

All locations are wheelchair accessible. For additional disability-related accommodations please call (310) 458-8301.

Stop by to connect with City staff, share your thoughts, see what’s happening in your neighborhood and citywide, and learn about City services and finances.

 

Saturday, November 10, 
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
City Manager’s presentation, 10:45am
Franklin Elementary School, 2400 Montana Avenue

Monday, November 12,
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
City Manager’s presentation, 7:15 pm
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium,
East Wing, 1855 Main Street

Thursday, November 15,
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm,
*simultaneous Spanish translation
City Manager’s presentation – 7:15 pm
The Writers Boot Camp, Bldg. I,
2525 Michigan Avenue

 

Participants can meet one-on-one with staff to discuss specific issues related to public safety, transportation, parking, planning, housing, human services, community spaces and programs, technology, sustainability, and “Be Excited! Be Prepared” capital improvement projects. Following the one-on-one dialogues City Manager Rod Gould will give a presentation about City services, finances, and projects and answer questions from the audience. After the presentation, City staff will again be available again to meet one-on-one with residents.

Comment forms and meeting materials are available online at: www.smgov.net/smtalks.
Although the meetings are free and open to all, please RSVP online at www.smgov.net/smtalks.

Additionally:
If you cannot attend but would like to give feedback on BAP, bike lanes etc. please email to BAP@SMSpoke.org –
This address sends copies of your email to us and forwards a copy directly to the City.

Taking bike lanes back to the curb?

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Some who have traveled to Europe may have seen this in action, but for those who have not and as an added visual for our toolbox I pass along these videos.
Very interesting and versatile treatment – Intersections may look cramped but seem to work well. Articulated bus shown in 2nd video doesn’t seem to have trouble negotiating the turn without jumping the curb. Possible design solutions for several difficult junctions in Santa Monica including the Esplanade Design Project downtown.

The Dutch build cycle paths right on their junctions. So they must have wider streets, right? Wrong! This video shows how it is done, no extra space needed.

Junction design the Dutch – cycle friendly way
Video by markenlei
In part 2 the Dutch demonstrate how they have been designing junctions with cycle paths for decades. There is nothing experimental about these junctions. They say they have proven to be safer for cyclists than junctions without such provisions.

Dutch junction design – safer for cyclists
Video by markenlei
The article with more images and information can be found here.
I look forward to discussion on this topic

Dinner & Bikes (& Cupcakes) 2012

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We are so excited to announce that once again

Portland comes to Santa Monica

Dinner & Bikes (& Cupcakes) 2012

Friday, September 14th

502 Colorado, Santa Monica
Doors open a 6pm, Planning lots of fun stuff to do!
Dinner bell rings at 7pm
Details soon on afternoon bike ride!

*New Presentation by nationally recognized writer on cycling Elly Blue of Taking the Lane” on the economic benefits of bicycle transportation for local economies.
*View extended film excerpt of Aftermass, an origin story of Portland’s bicycle culture and infrastructure & a new short film “One Less Truck” a heartwarming tale about a classic car mechanic turned on to cargo biking by documentarian and founder of Microcosm Publishing Joe Biel
*Gourmet vegan dinner prepared by Traveling Celebrity Vegan Chef Josh Ploeg
and AWESOME VEGAN CUPCAKES baked again by Santa Monica Spoke’s Director Cynthia Rose

PLUS Prize drawings and Door Prizes!

Click here to RSVP – give number with names of who will attend
Stay tuned for updates
last years event was AWESOME!!

Performance Better Bicycling Community’ Grants Winner …….. Santa Monica Spoke

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 For Immediate Release

alliance logo

 

 

 

 

Performance Bicycle® Announces its
‘Better Bicycling Community’ Grants Winners

Nation’s Largest Independent Cycling Retailer Awards
10 Local Communities With $3,000 Grants

CHAPEL HILL, NC - (Aug. 1, 2012) - In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, Performance Bicycle has awarded $30,000 in Better Bicycling Community Grants. Ten advocacy organizations around the country received $3,000 to support local efforts to boost the accessibility of bicycling in communities where there are Performance stores. The grants are administered in collaboration with the Alliance for Biking & Walking.

“It was a tough decision to narrow it down to 10 recipients,” said Performance Bicycle Chief Executive Officer David Pruitt. “We want to thank all the terrific organizations dedicated to making cycling more accessible. Each one is a vital part of their community and we appreciate their hard work and commitment.”

The ten organizations that will receive a Better Bicycling Community grant are spread across the country. Each will involve the community and will work with their local Performance store to achieve their grant goals. . The funded campaigns are as follows:

Bike Austin (Austin, Texas): North MoPac Bike Highway Commuter Route Campaign

Bike Maryland (Baltimore, Maryland): Bicycle Friendly Maryland Campaign

Bike Utah (Salt Lake City, Utah): CiSLClovia – Open Streets Initiative

Carrboro Bicycle Coalition (Chapel Hill, North Carolina): Chapel Hill – Carrboro Open Streets Initiative

Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation (Seattle, Washington): Advocacy Leadership Institute

Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization (Westerville, Ohio): Rejuvenation of Alum Creek Phase 1 Campaign

Community Bikes (Charlottesville, Virginia): Charlottesville Open Streets Initiative

East Bay Bicycle Coalition (Oakland, California): Yes on Measure B Campaign

Living Streets Alliance (Tucson, Arizona): Kidical Mass Tucson 2013 Campaign

Santa Monica Spoke (Santa Monica, California): Community Outreach for Better Biking in Santa Monica

To read more on all the wonderful projects see the full Press Release - HERE

Thank you Performance Bicycle and the Alliance for Biking & Walking. We are very excited to have been selected for this grant that will support our community. These funds will support our outreach and implementation efforts for Santa Monica’s Bicycle Action Plan projects, specifically The Michigan Avenue Greenway and Broadway Bicycle Boulevard.

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About Performance Bicycle®:
Performance Bicycle® is the No. 1 specialty bicycle retailer in the U.S. and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Performance Inc. Performance provides a multi-channel cycling retail experience that spans more than 100 stores nationwide, and www.PerformanceBike.com, all catering to both the avid cycling enthusiast and the recreational rider. Performance Inc. is majority owned by North Castle Partners of Greenwich, Conn.

About the Alliance for Biking & Walking:
The Alliance for Biking & Walking is the coalition of more than 200 state and local bicycle and pedestrian organizations working together to promote bicycling and walking in North American communities. To learn more about the Alliance, visit