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About CBC
The California Bicycle Coalition is a non-profit education and lobbying organization working to improve bicycling conditions throughout the State of California. CBC's mission is to create safe, healthy and livable communities in California by promoting bicycling for transportation and recreation.
Based on its mission, CBC advocates for increased bicycle use, access, safety and education. CBC is a diverse membership-based organization comprised of recreational and commuter cyclists, bicycle related manufacturers, bike shops, law enforcement, environmentalists, transit advocates, and transportation and air quality planners. CBC has a 501(c)3 education branch, and a 501(c)4 lobbying branch.
Accomplishments
- Sponsored AB 1358, The Complete Streets Act, which was signed into law in 2008. AB 1358 will ensure that the transportation plans of California communities meet the needs of all users of the roadway including pedestrians, bicyclists, users of public transit, motorists, children, the elderly, and the disabled. AARP California joined CBC as co-sponsor of the bill.
- Shepherded major revisions to Caltrans Deputy Directive 64 (DD-64) which, as of 2008, clearly states Caltrans' intention to embrace Complete Streets principles as a matter of policy. It also expands the duties of Caltrans staff under the policy and delegates most of those duties to the district level. The policy requires all levels of Caltrans, from headquarters to the 12 Caltrans districts, to consider the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations and maintenance activities.
- Sponsored successful California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 211 (ACR 211), authored by Assemblyman Joe Nation (D-San Rafael), which in 2002, directed cities and counties to accommodate bicyclists in all transportation projects by implementing Caltrans Deputy Directive 64 (.pdf format) and the U.S. Department of Transportation's design guidance document on integrating bicycling and walking when making road improvements.
- Fought for bike racks on buses by successfully amending the vehicle code to allow buses in excess of 45' in length to operate on California's highways. Special thanks to the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and Marin County Bicycle Coalition for their help on AB1409.
- Fought for and worked on the "Bicycle Blueprint," California's master plan for bicycling (read highlights, .pdf format).
- Co-sponsored innovative legislation to invest $115,000,000 over five years in bicyclist and pedestrian safety projects near California schools aka Safe Routes to School.
- Led successful campaigns to increase bike project funding by $15,000,000; to allow cities and counties to consider bicyclist and pedestrian safety when setting speed limits, and to add four new bicycle program positions at Caltrans for project review, safety and coordination.
- Rewrote the bicycling section of the driver's manual to better educate motorists about our presence on roads and got a question about our right to "take the lane" included in the mix of those used on the exam.
- Wrote and sponsored Assembly Bill 1020, which more than tripled the allocation to the only Caltrans account dedicated solely to bicycle projects.
- Played a crucial role in the success of two vital bills leading the way for a San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge bike facility.
- Helped deliver the votes of several US representatives to preserve federal support for bicycle transportation.
- Organizes the California Bike Commute, the nation's largest bike-to-work type event with over 10,000 participants annually, which every May unites public agencies, major employers and local activists to demonstrate that bicycling for work or for errands is fun, doable and just plain cool.
2009-10 CBC Board of Directors
Officers
President, Dave Snyder
San Francisco, CA
Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District board member / Walk Oakland ~ Bike Oakland advisory board member
Vice-President, Timothy Bustos
Santa Cruz, CA
Principal, Sustainable Transportation Planning & Design / Instructor, UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies Tech Transfer (Design, Implementation and Operation of Bicycle Facilities) / League-Certified Cycling Instructor
Treasurer, K. C. Butler
Poway, CA
Cycling Promotions West / League-Certified Cycling Instructor
Secretary, Jennifer Stanley
Oakland, CA
Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Coordinator, City of Oakland
At-Large Directors
Jim Baross
San Diego, CA
President, California Association of Bicycling Organizations (CABO) / Co-chair, California Bicycle Advisory Committee / San Diego County Bicycle Coalition board member / League of American Bicyclists 2009 League State Ambassador for California / League-Certified Cycling Instructor
Gary Brustin
Santa Monica, CA
Attorney-at-Law / League of American Bicyclists board member
Andrew Casteel
San Fransicso, CA
Executive Director, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition
John Ciccarelli
San Mateo, CA
Bicycle Solutions / National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Bicycle Technical Subcommittee member / League-Certified Cycling Instructor
Brian Cox
Irvine, CA
Hands On Bicycles, Inc.
Jim Haagen-Smit
Newcastle, CA
California contact, International Mountain Bicycling Assocation (IMBA)
Vince O'Brien
San Anselmo, CA
Marin County Bicycle Coalition board member
Stephan Vance
San Diego, CA
Senior Regional Planner, San Diego Association of Governments / San Diego County Bicycle Coalition board member / League-Certified Cycling Instructor
CBC Staff
Interim Executive Director, David Hoffman
Communications Director, Jim Brown
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CBC's General Advocacy Principles
PEOPLE WHO BICYCLE MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE: Bicycling creates healthier, safer and more livable communities. We work to increase the number of people who bicycle.
BICYCLISTS NEED GOOD ROADS: Public roads constitute the primary bicycling network. We strive to ensure that all roads are planned, designed, constructed and maintained so that people can safely and efficiently use them for bicycling.
TRAILS ARE IMPORTANT . . . AND FUN: Trails can add value to communities and increase bicycling opportunities. We support well-designed, off-road multi-use paths for recreation and transportation.
MOUNTAIN BICYCLISTS DESERVE REASONABLE ACCESS: Bicyclists usually can share trails with hikers, equestrians and other users, so we support access to most trails.
BICYCLISTS NEED PARKING FACILITIES: The availability of secure and convenient bike parking at workplaces, schools, stores, transit stations and other destinations is essential.
BICYCLISTS NEED MULTIMODAL ACCESS: Public transit agencies and private transportation companies should provide affordable and convenient space or facilities for carrying bicycles on buses, trains, shuttles, ferries and airplanes.
BICYCLING IS A SKILL: Knowing and applying vehicular cycling principles is key to enjoying cycling on public roadways. Public agencies and private organizations should increase the number of Californians who receive vehicular cycling instruction.
THE LEGAL SYSTEM MUST SERVE BICYCLISTS: Police officers, judges, juries and attorneys must recognize that people who bicycle are legitimate roadway users deserving of all protections of law afforded to other roadway users. Enforcement of, and penalties for, moving violations should be commensurate with the potential consequences. Public agencies should be held accountable for providing reasonably safe roads and trails for people who bicycle.
DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE: Improving the education of motorists regarding cyclists' right to use public roadways and ridding the streets of unlicensed, unskilled or reckless drivers are two imperatives.
TRANSPORTATION, PLANNING, TRAFFIC CALMING AND LAND-USE REFORMS CAN BENEFIT BICYCLISTS: An excess of cars and trucks on our public roadways makes bicycling less comfortable and safe than it should be. We support practical attempts to reduce the speed or number of motor vehicles when those efforts demonstrate a clear benefit to bicyclists. We also support land-use planning that makes bicycling safer and more convenient.
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