California Bicycle Coalition: Celebrating 25 Years

We are planning several events around the state to celebrate, and we’ll update this page with specifics. Stay tuned by signing up in the green box, below, to hear about an event near you.

Sacramento 25th Anniversary Party
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019
6 to 9 p.m.
Home of CalBike Supporters in Midtown
RSVP on Eventbrite (and receive full details)

Twenty-five years ago, a group of bicyclists founded the California Bicycle Coalition to advocate for more bicycle-friendly communities. With support from the Bicycle Federation of America, they worked with political and community leaders to win more funding for bicycle infrastructure and education. We’ve accomplished so much over the past 25 years. Read an in-depth history or a more detailed list of our policy accomplishments. Here are just a few highlights…

1997: More Funding for Bike Lanes

CalBike pushed to more than tripled funding allocated to the Bicycle Lane Account, the only Caltrans account dedicated solely to bicycle projects.

1999: Safe Routes to School

We co-sponsored legislation to create the first statewide Safe Routes to School program, and rewrote the California driver’s manual to better educate motorists on bicyclists’ rights.

2003: Bicycle Blueprint

CalBike helps to create the “Bicycle Blueprint,” California’s master plan for bicycling

2008: Complete Streets

CalBike teams with AARP to win legislation to require local agencies to include Complete Streets policies in their general plans. We work with Caltrans to update their Complete Streets policies.

2011: Representation of Bicyclists on the CTCDC

We reform the California Traffic Control Devices Committee to include two representatives of non-motorized transportation.

2013: Three Feet for Safety and the Active Transportation Program

In a year of big victories, the “Three Feet for Safety Act” passes, requiring motorists to give three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle, and we coordinated with allies to win the new Active Transportation Program, increasing funding for biking and walking by 35%.

2014: Protected Bikeways Act

Bikeway design is transformed by the approval of the Protected Bikeways Act of 2014, allowing for a new kind of bike lane that provides physical separation from car traffic. Caltrans endorsed progressive street designs.

2015: No to the Helmet Mandate, Yes to E-Bikes

We change rules about modern, low-speed electric bicycles to treat them more like bicycles than mopeds, paving the way for e-bikes to expand bicycling to many more people. We defeat a proposed law to mandate helmet-wearing for adults on bicycles.

2016: More Funds for Bicycling and Walking, and for Disadvantaged Communities

CalBike wins an increase of $10 million for the Active Transportation Program, the state’s dedicated bike/walk fund, and gets Caltrans to dedicate 80% of its funds to disadvantaged communities. With a coalition, win several significant climw money specifically for biking and walking infrastructure and billions more for safer, smoother roads, better transit, and more local control of transportation spending, as part of Senate Bill 1, a landmark transportation package. We inaugurate the California Walk Bike Youth Leaders Program, bringing 11 young advocates from across the state together to workshop local advocacy projects and present their projects a the California Bicycle Summit.