Press Release Archives - Page 9 of 10

Good Transportation Funding Package Poisoned at Last Minute

March 29, 2017/by Zac

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 29, 2017

Contact: Jeanie Ward-Waller, Policy Director, jeanie@calbike.org, 916-399-3211

Re: Good Transportation Funding Package Poisoned at Last Minute

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Sacramento, CA — Up to $5 billion of new funding to repair and improve California’s crumbling transportation infrastructure is headed for a vote next week in the Legislature, but a last-minute deal with the polluting freight industry threatens to derail a tenuous compromise that had many community and social justice advocates readying to support it.

Yesterday, the California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) was close to supporting Senate Bill 1, after working with an alliance of more than 80 environmental and social justice groups to influence key changes. The coalition’s pressure won a commitment of nearly 20{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15} of the funding for improving and expanding public transit service for low-income people, a near-doubling of the state’s walking and biking funding, preservation of environmental regulations, and limits to the ability to expand highways, among other issues.

“This package is a big step in the direction of better, safer, and more affordable transportation options for Californians,” Jeanie Ward-Waller, CalBike’s Policy Director, said on Tuesday. “But this last-minute agreement to let poor communities continue to suffer the brunt of freight-based pollution is not acceptable.”

CalBike and environmental justice allies are asking legislative leadership to reverse this decision that would allow more pollution in neighborhoods along trucking routes and near ports.

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About the California Bicycle Coalition

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is California’s state-level bicycle advocacy organization, working to enable more people to ride bicycles for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities for all. CalBike partners with all 16 professionally-staffed local bicycle advocacy organizations across the state, and hosts a bi-annual summit. Learn more at calbike.org.

CalBike Endorses Jesse Creed for LA City Council

February 21, 2017/by Zac

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Re: CalBike Endorses Jesse Creed for Los Angeles Council District 5; Elections Held March 7th

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Los Angeles, CA – The California Bicycle Coalition endorses candidate Jesse Creed for Los Angeles City Council District 5.

“Jesse will be a catalyst for change on behalf of the everyday Angeleno who doesn’t want to have to be stuck in a car all the time,” said Dave Snyder, CalBike’s Executive Director.

Between now and the March 7 election, CalBike will reach out to its hundreds of members in District 5 who share a desire to make Los Angeles more livable and affordable by making bicycling a more accessible option. The Sacramento-based group recently won an increase in funding for bike infrastructure, support for e-bikes to broaden bicycling’s potential, and new design rules encouraging more protection for bike riders. CalBike rarely gets involved in local elections, but made an exception in this case because of the stark contrast between Creed’s support for a more livable Los Angeles and the incumbent’s stubborn adherence to the old transportation paradigm of reliance on cars and only cars.

“Incumbent Paul Koretz has proven in recent years that he is at odds with the needs of people who bike. He’s been a barrier to implementing safer streets for bike riders and pedestrians, including children. He went out of his way to halt the implementation of bike lanes on Westwood Blvd, conceding to the voices of a few, and not the overwhelming evidence that bicycle commuters to UCLA need a safe route to campus. He removed Westwood Blvd from the Mobility Plan 2035, completely undermining years of public input,” said Linda Khamoushian, CalBike Communications Manager.

Los Angeles’ 5th Council District spans across the Westside neighborhoods east of the 405 freeway. This includes major employment centers such as UCLA and Century City. It is also the site of the recent extension of the Expo Line into Santa Monica, and a planned Purple Line extension. Gridlock and congestion in CD5 extend beyond the typical rush hour time frames and ever-worsening as population increases. Implementing sustainable mobility options is a priority for residents. Addressing traffic and mobility issues in CD5 has been a core component of Creed’s campaign platform from the beginning.

Creed’s campaign for city council is having grassroots success, activating and rallying community members and fundraising competitively to put incumbent Paul Koretz on the defense.

CD5 needs a catalyst for change, a policymaker to champion mobility for everyone. Creed is that guy. He is committed to creating safer streets for the most vulnerable users, in particular addressing the challenges faced by seniors and youth. More importantly, Creed supports completing the Westwood Blvd traffic safety study, in order to make a better decision based on facts. In a press conference held in the heart of Westwood Village, he reiterated his commitment to improving safety on Westwood Blvd. Creed doesn’t just understand the issues; as an avid bike commuter, he lives them.

Hear from Jesse himself at the following upcoming candidate forums:

Tonight, February 21st, 7pm
CD5 Debate hosted by Westwood Neighborhood Council at 10750 Ohio Ave

Saturday, February 25th, 1pm
CD5 Candidate Forum hosted by Mid City West Neighborhood Council

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Governor’s Transportation Vision Includes Boosts for Walking, Biking, & Transit

January 10, 2017/by Zac

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — January 10th, 2017

Contact: Jeanie Ward-Waller, Policy Director/California Bicycle Coalition, jeanie@calbike.org, 916-399-3211

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Sacramento, CA – Today, Governor Brown released his 2017-18 State Budget proposal, which includes $4 billion in new annual investment for transportation to repair roads and help Californians travel more efficiently and sustainably. While the majority of the new revenue will be directed towards maintaining state highways and local roads, this proposal does provide meaningful increases to a variety of other road, transit, and active transportation programs that will help put California on a path toward meeting state climate and equity goals. The new revenue will be raised from a combination of gas and diesel taxes, vehicle license fees, and state climate investments from the possible extension of the Cap-and-Trade Program.

The Active Transportation Program (ATP)–the state’s dedicated source of funding for walking, bicycling, and Safe Routes to School projects–is slated to receive an additional $100 million per year from Cap-and-Trade proceeds in the proposal, with at least half to be invested in projects in communities where they are most needed. “As one of the first state programs to weave social equity into its very fabric, the ATP has already invested millions in communities that are too often left behind,” said Tony Dang, Executive Director of California Walks. “The ATP’s investments have brought the needs of our most vulnerable Californians to the forefront and enable them to walk or bike for their everyday needs safely and conveniently.”

Though the proposal does not meet the unrelenting demand for these investments at the local level–totalling over $1 billion in requests annually–it would nearly double the ATP.

“We applaud the Governor for proposing to significantly increase the state’s commitment to the Active Transportation Program and ensuring that walking and biking project funds are prioritized to disadvantaged communities,” said Jeanie Ward-Waller, Policy Director for the California Bicycle Coalition. “We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature on crafting the details of this funding proposal to ensure investments in state and local roads also include improvements for people walking and bicycling to create “complete streets” and provide safe alternatives to traveling by car.”

“We are pleased to see the Governor champion such a big investment in the Active Transportation Program in this year’s budget. This money will benefit children across the state who walk and bike to school every day, and encourage many more to do so by creating safer crossings, improved sidewalks and Safe Routes to School education programs,” shared Bill Sadler, California Senior Policy Manager, Safe Routes to School National Partnership

“The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association welcomes the Governor’s plan to increase funding for the Active Transportation Program,” said Eric Batch, Vice President of Advocacy. “As one of the nation’s oldest public health organizations, we know that physical activity is an important tool in preventing heart disease and stroke. We will continue to work with the Governor’s office to adequately fund Active Transportation, Safe Routes to School, and the creation of complete streets.”

The proposal would also invest an additional $400 million of Cap-and-Trade funds in new transit projects to expand our rail and bus networks statewide. “We support and appreciate the Governor’s desire to invest in new transit projects and service; however, we need to see a proportional investment in improving existing service for people who already rely on the bus for their daily travel,” commented Joshua Stark, State Policy Director, TransForm.

Finally, Governor Brown proposes new programs to empower regions to achieve ambitious state climate goals: regional sustainability planning grants to major metropolitan regions in the state and the new Corridor Mobility Improvement Program to improve congestion on major commute routes, which with appropriate direction could be a boon for public transit improvements and walk and bikeway projects along those corridors.

“Given the ambitious nature of our climate and equity goals, we are pleased to see the Governor provide the regions with much-needed resources to tackle improving access and mobility while ultimately addressing climate change through these innovative programs.” said Chanell Fletcher, Associate Director for ClimatePlan. “We remain committed to working with the Governor and Legislature to ensure that the regions — and local communities — have the necessary tools to create sustainable, healthy, and equitable communities.”

Despite the strides in the Governor’s Budget to increase investment in walking and bicycling, new transit, sustainable planning and corridor improvements, the vast majority of new transportation revenue still short-sightedly enables auto travel. The Governor’s proposal includes an additional $800M for new projects in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) — this is on top of $750M to restore funding for projects that were cut in 2016. Additional funding to programs like the STIP should include clear accountability measures to ensure it is spent on projects that reduce driving and promote social equity, or it will ultimately hinder the state from meeting its climate change reduction targets.

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California Bicycle Coalition, California Walks, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, TransForm, American Heart Association, and ClimatePlan are non-profit organizations committed to advancing walking, bicycling, and affordable transit for all Californians.

Advocates Succeed to Redirect $24 Million in Active Transportation Funding to Disadvantaged Communities Across California

December 8, 2016/by Zac

For Immediate Release

Re: Advocates Succeed to Redirect $24 Million in Active Transportation Funding to Disadvantaged Communities Across California

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Sacramento CA — Wednesday, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved $158 million in grant funds for walking and bicycling projects, including $24.3 million that was diverted from a single high-profile project in the Coachella Valley to five very high need communities across the state. The late revision to the $24 million allocation was a result of careful scrutiny and advocacy by the California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) and Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.

The original CTC staff recommendation for the 2017 Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant cycle would have allocated almost one fifth of the funds available statewide to CV Link, a fifty-mile multi-use path connecting cities in the Coachella Valley. The path, intended for bicycles and pedestrians as well as “low-speed electric vehicles” such as golf carts, was missing data in its application and was inaccurately awarded too many points for benefiting disadvantaged communities. CalBike’s Policy Director Jeanie Ward-Waller discovered the error, and led a coalition of advocates to request a reevaluation by the CTC. As a result, the CTC corrected the CV Link application score and revised its recommendation to reallocate funding to five other deserving projects.

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability works directly with residents in low-income communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley and San Joaquin Valley. Mariela Magaña, policy advocate with Leadership Counsel, met with mothers in the Eastern Coachella Valley community of North Shore on her way to the CTC hearing, and shared photos of the utter absence of pedestrian infrastructure in North Shore neighborhoods with the Commission.

“One of the many beacons of the ATP is its commitment to invest in severely disadvantaged communities, and in that spirit we want to see investment in communities like those in the Eastern Coachella Valley,” said Ms. Magaña. “Now that the state-level allocation is behind us, we’ll be ensuring that the regional ATP process in Riverside County also prioritizes investments in those severely disadvantaged communities – like North Shore – where moderate investments will have truly transformational impacts.”

“If the Active Transportation Program is to fulfill its promise in providing affordable and healthy transportation options for the people who need them the most, it’s critical that the evaluation of the projects is fair and accurate,” said Jeanie Ward-Waller of CalBike. “We commend the CTC for maintaining the integrity of the program by making the difficult decision to redirect funding to other deserving projects.”

The five new projects funded include the Central Avenue Complete Street Project in Alameda; pedestrian improvements along First Street in Santa Ana; the McGowan Parkway Bicycle Lane and Pedestrian Route Improvements in Yuba County; a regional Safe Bicycling and Wayfinding project connecting the cities of Compton and Carson; and Long Beach’s Citywide 8-80 Connections project. A total of $158,096,000 was awarded to 44 Statewide projects and 10 Small Urban and Rural projects, and approved yesterday by the CTC.

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L.A. Policymakers and Media Invited to Special eBike Tour and Presentation at the Electric Bike Expo

December 1, 2016/by Zac

Media Alert & Invite – November 15, 2016

From: Melissa Balmer – Media Director/California Bicycle Coalition Melissa@calbike.org Tel. 562.221.9672

Re: L.A. Policymakers and Media Invited to Special eBike Tour + Presentation at the Electric Bike Expo Friday, Dec. 2 in Santa Monica

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Sacramento CA – Media and policymakers are invited to join the California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike), Bosch, the Electric Bike Expo, Santa Monica Spoke, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition on Friday, December 2nd in Santa Monica for an afternoon eBike tour and presentation. Learn more about the opportunity electric bikes present for engaging the broader public in the benefits of bicycling, what’s next in California’s progressive eBike policy thought leadership, and how Santa Monica achieved a remarkable 356{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15} growth in biking and counting.

The event will start at 1:00 pm at the Electric Bike Expo in Santa Monica Pier parking lot at 1550 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica 90401, and end by 2:00 pm. Participation is free, the ride is easy and appropriate for all levels of ridership,but space is limited. Please send your RSVP to Melissa@Calbike.org. Afterwards, the media can learn more about the specific eBike brands being represented at the Expo and try out more of them on the test track. Participants are asked to come at least a half an hour early so they we can get you set up with the right bike. Please bring your own helmet if you have one.

Ride and Presentation Agenda

1:00 PM – Bosch: Introduction to eBikes by Claudia Wasko, Bosch eBike Systems
1:10 PM – Group Ride led by Cynthia Rose, Santa Monica Spoke
1:45 PM – Presentation by Linda Khamoushian and Charlie Gandy of the California Bicycle Coalition, and Colin Bogart of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition

Why eBikes & Bicycling Are Important to California

Over the past few years, California has jumped 11 spots to its current ranking as the nation’s 8th most bike-friendly state, assessed annually by the League of American Bicyclists. CalBike feels strongly that electric bikes are key to creating an even more bike-friendly future not only for the state but across the country, and the emerging industry has looked to California for its policy leadership. “California is leading the eBike movement as the first state to pass a progressive three-class eBike law, making it the role model for other states when it comes to eBike legislation. We are looking forward to showing Los Angeles residents how pedal-assist eBikes can help California reach its ambitious goal of tripling cycling by 2020.” said Claudia Wasko, General Manager of Bosch eBike Systems Americas.

In 2015, CalBike sponsored changes to the state Vehicle Code to reclassify low-speed electric bicycles as regular bikes instead of like mopeds. These changes mean that people riding low-speed eBikes can now access bicycle paths. The legislation is a model for the nation, according to the industry association, People for Bikes.
Bicycling has increased 78{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15} in California since 2000, while the risk of injury while biking has gone down about 40{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15}.

Under guidance from CalBike, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is expected to release an RFP late this year/early next to include an eBike and regular bike bike-share program as part of their “Car Sharing and Mobility Options Pilot Project” for disadvantaged communities.

CalBike has proposed a groundbreaking “Bicycle Purchase Incentive Pilot Program” to the California Air Resources Board (which oversees rebate programs for clean vehicle purchases) seeking $10 million in funding to grant Californians up to $500 vouchers on the purchase of new utility bicycles, including e-bikes.
The majority of the eBike brands featured in the eBike Expo have their U.S. headquarters based in California.

In 2014, California accounted for 1.2 billion dollars of the 6.1 billion dollars in U.S. bike-related sales.

California hosts 1,119 retail bikes shops and they employ over 9,700 employees.

Learn more from our California Bicycling Fact Sheet.

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The California Bicycle Coalition Seeks to Demystify Building Protected Bike Lanes for Californian Cities

August 26, 2016/by CalBike Staff

In 2016, CalBike rolled out a campaign to demystify and promote a type of bike lane that was, at the time, still relatively new to the United States but rapidly gaining favor across the country: the protected bike lane, officially called a “Separated Bikeway.” Cities around California and across the world are building these new, safer bike lanes that protect bicycle traffic from car traffic with physical barriers such as planter boxes or parked cars.

These “Separated Bikeways” have been standard procedure in European countries for decades but are still rare here. While California actually leads in the number of protected bike lanes built (tracked in reporting by People for Bikes), the state is far from having enough of these protected bikeways as networked systems. The California Bicycle Coalition wants to rectify that by making it clear that this infrastructure is not only vetted and approved by Caltrans, but is also compliant with both CA HDM (CA Highway Design Manual) and MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices).

“Protected bike lanes are a key reason why it’s so safe, comfortable and convenient to ride a bike in cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen,” said Dave Snyder, the Executive Director of CalBike. “We can have that here too, but first we need to build them.”

The following California cities from North to South had already built separated bikeways by 2016: Davis, Emeryville, Oakland, San Francisco, Alameda, Modesto, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Carpenteria, Oxnard, Temple City, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Redondo Beach, Long Beach, San Jacinto, Murrieta, and Carlsbad. Since then, many more cities have adopted this safe infrastructure.

To call attention to the tremendous opportunity to create safer streets for everyone across the Golden State, CalBike contacted elected officials and Public Works Directors in the 50 largest cities across the state and distributed a concise 4-page brochure developed in collaboration with Alta Planning & Design.

CalBike_Class_IV_Bikeways_Brochure_Final_-_Web Download

The brochure demystifies the process of creating a protected bike lane, showing that Caltrans has approved the design and that it can be inexpensive to build. Any city can build them. Santa Ana partnered with youth at a local KidWorks nonprofit to successfully apply for grant funding for their first separated lane in an area where it’s very dangerous for kids to bike to school. The city was so inspired it went on to successfully apply for further separated bikeway funding.

“In our work planning, designing, and implementing Separated Bikeways across the country, we have seen the many positive benefits including economic, health, and safety firsthand,” said Bryan Jones, Principal of Alta Planning + Design, who helped develop the brochure. “Implementation of separated bikeways in cities throughout California will be key to the success of achieving Caltrans’ vision of tripling ridership on bicycles.”

With Increase to 8 Million in Funding, California’s Mobility Options Pilot Program Expands to Include Both Traditional and Electric Bikeshare

July 20, 2016/by Zac

Sacramento CA – At its most recent meeting, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) decided to fund bikesharing as part of its “Car Sharing and Mobility Options Pilot Project” for disadvantaged communities. The pilot project, launched last year with $2.5 million, was increased to $8 million. In addition to bike share, this program supports car sharing and transit passes, and is hosted under CARB’s Low Carbon Transportation Investments projects and funded by Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds.

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) has been advocating for bikeshare to be included in this type of pilot program for over a year. This win is exciting news for CalBike, and especially its partners in the bikeshare industry, and the electric bike industry, which the CARB is particularly interested in having participate in this program.

“We applaud the CARB for showing leadership by expanding the scope and funding of this pilot program to include bikesharing, and appreciate the innovative twist of adding electric bikesharing. The state has long neglected the role that bicycling can play in reducing greenhouse gases. This shows they’re starting to pay attention.” said Dave Snyder, the Executive Director of CalBike. “We’re looking forward to CARB hosting more progressive programs, like our proposed bike purchase incentive program, to really make bicycling mainstream in California.”

“We’re really pleased electric bikes are included as part of this newly extended project. We look forward to ebikes becoming a part of a robust bike purchase incentive program as this project evolves further.” Said Larry Pizzi, V.P. of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association and Chair of the Electric Bike Committee.

Both government agencies and nonprofits in California will be eligible to apply for the program when the next call for applications officially launches, which is expected this fall. It provides a great opportunity for cities to create smaller, less complicated, and more flexible bikeshare programs targeted specifically to benefit disadvantaged communities, something that is often lacking in many current bikeshare programs.

The California Bicycle Coalition will host an informative conference call in September for those interested in learning more. To be included in this conference call please contact CalBike’s Policy Director Jeanie Ward-Waller at Jeanie@calbike.org. Contact Melissa Balmer 562.221.9672 or Melissa@CalBike.org for media queries for the California Bicycle Coalition or the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.

About the California Bicycle Coalition

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is California’s state-level bicycling advocacy organization, working to enable more people to ride bicycles for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities for all. CalBike partners with all 16 professionally-staffed local bicycle advocacy organizations across the state, and hosts a bi-annual professional and advocacy focused summit.

We envision millions of people riding bikes every day in California with networks of safe streets and paths conveniently connect every destination. Our goal is to double the amount of bicycling in the Golden State 2017, and become the most bike-friendly state in the country by 2020. Learn more at calbike.org.

About Bicycle Product Suppliers Association (BPSA)

BPSA is an association of suppliers of bicycles, parts, accessories and services. The association leads industry initiatives in legal and governmental affairs and safety issues, is the leading resource for bicycle statistical data, and provides regular networking and educational forums for members. Learn more at: www.bpsa.org.

Transportation Is a Civil Right

April 11, 2016/by Zac

The Groundbreaking California Transportation Equity Summit and Bill Package Work to Rectify Unjust Transportation Policies

Sacramento CA – This May 16-17 the California Bicycle Coalition and TransForm will host the “Transportation Equity Summit & Advocacy Day.” Seeing transportation as a basic civil right, the summit will focus on how California can make sure that the benefits of bicycling, walking and public transportation more broadly extend to everyone in California, by putting a much greater emphasis on the safety and mobility needs of our state’s underserved.

For Immediate Release – April 11, 2016

From: Melissa Balmer – Media Director California Bicycle Coalition Cell 562.221.9672 email:Melissa@calbike.org

Re: Transportation Is a Civil Right – The Groundbreaking California Transportation Equity Summit and Bill Package Work to Rectify Unjust Transportation Policies

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Sacramento CA – This May 16-17 the California Bicycle Coalition and TransForm will host the “Transportation Equity Summit & Advocacy Day.” Seeing transportation as a basic civil right, the summit will focus on how California can make sure that the benefits of bicycling, walking and public transportation more broadly extend to everyone in California, by putting a much greater emphasis on the safety and mobility needs of our state’s underserved.

“California spends billions of dollars every year on highways that divide neighborhoods, worsen air pollution, promote climate change, and put vulnerable road users at risk, especially in disadvantaged communities. We need to change this if we want sustainable communities that are safe for people to walk and bicycle to where they need to go.” Jeanie Ward Waller, Policy Director, California Bicycle Coalition.

About the Transportation Equity Summit

Advocates and media who are also interested in more equitable, healthy transportation are invited to attend the May 16th Transportation Equity Summit from noon until 5:00 pm at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, 828 I Street in Sacramento. The summit will feature keynotes by Genoveva Islas, the newest CalBike Board member and Director of Cultiva La Salud from Fresno, as well as other groundbreaking thought leaders working for healthier, more equitable transportation for all Californians. Six breakout sessions covering topics such as:

Bicycling and walking advocacy leading with equity
Linking good jobs and affordable housing to transportation
Funding for equitable transit, walking, and bicycling
Shared mobility, such as bike share and shared car services such as Lyft.

Following the summit will be an evening reception from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the International Hostel, with plenty of time for networking. On the following day at 8:00 am there will be a briefing breakfast sponsored by Dolan Law on the Transportation Equity Bill Package (described below) before converging on the Capitol for meetings with our legislators until 4:00 pm. Registration prices increase on April 15th so register today:

https://www.calbike.org/transportation-equity-summit-and-advocacy-day-may-16-17/.

Sponsors for the summit also include Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Bay Area Bicycle Law, and Yuba Bicycles.

About the Transportation Equity Bill Package

The California Bicycle Coalition, Assemblymembers Chris Holden (Pasadena), Eduardo Garcia (Coachella), Richard Bloom (Santa Monica), and a coalition of transportation and equity allies all want to ensure that state transportation resources are directed to rectify unjust policies of the past. That includes making bicycling, walking, and riding transit more efficient, safe, and affordable through the legislative process:

California Transportation Commission: Environmental Justice Act – AB 1982 (Bloom)

This bill expands the membership of the California Transportation Commission to 15 members to allow the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly to each appoint an additional member who works directly with disadvantaged communities that are most burdened and vulnerable to high levels pollutions.

The Active Transportation Planning and Education Act – AB 2796 (Bloom and Low)

This bill would establish a permanent percentage of Active Transportation Program funding to support planning in disadvantaged communities. This bill ensures that disadvantaged communities can access funding to plan future projects, as well as to pay for non-infrastructure projects such as bicycle safety education, encouragement, and engagement programs.

The Discounted Student Transit Pass Act – AB 2222 (Holden)

This bill creates a $50M transit pass program with Cap-and-Trade funds to provide discounted transit passes to students and low-income residents. As public transit is getting more expensive, it’s becoming out of reach to the folks who need it the most encouraging greater transit ridership and reducing driving.

The Transportation Equity and Job Creation Act – AB 2332 (Garcia)

This bill codifies the Caltrans Strategic goals to triple bicycling and double walking and transit by 2020, requires that Caltrans vet SHOPP projects through public hearings in each district that are accessible to disadvantaged residents, and requires that SHOPP prioritize projects that provide benefits in DACs identified by DACs (and sets a minimum of 35{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15} of funding that must be spent on these projects) as well as projects that provide jobs to low-income individuals with barriers to employment.

You can add your support to these individual bills or the entire package here:http://www.fixcaliforniaroads.org/equitypackage.

The Transportation Equity Bill Package coalition includes California Walks, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, PolicyLink, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability, TransForm, Move LA, California Bicycle Coalition, Breathe California, and Gamaliel of California.

About the California Bicycle Coalition

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is California’s state-level bicycling advocacy organization, working to enable more people to ride bicycles for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities for all. CalBike partners with all 16 professionally-staffed local bicycle advocacy organizations across the state, and hosts a bi-annual summit.

We envision millions of people riding bikes every day in California with networks of safe streets and paths conveniently connect every destination. Our goal is to double the amount of bicycling in the Golden State 2017, and become the most bike-friendly state in the country by 2020. Learn more atcalbike.org.
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For more information please contact:
Jeanie Ward-Waller, California Bicycle Coalition, jeanie@calbike.org, (916) 399-3211

Kim Chen, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, kchen@cpehn.org, (916) 447-1299

Joshua Stark, TransForm, jstark@transform.org, (916) 706-2035 ext. 302

E-Bike Expo

April 8, 2016/by Zac

The California Bicycle Coalition and 4/22-24 Palo Alto E-Bike Expo Celebrate Bicycling as a Tool for Optimism for Urban California Travel

Palo Alto CA – Electric bikes will help California move up the list of bike-friendly states, says the California Bicycle Coalition as they prepare for the nation’s largest Electric Bike Expo to arrive in Palo Alto April 22-24 during its Western U.S. tour.

For Immediate Release April 8, 2016

From: Melissa Balmer – Media Director California Bicycle Coalition Cell 562.221.9672 email:Melissa@calbike.org

Re: The California Bicycle Coalition and 4/22-24 Palo Alto E-Bike Expo Celebrate Bicycling as a Tool for Optimism for Urban California Travel

Note: Both images and promo video are available for use in editorial upon request. ContactPete.Prebus@ExtraEnergy.org Tel 702. 688. 5573 ext 700.

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Palo Alto CA – Electric bikes will help California move up the list of bike-friendly states, says the California Bicycle Coalition as they prepare for the nation’s largest Electric Bike Expo to arrive in Palo Alto April 22-24 during its Western U.S. tour.

California is currently the nation’s 8th most bike-friendly state, according to the League of American Bicyclists. E-bikes will help Californians bicycle more because they make most trips easy and fun to accomplish by bike. E-bikes flatten hills and help parents carry children to daycare. They can be “no sweat” bicycles. Last year, the California Bicycle Coalition sponsored changes to the Vehicle Code to regulate low-speed electric bicycles like regular bikes instead of like mopeds. These changes mean that people riding low-speed e-bikes can now access bicycle paths. The legislation is a model for the nation, according to the industry association, People for Bikes.

“We’re seeing the ‘aha’ moment across the state, as more and more people see others just like them bicycling. It might be someone breezing by with a smile on their face riding to work, or someone happily riding their children to school in a new protected bike lane, or a group of women on bike share bikes out for an afternoon of fun and shopping with friends,” said Dave Snyder, the Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “The growth in cycling is across the state and in every demographic, as we get safe and more comfortable infrastructure in more places. We have a long way to go, but we’re approaching a tipping point.”

A wide array of electric bicycles will be on full display April 22-24th at the free Electric Bike Expo at Stanford Mall in Palo Alto. Local residents and visitors alike are invited to test ride the latest electric bicycle models on a specially designed self-contained test track. Over 100 models from 16 different manufacturers will be available at this family-friendly event. The public, the media, and bike shop retailers can register now in advance for a free VIP pass at: http://www.electricbike-expo.com/locations/palo-alto-california/. California is the only state where the expo stops twice on its inaugural tour of some of the West’s most bike-friendly cities.

There is so much interest in electric bikes in the Palo Alto area that Stanford Research Park will be running shuttles for employees of the Park to attend the Expo on Friday before the venue opens to the public.

More About the Opportunity and Benefit of Bicycling for California

Bicycling has increased 78{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15} in California since 2000, while the risk of injury while biking has gone down about 40{850a63fa8a72bae4d6bfa3f1eda9f619cddace10f9053ede128e2914f9ca5a15}.

The California Bicycle Coalition has proposed the “Bicycle Purchase Incentive Pilot Program” to the California Air Resources Board (which oversees rebate programs for clean vehicle purchases). The program seeks $10 million in funding to grant Californians up to $500 vouchers on the purchase of new utility bicycles, including e-bikes. The California Bicycle Coalition is currently seeking support for the programthrough its online petition.

Fourteen of the sixteen e-bike brands featured in the E-Bike Expo have their U.S. headquarters based in California.

In 2014, California accounted for 1.2 billion of the 6.1 billion in U.S. bike-related sales.

California hosts 1,119 retail bikes shops and they employ over 9,700 employees.

Learn more from our California Bicycling Fact Sheet.

More About the 2016 E-Bike Expo

Over 2,200 people came to San Diego in February to attend the E-Bike Expo, with electric assist cargo bikes and city bikes being clear favorites for that crowd.

“Our events are allowing a broader consumer base to experience how these power-assisted bikes can change their routines, both for recreational exercise as well as reduce their operational costs for day to day local errands.” Said Ray Verhelst, President of Extra Energy. “The Expo is also proving to be an important platform for manufacturers to meet with new and existing dealers as we travel to these regional settings. Companies are scheduling meetings, and providing hands-on sales training, as a dealer’s staff can shadow the reps and learn talking points as they talk to hundreds of potential customers.”

Hosted by Extra Energy, this eye-opening experiential opportunity is made possible with technology by global leader Bosch eBike Systems (Irvine, CA), and a special enclosed outdoor track courtesy of Trek Bikes. The e-bike lines ready for test rides include: A2B (San Francisco, CA), BESV (Mountain View, CA), BULLS (Lynwood, CA), Easy Motion (Foothill Ranch, CA), Felt Electric (Irvine, CA), Focus, Gazelle, and Kalkhoff (Carlsbad, CA), Haibike (Simi Valley, CA), IZIP (Simi Valley, CA), Raleigh, Stromer (San Diego, CA), Tempo (San Jose, CA), Trek, Xtracycle (Oakland, CA) and Yuba (Petaluma, CA).

Why The E-Bike Industry is Excited to Participate

“California is leading this e-bike movement and is quickly becoming the epicenter of the North American e-bike industry. California is also the first state with a three-class e-bike definition and is a role-model for other states when it comes to e-bike legislation. We and our Expo partners Bulls, BH EasyMotion, Felt, Gazelle, Haibike, Trek, and Xtracycle are looking forward to introducing Bay Area residents to the wonderful world of pedal-assist e-bikes and letting the pedals do the talking for us.” said Claudia Wasko, Regional Business Unit Leader for Bosch eBike Systems.

“We hear time and time again that the biggest barrier with electric bikes is that people are afraid they won’t be able to control them…When customers are shown how to use the features and actually get a chance to ride an e-bike, you can read the relief and excitement on their faces almost immediately. Once they take to the hills, it’s a whole other episode of enjoyment.” Said Emily Bremer, Women’s and City Bike Marketing Manager for Trek Bicycle.

More About the 2016 Electric Bike Expo

At Stanford Mall the public is invited to enjoy the free Electric Bike Expo that is a 25,000 square foot self-contained venue which includes a specially designed outdoor test track. This track will allow thousands of locals, from avid daily commuters and recreational riders, to those who may not have ridden a bike in years, to test ride the very latest e-bikes from top North American brands including city bikes, commuting bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, fat tire bikes, compact bikes and yes even cargo bikes and more!

For many of the models on display, this will be the first time seen in the United States. Stromer is launching their new high-tech ST2s eBike with a stated range of over 100 miles and electronic shifting at the Palo Alto Expo.

Tempo Bicycles will be raffling off one of their Carmel or Santa Barbara hybrid electric bicycles worth $4,000 to a lucky winner and the raffle proceeds will go to local charities. The raffle tickets will be $5 each and there will be multiple charities (including the California Bicycle Coalition) from which to buy the raffle tickets to increase participants’ chances of winning a Tempo hybrid electric bicycle.

Easy Motion and Stromer will be giving away one of their electric bikes to one lucky person who test rides any of their bikes.

That’s $12,000 total in electric bikes being given away!

Raleigh, iZIP, Yuba, Felt, Focus, Kalkhoff, and Gazelle will be offering discount coupons redeemable at local dealers.

Local retailers such as Motostrano, Winchester EBikes, and others will be present in their own spaces to offer information on their bikes and services.

Connect with Us

Media interested in speaking with Extra Energy, or being connected with any of the participating e-bike brands, please contact Pete Prebus, Chief Marketing Officer Pete.Prebus@ExtraEnergy.org Tel 702.688.5573 ext 700. Both images and promo video are available for use in editorial.
Media interested in speaking to Dave Snyder and the California Bicycle Coalition about the passing of the new e-Bike law, and the proposed “Bicycle Purchase Incentive Pilot Program” please contact Melissa Balmer Melissa@CalBike.org or cell 562.221.9672.

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About Extra Energy

ExtraEnergy Services North America is comprised of a talented and experienced group of electric bike industry and event experts. Prior to the Electric Bike Bike Expo, ExtraEnergy managed the new indoor bike test track at Interbike in 2015. Interbike is the largest bicycle trade show in the U.S. and is held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Find out more about the Expo at ElectricBike-Expo.com.

About the California Bicycle Coalition

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is California’s state-level bicycling advocacy organization, working to enable more people to ride bicycles for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities for all. CalBike partners with all 16 professionally-staffed local bicycle advocacy organizations across the state, and hosts a bi-annual summit.

We envision millions of people riding bikes every day in California with networks of safe streets and paths conveniently connect every destination. Our goal is to double the amount of bicycling in the Golden State 2017, and triple it by 2020. Learn more at calbike.org.

The San Joaquin Valley’s Genoveva Islas, MPH Selected as Newest Board Member for the California Bicycle Coalition

March 28, 2016/by Zac

The California Bicycle Coalition is honored to include the San Joaquin Valley’s Genoveva Islas, MPH as its newest Board Member. An avid bicyclist, with over 25 years of experience in both the public and private health sectors, Genoveva is currently the Program Director for Cultiva La Salud. Cultiva La Salud is dedicated to creating healthier communities in the San Joaquin Valley by changing policies, systems and environments to allow for greater access to healthy foods and beverages and increased opportunities for physical activity.

For Immediate Release – March 28, 2016

From: Melissa Balmer – Media Director California Bicycle Coalition Cell 562.221.9672 email:Melissa@calbike.org

Re: The San Joaquin Valley’s Genoveva Islas, MPH Selected as Newest Board Member for the California Bicycle Coalition

———————————————————————————————————-

Sacramento CA – The California Bicycle Coalition is honored to include the San Joaquin Valley’s Genoveva Islas, MPH as its newest Board Member. An avid bicyclist, with over 25 years of experience in both the public and private health sectors, Genoveva is currently the Program Director for Cultiva La Salud. Cultiva La Salud is dedicated to creating healthier communities in the San Joaquin Valley by changing policies, systems and environments to allow for greater access to healthy foods and beverages and increased opportunities for physical activity.

Ms. Islas is also a board member for the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, California Food Policy Advocates, California Institute for Rural Studies, and Community Water Center. Islas was appointed by Governor Brown to serve on the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley board and most recently the Health Benefit Exchange Board for California (Covered CA).

“We’ve worked with Genoveva as an ally in state policy change; I’m excited we’ll now get to benefit from her expertise and San Joaquin Valley connections as she plays a more strategic role as a board member,” said Dave Snyder, CalBike’s Executive Director.

About the California Bicycle Coalition

The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) is California’s state-level bicycling advocacy organization, working to enable more people to ride bicycles for healthier, safer, and more prosperous communities for all. CalBike partners with all 16 professionally-staffed local bicycle advocacy organizations across the state, and hosts a bi-annual summit.
We envision millions of people riding bikes every day in California with networks of safe streets and paths conveniently connect every destination. Our goal is to double the amount of bicycling in the Golden State 2017, and become the most bike-friendly state in the country by 2020. Learn more at calbike.org.

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