Last week, the California Air Resources Board finally issued its request for proposals to administer the $10 million electric bicycle purchase incentive program. CalBike worked with Assembly champions Tasha Boerner Horvath and Richard Bloom to get the program approved in 2021.
CalBike members and a number of industry leaders have supported our work to shape the program to meet our goals:
Replacing car trips with bike trips
Supporting low-income Californians
Supporting all kinds of e-bikes, including cargo bikes, bikes for people with disabilities
Supporting retail shops and community organizations
Providing safety education
Moving quickly, in order to get more funding in future years
How well those goals are met will depend upon who gets the contract to administer the program and how they operate it. CalBike’s first impression of CARB’s RFP is that it’s likely to produce great results. The RFP emphasizes quick action and reducing car trips, and it calls for low administrative costs, which means more bikes in the hands of more people.
CARB is accepting applications until May 10. It will choose the administrator by June 10 and deliver the funds by July 1, as required by law.
E-bike vouchers will become available a few months after July 1; the exact date of launch will depend on the timeline of the vendor selected to administer the program.
CalBike is working with potential applicants to make sure their proposals are as strong as possible. To stay informed about the process, sign up to receive updates.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/edgerunner11i_03.jpeg791791Kevin Claxtonhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKevin Claxton2022-04-13 18:51:252024-08-06 13:30:26Next Steps for California’s E-Bike Voucher Program
On March 28, 2022, the California Assembly Transportation Committee held a historic hearing with an opportunity to advance seven bills that advance active transportation. We’re happy to report that the committee voted to support all seven critical pieces of legislation. Thank you to all of you who sent emails and tweets to your assemblymembers on the committee to ask them to vote yes on the Active Transportation Slate of seven bills!
7 vital bills that lift up active transportation
Here’s what’s in these critical bills and which committees will consider them next.
The Bicycle Safety Stop
(AB 1713, Boerner Horvath): As written, the bill allows all bike riders aged 18 and over to treat stop signs as yields. CalBike asks the committee to amend the bill to lower the age to 16. If someone is old enough to drive, they are mature enough to responsibly practice the Bicycle Safety Stop. Next stop: Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Legalize Safe Street Crossings
(AB 2147, Ting): A critical step forward in reducing over-policing of Black and brown Californians, this bill eliminates jaywalking ticketing for safe midblock crossings. Next stop: Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The Bikes Belong Bill
(AB 1909, Friedman): This bicycle omnibus bill changes several sections of the California Vehicle Code to enhance safety for people on bikes and expand where people on e-bikes may ride. It’s California’s endorsement of the idea that bikes belong on our roads and streets. The changes in this measure include:
Car drivers must switch lanes to pass a bike if there is a passing lane.
Bikes can enter an intersection with the pedestrian walk light and don’t have to wait for the traffic light to turn green.
Removes the prohibition of Class 3 e-bikes on bike paths and trails. Local ordinances may bar e-bikes from equestrian and hiking trails, but not bikeways.
These changes, taken together, will make the streets safer and more equitable for people on bikes. Next stop: Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Leading Pedestrian Crossing Signals
(AB 2264, Bloom) A measure that would require a headstart for pedestrians before traffic can move when a light turns green, improving pedestrian safety. If implemented along with the Bikes Belong Bill, this measure will also enhance bike safety by giving bike riders a head start at busy intersections. Next stop: Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Bicycle Highways Bill
(AB 2237, Friedman): This measure requires regional transportation plans to be written to include visionary elements such as 15-minute neighborhoods and bicycle highways. Next stop: Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
Speed Camera Pilot
(AB 2336, Friedman): Speed kills on California streets and this bill creates a pilot program to study speed cameras for better and more equitable enforcement of speed limits. Next stop: Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee.
Transportation and Climate
(AB 2438, Friedman): If this bill becomes law, all transportation projects will have to align with California’s climate goals in order to receive state or local funding, which means putting active transportation and public transport at the center of California’s transportation future. Next stop: Assembly Appropriations Committee.
All these measures are worthy of support. Taken together, they represent an exciting leap forward to mitigate climate change, create more livable communities, and make our streets more equitable and safe for all Californians. CalBike urges the committee members to Vote YES on each of these seven critical bills.
Use the form above to contact your assemblymember. The members of the Assembly Transportation Committee are:
We are excited to bring the California Bicycle Summit back to Oakland for many reasons. Oakland is a diverse city with a thriving bike culture, a vibrant arts scene, and rich history. Plus, we found a venue that embodies the art and aspiration that is the heart of Oakland. But mostly, we’re thrilled to introduce Oakland to more of you.
Oakland has a robust bike program, some terrific protected bike lanes, and one of the most vital bike advocacy groups in California (Bike East Bay). It also borders Berkeley, which has storied bicycle boulevards and one of the highest bike mode shares in California, and it’s an easy BART or ferry ride from San Francisco, which has its own rich bicycle culture.
Here is a sampling of trivia, history, and culture to savor on a visit to Oakland.
The art of biking
Oakland is home to many visual artists, including painters, muralists, Burning Man sculptors and builders, and a diverse music scene that includes homegrown genres (like hyphy). So it’s no surprise that the art and whimsy of the city found their way into Oakland bike culture.
The best-known Oakland bicycle icons are the Original Scraper Bike Team. The team uses colorful duct tape wrapped around bicycle spokes to create “art in motion,” and the group’s mission has expanded from creating homegrown bike culture to serving Oakland youth. And it all started with an irresistible music video.
Bike Party started in San Jose before spreading around the Bay, and the East Bay version is an explosion of music, lights, costumes, and — manners. Bike Party stops at all lights and makes sure no one is left behind. It’s a joyous parade of elaborately-lit bikes and speakers booming on bike trailers that’s both kid-friendly and a fun Friday night out.
San Francisco political party, the Wigg Party, is named after one of the city’s most popular bike routes, The Wiggle.
You can experience North America’s first wildlife refuge in the heart of Oakland at Lake Merritt via a gorgeous protected bikeway that encircles the lake.
Bike East Bay advocates for better biking in 33 cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, working in communities that range from super bike-friendly to very car-centric.
The Town
Oakland is fondly called The Town or Oaktown, in contrast to San Francisco, often referred to as The City. Look for depictions of the iconic cranes that dominate the skyline at the Port of Oakland, visible from the freeway or nearby Jack London Square. Visit the Oaklandish flagship store at 1444 Broadway, just a few blocks from the Summit venue, for graphic tees and other locally made goodies that express the pride that locals feel in their community.
A rich history
As a majority BIPOC city, Oakland’s history includes booms and busts, decades of development followed by neglect and reinvention. For example, the Uptown Oakland neighborhood, where the Summit is centered, includes many glorious examples of art deco architecture that survived being torn down because of lack of investment and have now come to life again as art, music, and entertainment venues. The OakStop complex, where the breakout sessions will take place, is a great example of this: it’s in a historic building with an ornate facade that speaks to Oakland’s history while inside the coworking and event space walls are is filled with work by today’s local artists.
The Fox Theater is a thriving music venue across the street from Oakstop and the Paramount Theater, a few blocks up Broadway, hosts concerts and classic movies.
Uptown’s commercial spaces are being reimagined by local artists and entrepreneurs, leading to an eclectic mix of retail, art galleries, and eateries. That includes the Oakstop venue, where you can view the work of local artists in every meeting room. The art deco California Ballroom, where we’ll host the Summit plenary sessions, first opened in 1926 and joined a vibrant entertainment scene in Oakland, a prime tour stop for top Black performers because of The Town’s sizeable Black community. Explore the roots of that community at the African American Museum and Library, a short walk from the Summit venue.
Unlike San Francisco’s Chinatown, Oakland’s Chinatown is oriented toward the people who live there, not tourists. This vibrant neighborhood, just a short walk or bus ride from the Summit, once stretched to Jack London Square and the San Francisco Bay before it was cut in half by a freeway, a fate it shares with many Chinese communities in California. Of particular interest to active transit nerds: the beautifully decorated intersections where pedestrian scrambles serve the bustling, walkable community.
Oakland has also been an incubator for revolutionary political movements from the Black Panthers to Occupy Oakland. You can learn more about local and California history at the Oakland Museum of California, which offers a mix of art, history, science, and fascinating special exhibitions.
A foodie paradise
The Bay Area is known for its fabulous restaurants, and Oakland is no exception. A flourishing vegan community means that you can find vegan options on most menus, in addition to fantastic vegan restaurants. Meat lovers, don’t despair — Oakland has terrific dining options to please every palate. The Town is home to excellent Mexican, Thai, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, and soul food eateries, just to name a few. Restaurants of almost every cuisine are a short walk, bike ride, or transit trip from the Summit. Here are a few of our favorites.
Wise and Sons Jewish Deli, 1700 Franklin: If you’re missing the old country (i.e. New York), this fantastic deli is a must.
The Punchdown, 1737 Broadway: You can enjoy the natural, sulfate-free wine selection in-house or buy bottles to go. The food is yummy too.
Drakes Dealership, 2325 Broadway: Enjoy covid-safe dining in this lovely outdoor beer garden. Drakes has The. Best. Fries.
Solely Vegan, 301 Broadway: You haven’t lived until you’ve had the red beans and rice at this Black- and woman-owned vegan soul food restaurant. It’s worth the walk.
Agave Uptown, 2135 Franklin: The menu at this upscale Mexican restaurant has something for everyone. And don’t miss the Mescal.
Shandong, 328 10th Street: This Chinatown fave is famous for its dumplings, but the extensive menu has something for everyone.
Swan’s Market, 510 9th Street: Once a famous department store in Old Oakland, Swan’s Market is now home to a food court that is an incubator for innovative local chefs. Plus, there’s a farmer’s market on the street outside on Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
This is just a tiny (and somewhat biased) sampling of the many fantastic restaurants within a short walk or bike ride of the Summit.
So much to love about Oakland
On first look, Oakland’s center can look rundown, a bit rough around the edges. But what you’re seeing is a city that’s in a constant process of reinventing itself. Today’s empty storefront will be tomorrow’s happening art gallery. When you scratch below the surface, you find a wellspring of energy and creativity, a community trying to figure out how to preserve diversity and embrace modernity without forgetting its roots.
And we haven’t even touched on many of The Town’s attractions: Lake Merritt, with its glorious separated bike path (join us on the bike tour to visit it); the Grand Lake Theater, famous for the political messages on its marquee; Jack London Square, home to fantastic restaurants and delightful bay views; and so much more.
We hope you can join us at the California Bicycle Summit, April 6-9, in Oakland. And we hope that, while you are here, you can take some time to appreciate some of Oakland’s fantastic architecture, culture, and cuisine.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/East-Bay-Bike-Party.jpeg13652048Laura McCamyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngLaura McCamy2022-03-21 17:49:282023-11-28 12:10:53Explore Oakland at the California Bicycle Summit
The 2022 California Bicycle Summit opens on Wednesday, April 6, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., with an Opening Night Mixer at the New Parkway Theater. The mixer will be a miniature film festival with a twist. And you can order food and drinks (and fabulous popcorn) from the New Parkway’s full kitchen to enjoy while you watch.
Bike Shorts
The producers and actors in the documentaries Spokespeople and Biking While Black will be on hand to discuss their movies. Old and new bike-themed music videos will entertain us between the short films.
Pecha Kuchas
A handful of special PechaKucha presentations will showcase quirky and visionary themes ranging from the anthropology of bike-friendly cities to a nearly religious bicycle philosophy.
PechaKucha is a Japanese word that translates as “chit chat.” The term has come to denote a specific type of presentation: 20 slides, each displayed for 20 seconds, giving presenters 6 minutes and 40 seconds to convey their ideas. The constraints of this concise format lead to face-paced, fun, and creative presentations. You won’t want to miss it!
Do you have a revolutionary idea about biking that you’d like to share? Apply for a PechaKucha spot by filling out this form. We will accept applications through March 26, 2022.
Notes for PechaKucha presenters: Presentations must be inspiring, visually enticing, and have some connection to the Summit’s theme: Connecting (feel free to interpret the theme broadly). At the theater, the PechaKucha presentations won’t be controlled by the speaker; they must automatically play.
About the New Parkway Theater
The New Parkway Theater is an intimate venue with comfortable couches and chairs for seating and eating and drinking while you watch the movie. The venue’s restaurant and bar serve delicious food and beverages, including popcorn with a toppings station that is the best in the Bay Area. The event will feature several opportunities for eating, drinking, and mingling, as well as enjoying the entertainment.
If you’re already registered for the full Summit, you’ll have an opportunity to claim a free ticket to the opening night mixer. If you’re not registered yet, reserve your spot today.
A limited number of tickets for the opening night celebration will be available to the general public. Check this space for information on how to buy tickets, coming soon.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/New-Parkway-Theater-2.jpeg720960Kevin Claxtonhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKevin Claxton2022-03-14 14:48:202023-11-28 12:11:56California Bicycle Summit Opening Night Mixer Celebrates the Vital Work of California Bicycle Advocates and Planners
It’s that time of year again when legislators introduce hundreds of new bills that could change the law in California. As always, as your leading statewide bicycle advocate, CalBike is keeping an eye on this for you. It takes a community of dedicated bike riders to get bike-friendly bills passed (and stop the bad ones)—we couldn’t do it without your support.
Happily, there were many bills that will support safer streets and better biking introduced this year, so 2022 will provide lots of opportunities for engagement and advocacy. We’re following measures that will improve biking and all forms of active transportation, mitigate climate change, and make California more liveable.
The bike-friendly bills list includes several pieces of legislation similar to bills introduced in 2021 coming back for a second try at becoming law, including two CalBike measures that passed the legislature, thanks to thousands of emails from CalBike members but were vetoed by the governor.
Here are the bike-friendly bills CalBike is watching.
Bicycle Safety Stop
AB 1713 (Boerner Horvath) is a reprise of last year’s campaign to pass the Bicycle Safety Stop and will allow people on bikes to treat stop signs as yields. In 2022, however, in response to the governor’s veto message on child safety, the new law will only apply to adults (age 18+). CalBike will be following this measure closely, and we’ll let you know when it’s time to ask your legislators and the governor for support.
Legalizing Safe Street Crossings
AB 2147 (Ting) is the sequel to the Freedom to Walk Act that passed the assembly and senate last year. After Governor Newsom’s veto, Assemblymember Phil Ting revamped the bill to address the governor’s concerns. The revised version will direct police not to ticket for safe pedestrian mid-block crossings (jaywalking). Ending enforcement of safe midblock crossings will reduce opportunities for police encounters that too often become violent for people of color, and CalBike will work to help pass this bill.
Sustainable Transportation Project Streamlining
SB 922 (Wiener) will help agencies install sustainable transportation infrastructure by exempting certain projects from unnecessary CEQA review. It applies to bike lanes, transit lanes and stations, HOV lanes, and related projects, as long as the projects are within existing rights-of-way and do not add automobile capacity. The bill will make permanent a temporary CEQA exemption put in place during the pandemic and add requirements for equity analysis.
Fix Deadly Roads Bill
SB 932 (Portantino) will require cities to adopt significant bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic calming elements when they develop and revise their general plans. General plans serve as blueprints for the future, prescribing policy goals and objectives to shape and guide the physical development of cities. In the past, plans in some communities have ignored the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders. As our planet warms, we can’t afford to bake unsustainable auto transportation into our city planning. CalBike strongly supports this measure.
Bikes Belong Bill
AB 1909 (Friedman) will change the state vehicle code to facilitate biking across our state. Elements of this legislation include requiring vehicles to switch lanes when passing people on bikes and expanding where it’s legal to ride e-bikes.
Signals for Pedestrian Crossings
AB 2264 (Bloom) requires Caltrans and cities to update all pedestrian control signals to give pedestrians a head start of 3 to 7 seconds. People walking will get to enter an intersection on the green light before cars get the green, which will improve visibility and, we hope, reduce crashes involving pedestrians.
Bicycle Highways
AB 2237 (Friedman) when the governor vetoed AB 1147 in 2021, he said that the critical changes to regional planning it envisioned would be better accomplished through the budget process. Yet, money to implement bicycle highways and 15-minute neighborhoods is not in the governor’s proposed budget. CalBike and our supporters continue to advocate for $2 billion for bikes, which could fund some of the connected bicycle networks in this important bill. This bill is a transformative piece of legislation, and we hope, given a second chance, the governor will sign it into law.
Ending Freeway Expansion
AB 1778 (C. Garcia) will prohibit any state money from funding or permitting freeway widening projects in areas with high rates of pollution and poverty. As decades of research have shown, low-income communities of color are most burdened by highway pollution that causes unnecessary cases of asthma and other major health issues.
Transportation Funding and Climate Goals
AB 2438 (Friedman) requires all transportation projects funded at the local or state level to align with the California Transportation Plan and the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure adopted by the Transportation Agency. This effort will codify California’s efforts to align transportation funding with our climate goals.
The process of passing legislation is messy and complex, so things will undoubtedly change. Provisions may get added or removed from some bills that change CalBike’s position. We will work to strengthen and support these bike-friendly measures, and we’ll keep you up to date as the session progresses. See the status of all the legislation we’re watching on our 2022 Legislative Watch page.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/California_State_Capitol_in_Sacramento.jpg10001500Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2022-03-03 18:13:582022-06-02 12:15:28All the Bike-Friendly Bills Introduced in California in 2022
Jouke Peutz has split his life between the Netherlands and California. He loves living in the U.S., but his Dutch childhood instilled a deep love of biking. He’s pursuing that passion for biking, in collaboration with CalBike, with a research project to develop best practices and a general framework to improve the partnership between the public and private sector to aid disadvantaged communities through micromobility.
CalBike advocates for the inclusion of shared micromobility in public transportation systems. That will ensure that the cost remains affordable, that micromobility programs serve all neighborhoods equitably, and that there are cohesive support platforms and incentives for users. Jouke’s research will help us make a case for public micromobility.
CalBike collaborates with a researcher inspired by his Dutch biking roots
Jouke Peutz didn’t start a graduate degree in Community Development at UC Davis with a plan to focus on bikes. “I was very set on sticking with buildings since I came from an architecture background,” he says.
Then he took a class on bicycle infrastructure and design that called him back to a childhood where, he recalls, “I had all my freedom on my bicycle. I learned life lessons on my bicycle. I biked through the rain, the sun. I had a deep connection to my bike.” Now, Jouke says, “My whole research has oriented from looking at buildings to looking at bicycling. The funny thing is that they are very much connected.”
His grandparents still ride, regularly going across the border to Germany on their e-bikes. “The bike is what gives them their freedom, too,” he says.
He wants to bring that freedom to biking in the U.S., but he recognizes the challenge. “We’re trying to copy things from the Netherlands, but it never really works,” Jouke says. Intersections that “look Dutch” function very differently here because the U.S. has its own bike culture.
How shared micromobility can promote transportation justice in California
Jouke’s research project is titled “Facilitating market-based micromobility in disadvantaged communities in California,” and will look at how to bridge the gap between government and the private sector to better serve disadvantaged communities. Through a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders, he hopes to answer the question of how California state agencies can develop and coordinate micromobility in partnership with private operators.
Jouke’s research is more than an academic exercise. He sees it as a gateway to improving people’s lives.
“Transportation is a main factor in people’s life success, whether that’s healthwise or economicwise,” he says. “People who don’t live a wealthy lifestyle typically live in communities they get pushed into and they rely on public transportation to get work or groceries.”
He particularly wants to make sure that people in disadvantaged communities don’t get left behind in the transition away from carbon-based transportation. “What does that mean if you’re told you cannot drive anymore or need to buy an expensive EV?” Jouke says. “That’s where micromobility could play an important role.”
CalBike has helped connect him with stakeholders and supported him in his research. “We’re excited to see what Jouke’s research produces,” says Dave Snyder, CalBike’s Executive Director. “CalBike is focused on transforming the way we view micromobility. Bike sharing shouldn’t be viewed as an elite urban amenity but as an essential public transportation connection. Having evidence to show the benefits of micromobility will help us make that case.”
“The beautiful thing about bicycles is they connect the wealthiest people and the poorest people,” says Jouke. “I do really believe micromobility will be a big part of our future in transportation.”
Bike-share in danger in California
Unfortunately, California is in danger of becoming a state with no bike or scooter sharing. A bill moving through the California Senate, AB 371, would impose an unprecedented insurance requirement on all bike-share operators, including public transit systems and nonprofits.
Micromobility is the future, and we can’t let this regressive bill stop it before it reaches its full potential. Please email your California Senator today and ask them to vote NO on AB 371.
Micromobility and much more at the California Bicycle Summit
At the California Bicycle Summit, April 6-9, 2022, in Oakland, we’ll discuss equitable micromobility with Jouke and representatives from companies that provide bike and scooter sharing systems in California. You won’t want to miss that, plus 30 breakout sessions, bike tours, parties, and more. Register today.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/E-bikes.jpg13652048Laura McCamyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngLaura McCamy2022-02-28 15:56:242022-06-01 17:24:50Realizing the Potential of Bike and Scooter Sharing Systems
Sacramento – The California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike) opposes AB 371 by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer. This bill would impose an unprecedented cost on bike share and scooter share systems by forcing the provider to carry insurance to pay for damage caused by the user. It would put most, if not all, shared micromobility systems out of business, and make it fiscally impossible to subsidize an expansion of the system so that it serves everyone equitably, and not just the privileged residents in wealthy downtowns. CalBike helped defeat a similar provision in the 2020 legislature.
Eliminating shared micromobility programs would be a disaster for California’s climate. They provide affordable transportation and help to reduce vehicle miles traveled by providing an alternative to the car for short trips. Bike and scooter sharing systems also extend the reach of existing transit systems by giving riders a way to get from a transit station to a destination that is out of walking distance.
“We’ve only begun to see the potential of low-cost shared bikes and scooters to enhance public transit and provide low-impact, safe mobility for people who can’t afford cars or who prefer not to drive,” said Dave Snyder, CalBike’s Executive Director. “We should be expanding bike-share, not killing it.”
The bill is currently in the Senate Insurance Committee.
AB 371 imposes an unprecedented insurance burden on shared mobility systems
AB 371 would require micromobility operators (public and private) to acquire insurance that covers negligent conduct of a device rider. This requirement would be a legal anomaly. Rental car companies are not liable for the negligence of their drivers. Basketball court owners aren’t required to carry insurance for injuries caused if a fight breaks out among players. Roller skate shops don’t have to pay for insurance to cover the costs of someone injured by one of their skating customers.
Comparing this proposal to existing requirements for motor vehicles is instructive. Motorists must carry $30,000 in insurance for their own liability. If AB 371 passes, bike- and scooter-share operators would be required to carry $500,000 in insurance for injuries caused through no fault of their own. That disparity is hard to justify when you compare the difference in weight and speed of bikes and scooters compared to motor vehicles.
Pedestrian Safety, Social Equity, and our Climate, are Threatened
Bike share systems have the potential to serve low-income communities with high-quality transportation that is as affordable as public transit but healthier, usually faster, and sometimes even fun. This vision will require the massive deployment of bikes and e-bikes and scooters, substantial subsidy to make it affordable, and the development of safe bikeways. It’s part of a future with much fewer cars, and therefore a safer future, without most of the 15,000 serious pedestrian injuries caused by cars in California last year. This future is not only possible, it’s required if we are to meet our climate goals. In 2021, the Air Resources Board recognized the importance of bike and scooter share systems for low-income people by granting millions of dollars in its Clean Mobility Options program to bike-sharing. This measure would end the programs funded by state grants, putting California at odds with itself. Cities like San Francisco that are considering expanding bike share operations by taking a more active role would have to scuttle those plans.
CalBike urges the legislature to stop AB 371 and save bike-share.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/breeze-bike-share.jpg522789Laura McCamyhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngLaura McCamy2022-02-22 15:11:182022-03-04 15:14:00CALBIKE Opposes AB 371
The 2022 California Bicycle Summit will include an exciting breakout session featuring bicycle activists from Bogotá and scholars of Latin American urban studies. Presenters will include:
Daniel Rodriguez, professor of city and regional planning and the interim director of the Institute for Transportation Studies at UC Berkeley.
Lorena Romero Fontecha, director and project manager for the BiciActiva Foundation based in Bogotá. BiciActiva is a Bogotá-based organization that sponsors BiciActiva Radio, which runs a station for and by bicyclists.
Additional presenters will be announced later.
Rodriguez is one of the coauthors of the chapter on cycling trends in Latin America in the indispensable reference, Cycling for Sustainable Cities. He and Romero Fontecha, along with Carlos Felipe Pardo and Raphael Navarro joined CalBike for an Advance Symposium in December 2021; if you want a preview of this session, you can view the recording.
The value of Latin American experience for California bicycle advocates
Bike advocates in the U.S. often look to the cycling cities of Europe such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and now Paris, when we want examples of what might be possible here. However, California, with its diverse population and relatively new cities, may have more in common with our neighbors in Latin America.
For example, the movement for Open Streets began in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and the city’s Ciclovía program remains a model that U.S. cities can only dream of. Founded in 1976, Ciclovía happens every single Sunday, from 7 am to 2 pm, and covers 75 miles of city streets. And Bogotá has a bicycling mode share of 6.6% that only a few California cities can top.
Engaging across borders
Part of the mission of BiciActiva and BiciActiva Radio is to connect the Bogotá bicycling community with people who ride bikes around the world. At the December Symposium, we were joined from the Netherlands by BiciActiva member Raphael Navarro, who was spending time there to report about cycling in Holland for the organization. The organization has invited three CalBike staffers to experience bicycling in Bogotá this March, continuing the cross-border exchange.
We’re excited to welcome these bicycle activists and scholars to share success stories, aspirations, and inspiration from Latin America. It’s a session you won’t want to miss.
Join us at the 2022 California Bicycle Summit for 32 breakout sessions, 5 bike tours, 3 parties, and much more.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BiciActiva-Slide.jpg431766Jared Sanchezhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngJared Sanchez2022-02-11 15:37:362022-02-11 16:04:53Summit Preview: What It’s Like to Bike in Latin America
Thanks to support from our members, CalBike won a $10 million appropriation in this year’s budget to help Californians purchase electric bikes. The California Air Resources Board will administer the program, which must be operating by July of 2022.
The program will distribute vouchers to people who meet income eligibility requirements. The CARB will release a Request for Proposals to implement the program in the next couple of months, detailing important goals and specifications to shape voucher distribution.
CalBike is working with CARB to help ensure that the implementation meets CalBike’s objectives for this program. Here’s what we know so far.
Which types of e-bikes are eligible for the voucher program?
“Electric bicycles eligible for the incentives include, but are not limited to, those designed for people with disabilities; utility bicycles for carrying equipment or passengers, including children; and folding bicycles.”
Who will be eligible for e-bike purchase incentives?
The Air Resources Board has signaled its intent to restrict eligibility to low-income households (defined as households with income less than four times the federal poverty level, or $51,520 for an individual, or $106,000 for a family of four). The income restriction is not required by law, and CARB’s electric vehicle incentive program doesn’t include any income requirements.
CalBike and the more than 50 organizations that supported the program advocated for at least 80% of the funds to go to low-income households. We wanted 20% of the vouchers available to middle-income families to allow for broader funding distribution. Plus, it would have recognized that, like EVs, e-bikes are a civic good, and the state wants to encourage people to choose this form of transportation.
CalBike supports this initial round of funding going exclusively to disadvantaged people. However, it will take more than a grant to make the program successful. The upfront cost of a quality e-bike will be out of reach for most low-income people, even with a hefty subsidy. To ensure that everyone can access this incentive, we want the program to include an arrangement with a lender to will provide low- or zero-interest loans to buyers so that they can pay for an e-bike in installments.
The role of community-based organizations
A bike purchase incentive program differs from an electric vehicle incentive program because many potential recipients don’t already recognize how a bike could improve their lives. Everyone (almost) wants a car and would welcome a purchase subsidy, but the same is not true for bikes.
That’s why CalBike sees an essential role for nonprofits in distributing the funds. If community organizations serving low-income people are able to make extremely low-cost e-bikes available to their constituencies, they can engage and educate about howto use the bike to replace car trips. A nonprofit can also provide bike safety information and classes, so grant recipients are confident to ride their e-bikes for transportation. With this support, the e-bike suddenly becomes a viable transportation choice and the subsidy a critical lifeline.
Community-based organizations can also help identify the people who would benefit most from a low-cost e-bike and help spread the word among their constituencies. Plus, they can assist with the paperwork to apply for the grants, and they might be able to combine this subsidy with other funding sources to make bikes truly affordable. These groups can also provide feedback to evaluate the impact of the e-bike affordability program.
The impact of $10M for e-bikes
If designed and administered well, California’s new e-bike affordability program could have an impact far beyond the lives of the people who will be able to buy e-bikes.
First, if CARB successfully markets the program, it will increase awareness of biking as a viable and green transportation option. That, we hope, will create demand to expand the program and increase the funding available to help people buy bikes. And the incentives will put thousands more bicycles on our streets, which will raise the visibility of biking, increase the pressure to build safe bikeways, and encourage more people to hop on a bike. Plus, up to 10% of the funding in this program may be used for bicycle education, so it’s a great opportunity to build skills and confidence for more riders.
We’ll keep you informed when there’s more to know about the e-bike affordability program. Sign up below to be the first to know when the e-bike vouchers become available.
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Yuba-e-bike-POC-e1616451276226.jpeg10562400Kevin Claxtonhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKevin Claxton2022-02-09 19:34:332024-08-06 13:31:15Making California’s E-Bike Affordability Program Successful
Each year, CalBike sponsors legislation to make our streets safer and help more Californians choose active transportation. The bills sponsored by state Senators and Assemblymembers are the focus of significant discussion and advocacy, and we ask our supporters to email their representatives and the governor to build support.
Legislative initiatives are essential for advancing the cause, and we will certainly ask you to send emails in support of active transportation and safety legislation this year. But legislation is the tip of the iceberg for CalBike’s advocacy. The work we do out of the spotlight and without a lot of fanfare often has the biggest impact. We meet with officials at Caltrans and other agencies to change regulations and help craft new programs to support biking. We advocate for more funding for active transportation. This effort has led to a doubling of the Active Transportation Program budget and, this year, we might see that figure triple (though perhaps a temporary increase).
In 2022, CalBike plans to pursue several exciting initiatives to increase funding and access for people on bikes. Here’s a preview.
But first, some facts about advocating for change in California
California is one of only 10 states with full-time legislatures. Our state is the most populous of the 50 states, and our economy would be the fifth-largest in the world if we were a country, ranking just above the UK. All of which is to say that doing advocacy in Sacramento is more like pulling the levers of a national government than a state legislature.
CalBike is California’s only statewide nonprofit bicycle advocacy organization, and we are the little engine that could. With a handful of full-time and part-time staffers and help from our members and supporters, we stand for the interests of people who bike to make active transportation a safe choice for all Californians.
Each year, we build on our accomplishments to increase momentum for bicycling, and we expect 2022 to be a big year for progress toward a safer, more joyful, and more equitable California.
The enormous impact of the budget for better biking
Funding for biking and walking infrastructure is crucial to creating safe neighborhoods where active transportation is an easy choice. You may have experienced this when your community was able to build a new bike route or protected bikeway thanks to state funds.
Each funding cycle, the ATP receives hundreds of project proposals. There were so many excellent projects in the latest round that the funding ran out before all of the higher-scoring proposals were funded. CalBike advocated for more funding to build those shovel-ready projects in the 2021/22 budget. Although $500 million was approved initially, the money was pulled back because of a budget impasse between the governor and the legislature.
But budget discussions are back on, and CalBike is now advocating for $2 billion for bikes. So far, the governor’s budget proposal includes an additional $600 million: $500 million for the ATP, on top of about $230 in regular funding, plus $100 million dedicated to active transportation improvements in the Highway Safety Improvement Program.
We’re not giving up on the additional $1.4 billion we want for walking and biking in this year’s budget. CalBike has proposed $500 million for 15-minute neighborhoods, as promised by the governor in his veto statement for AB 1147. We’d also like to see funding for connected bikeway networks and separated bicycle highways.
If California is serious about mitigating climate change, its budget priorities need to reflect that. CalBike is working hard to move the needle on active transportation funding.
Creating an equitable e-bike affordability program
In 2021, with help from our supporters and allies, CalBike won $10 million in funding for an e-bike affordability program. Electric bikes open bicycling as everyday transportation to a broader group of people, but the steep price tag can be a barrier. The program, which will start in July 2022, will offer vouchers to low-income Californians to help them purchase e-bikes. CalBike is working with CARB, which will administer the program the ensure that the model is equitable and accessible. We hope for a successful launch to demonstrate that e-bike subsidies are just as popular as electric vehicle rebates so that the program will get ongoing funding.
Advocating for a better way to use safety funding
In addition to pushing for more money for biking, CalBike also works with agencies to better use the funding they already have.
For example, the California Office of Traffic Safety gives money to local police departments to support Vision Zero. Unfortunately, police departments often use that money to target and ticket people who ride bikes. CalBike is working with OTS to revise its policies, so Vision Zero funding goes to projects that genuinely make streets safer for people biking and walking, rather than harassing bicyclists.
We are also working with HSIP to define the safety elements of highway projects more clearly.
Continuing to push toward decriminalization of commonsense biking and walking
The governor vetoed CalBike’s bills to legalize the bicycle safety stop and end penalties for safe street crossings, but our campaigns for those bills built a groundswell of support for decriminalization. We’ll be building on that momentum in 2022 (and beyond) and continue to work with our allies on critical issues of traffic safety and police overenforcement. We hope to have more to share with you about those efforts later this year.
Working toward bike-share equity
Bike and scooter sharing systems are a terrific solution for last-mile (and often longer) transit and filling gaps in our public transportation systems. However, the costs for some private systems have become unaffordable for many users due to price hikes. And, if cities concentrate micromobility options in wealthier neighborhoods, they miss out on an excellent opportunity to increase transit equity.
CalBike will work toward equity in micromobility in 2022 by advocating for public transit agencies to add bike-share to their offerings, allowing passengers to use transfers and pay fares comparable to other forms of transit. We are also working with a researcher from UC Davis on a study of equity in micromobility. We think that will help move California toward more equitable and sustainable bike and scooter sharing.
A planning change that will make biking more practical
One critical thing to make biking a practical transportation choice is a secure place to park your bike. CalBike is working with other advocates and the California Department of Community Services and Development to develop guidelines for new housing that will require new apartment buildings to include bike parking.
We might not ask you to sign a petition or send an email about these initiatives but look for updates on these vital advocacy projects that could have big effects in communities across California.
Bringing advocates and decision-makers together at the California Bicycle Summit
Every two years, CalBike hosts the California Bicycle Summit. The event brings together people who care about better biking from around the state to share ideas, network, learn, and have a little fun, too. We’ll have 32 breakout sessions, plus bike rides, a bicycle movie festival, and more. The Summit will be held in beautiful Uptown Oakland on April 6-9, 2022. Registration is open. We hope to see you there!
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pulling-the-levers-in-Sacramento-scaled.jpeg17072560Kevin Claxtonhttps://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.pngKevin Claxton2022-01-26 15:13:392022-01-26 15:13:40How CalBike Quietly Pulls the Levers of Power in Sacramento
