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CalBike’s blog — sharing the biking news you need to know
Stay informed about the bicycling movement in California by reading this blog and subscribing to our monthly newsletter, the CalBike Report. Keep apprised of which bills we are supporting with our Legislative Watch page, which we update regularly.
CalBike Staffers Reflect on Bogotá Bicycle Adventure
/by Kevin ClaxtonIn March, the city government of Bogotá, Colombia, through BiciActiva, invited three members of CalBike’s staff on an all-expenses-paid bicycling tour of Bogotá and its environs. It was an amazing cross-cultural experience that showed the potential to build biking infrastructure and culture with a tight budget and a lot of creativity. CalBike staff witnessed cargo […]
Executive Director Dave Snyder Announces Departure
/by Kevin ClaxtonJuly 19, 2022 Contact: Kevin Claxton, kevin@calbike.org, 909-274-0137 CalBike Executive Director Dave Snyder Leaving to Join PeopleForBikes CalBike to Begin Executive Director Search Sacramento: CalBike’s Executive Director, Dave Snyder, will leave the organization in August to take a position as Senior Director of Local Innovation at national advocacy organization PeopleForBikes. Since joining CalBike as Executive […]
Update: E-Bike Voucher Program Moving Forward — Slowly
/by Jared SanchezWhen the legislature allocated $10 million for e-bike subsidies in the budget for this fiscal year, it included language stating that the program would launch on July 1, 2022. However, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has moved more slowly, so the program is not yet ready to launch. Here’s what we do and don’t […]
It’s Time for California to Stop Building Freeways. Full Stop.
/by Jared SanchezWe were disappointed to see AB 1778, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia’s bill to end freeway expansion in environmentally disadvantaged communities, die in the Senate Transportation Committee. But, at CalBike, we know that we often lose before we win. We’re in it for the long haul because critical advances like refocusing California’s resources away from climate-killing car-expansion […]
California’s 2022 Budget: Better, but Still not Enough for Active Transportation
/by Jared SanchezGovernor Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature officially agreed upon next year’s state budget on June 30, 2022. It is the biggest budget ever set in California, and it includes the most significant amount dedicated to active transportation: $1.05 billion in additional funding. However, a $1.05 billion increase is only a drop in the bucket […]
CalBike Senior Policy Advocate Reflects on Big Picture Agenda
/by Jared Sanchezby Jared Sanchez The California State Legislature is advancing more bicycle-related bills than ever. At least three times this year, a legislative committee approved seven important policy changes in a single day. With my years of experience, I’ve never seen so much energy and attention on bicycling issues at the state level. I’m grateful to […]
Voices of the Coalition Opposed to Kill Bike-Share Bill
/by Jared SanchezOn June 22, 2022, CalBike Executive Director Dave Snyder testified in opposition to a bill that would add an insurance requirement to shared bikes and scooters that is out of proportion to the potential harm caused by these devices. The cost of this requirement, if AB 371 passes, would put most private and public shared […]
Election Recap: June 2022 Primary
/by Kevin ClaxtonOur June primary election Bike the Vote efforts proved vital to advancing our statewide bike agenda. Several of our endorsed bike champions will move on to the November general election. Despite the fact that we experienced perhaps California’s lowest ever turnout. Low turnout could have negatively affected some relative newcomers to the political scene, who […]
The Quietly Transformative OmniBike Bill, AB 1909
/by Laura McCamyAssemblymember Laura Friedman calls the Bicycle Omnibus Bill (AB 1909) she introduced the “OmniBike Bill.” It’s a bill that includes four different changes to the vehicle code (hence “omnibus”), and you could be forgiven if you find vehicle code updates wonky and boring. But each element of the OmniBike Bill will make life better for […]
Legislative Update: Status of Active Transportation Bills at the Midpoint
/by Jared SanchezMay 27 was the deadline for bills to move from one house of the California legislature to the other. Anything that didn’t move by that date is dead for this year, with the exception of two-year bills that made the move last year. At the midpoint, all but two of the bike- and climate-friendly bills […]
Shared Micromobility: the Future of Equitable Transportation
/by Kevin ClaxtonThe only convenient choice for most trips in most California communities is the automobile. For door-to-door access, public buses and trains can’t compete. This car-dependent system forces Californians to incur extremely high expenses and miserable traffic as drivers. It leads to severe pollution, bad health outcomes, and dangerous streets. People in disadvantaged communities, disproportionately Black […]
Governor’s May Budget Revise Provides New Funds but Still Shortchanges Active Transportation
/by Kevin ClaxtonGovernor Gavin Newsom’s revised proposal for the state’s July 2022-June 2023 budget includes $1.1 billion in new money for active transportation. This would be a historic increase, more than four times the typical annual allocation to biking and walking safety. CalBike applauds the governor for allocating increased funding for active transportation. Thanks to pressure from […]