What questions should the Uptown community leaders be asking?
The Early Action Bike Projects, of which both the Uptown Bike Corridor and the Mid-City Bike Corridor are a part of, are funded by the half-cent sales tax measure, Transnet, that is managed by our regional planning agency, SANDAG. Transnet dollars represent one of the largest pools of funds in the county, and is not unlike other half-cent sales tax measures that have been passed around the state largely to fund transportation projects. The extension for Transnet barely passed voter approval in the 2004 elections.
Transnet, to most of us in the transportation advocacy world, represents a net good because it are seen as a dedicated funding stream that will make San Diego more walkable, bikeable, and thus livable.
However in 2004, despite a fairly diverse coalition supporting the extension of Transnet - it barely passed voter approval at 67% (1% point more than was needed for support as this was a tax increase). The language of the extension touted solutions for traffic congestion, and yet the Environmental Health Coalition and Sierra Club registered their opposition to the ordinance. The EHC detailed their opposition stating (among other things):
Transnet Cheats Urban Neighborhoods!
"Almost 85% of all transit infrastructure funded by Transnet will serve suburban neighborhoods."
So when reviewing how voters around the city voted on Transnet's extension, it is hard to gauge what they wanted - did they vote "Yes" because they wanted "traffic congestion" eased? If so, did they want wider roads, more freeways and a more car-dependent society? Or did they vote "Yes" because they wanted more transportation options like safer bike infrastructure, wide sidewalks and a robust and well connected transit network? Did they vote "No" because they didn't want funds from the urban neighborhoods to fund suburban (and the more car-dependent) neighborhoods in the region? Or did they vote "No" because they are opposed to tax increases?
It's hard to say.
The Early Action Bike Projects are part of SANDAG's 2050 Regional Transportation Plan(RTP), which after approval by the SANDAG board in October 2011 (despite healthy opposition to the plan) was subsequently the subject of a lawsuit. As written here previously, the RTP was eventually "found to be illegal by the San Diego County Superior Court. The court found that the plan did not comply with California clean air laws. Whether the plan will need to be totally redone remains to be seen." That decision is now being appealed by SANDAG instead of simply re-doing their RTP and incorporating the suggestions they've captured in their most recent RTP Update process. BikeSD is on the record with the SANDAG Transportation Committee asking for the agency to not appeal.
Of the $200 billion, SANDAG has set aside $2.5 billion for bicycle and pedestrian projects (not as impressive when you think about the fact that it is 1.25% of the total funds). Of that $2.5 billion, $200 million was approved last fall by the SANDAG board to implement the RTP's early action bike projects.
The Uptown Bike Corridor is scheduled to receive an investment of $43.4 million of those Transnet funds where the east/west corridor of University Avenue is the subject of much contention as it may (again, may) affect the removal of 91 parking meters (10% of total parking spots available in Uptown within a block of University Avenue). These parking meters currently bring in about $40,000 to Uptown annually according to San Diego's Uptown Community Parking District's Chief Operating Officer, Elizabeth Hannon.
Just so you didn't miss those numbers: the numbers we're talking about is the current revenue brought in of approximately $40,000 versus an investment of $43.4 million into Uptown to expand the number of transportation choices of Uptown's residents and visitors.
Meanwhile, while some Uptown community leaders bicker over whether it is worthwhile to accept a $43.4 million investment over the remote possibility that they may lose $40,000, SANDAG bureaucrats continue to take tax money collected from the urban neighborhoods in San Diego; allocating it on projects in suburban, car-dependent neighborhoods where parking is plentiful and driving is not as stressful. In other words, an urban community fighting over providing vehicle parking is nothing short of a race to the bottom and a race they are destined to lose. The suburban communities will always win the parking issue with their free and plentiful parking.
What should the Uptown community leaders instead be asking? They should be asking for an accounting of total Transnet revenue collected in Uptown and exactly how much of those dollars are being re-invested in Uptown. In Fiscal Year 2012, the city of San Diego generated over $26 million in Transnet funds. How much of that $26 million was generated in Uptown and how much was reinvested back in Uptown? That is the question that needs answers.
Photos from Bikes and Beer
Last Saturday's inaugural Bikes and Beer ride exceeded nearly everyone's expectations, in a very good way. The event sold out and still had people joining in wanting to signup on the day of the ride.
Along the way, the ride attracted other San Diegans who happened to be riding and wanted to join in on the fun - after all, it's much more safer (and fun) to ride when there is a lot more people riding bicycles.
What made me happiest, however, was to hear the anecdotes that the ride was roughly split 60/40 between men and women. Women have been considered the indicator species of an urban environment that supports cycling, and BikeSD was founded on the principle that women have to be part of the transportation discussion. Our leadership reflects that gender parity equation, and our entire focus of advocacy is to actively work toward creating a city where both men and women are equally welcome and comfortable on our city streets on a bicycle.
Without any further delay, let's move on to the photos. If you have additional photos you want to share, post a link to them in the comments.
Some of the participants happily posed for photos, like these proud BikeSD members:
At the first stop, Modern Times Brewery, new friendships were made.
At Mission Brewing, the positive energy continued.
Our BikeSD volunteers for the afternoon shift.
While the Uptown business community continues to be wishy-washy over an unprecedented investment opportunity to expand the community's traditional customer base, Hess, Modern Times, Mission and many other establishments along 30th Street experienced one of their best days last Saturday. Modern Times had plenty to say about this:
700 folks on bikes coming through the tasting room this AM. So heartening to see so much support for biking in S.D. pic.twitter.com/C9Dk0ezS5x
— Modern Times Beer (@ModernTimesBeer) March 29, 2014
But many people only feel safe biking in S.D. in a pack of 700. We need real bike infrastructure RIGHT NOW @ToddGloria @kevin_faulconer
— Modern Times Beer (@ModernTimesBeer) March 29, 2014
Had our best day ever today w/ help of @BikesBeersSD. Would gladly trade our street parking for bike lanes/racks. Allows so many more people
— Modern Times Beer (@ModernTimesBeer) March 30, 2014
One thing is clear, bikes mean business.
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Thank you to all our volunteers for making sure this was a successful event.
News, Links, and Other Views
City of San Diego
- Our mayor's race is still too close to call and that is why, every single one of you should vote for David Alvarez as our next mayor. California Bicycle Coalition did a great writeup about the differences between Alvarez and his opponent. Undecided? Vote for David Alvarez for mayor. Join the GOTV rally by bike tomorrow as well.
- Why do Community Plan Updates matter and why should you take part in it? Our new board member, Omar Passons, has a great writeup about it.
- The City of San Diego sent in its application to be considered as a city in the Green Lane Project. Please pick us, GLP!
San Diego and California News
- The Encinitas segment of the Coastal Rail Trail is planned as a Class I bike path, separated from motor vehicle traffic has entered the design phase. Next: construction.
- How many times will people write about the Coronado loop as a destination loop to ride along? Until the time we get a new bike facility. Let's hope that happens in this decade. The Coronado look is worth riding on and is gorgeous. But we've been in a bicycle facility construction drought for a while now.
- Community members who don't feel part of the bike racing community have asked to be included in the community outreach process for all the various bike racing events that go through Rancho Santa Fe.
- This is old news, but Escondido may soon get a BMX bicycle track. Will the City of San Diego ever get a bike park? Eventually.
- Michael Andersen takes a look at the blistering report issued by the agency that oversees Caltrans. In news that should surprise none of you, the recommendation is that Caltrans needs a long overdue overhaul.
Elsewhere
- The Wall Street Journal has focused its attention on the epidemic of fatal crashes where a very narrow legal standard means that drivers rarely face the consequences of their actions.
- This country's driving habits are subsidized in numerous ways. Shane Phillips looks at how his local Ralph's grocery store charges him for other people's free gas.
- Portland went through all of 2013 without a single bicycle related fatality.Why? Because Portland's leaders have made it safe to ride a bicycle.
- In the spirit of Sochi 2014, here is a post by Martha Roskowski, "It's time to stop building black diamond bike lanes".
- Speeding kills. Here is a good ad demonstrating exactly that.
Our Response to the Expectation That We Explain Bad Behavior On Our City Streets
Last weekend, I received an email from a University Heights resident voicing her displeasure over an incident she was party to. This is an example of a sort of email I have received far too often and echoes a sentiment that our board is often subjected to. I responded to the resident and have posted my response here with the hope that all of you can adopt the language employed and understand where we stand on this issue.
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Thank you for contacting BikeSD and sharing your thoughts about the incident that happened last Tuesday on Park Boulevard.
BikeSD’s purpose is to work for the creation of bike infrastructure – infrastructure that invites all San Diegans to once again experience the sheer joy that comes from riding a bicycle, something you alluded to in your email.
With regard to your specific incident on Park Boulevard, the unfortunate reality is that there are bad apples in every barrel, and it sounds like you might have encountered one. While it is our mission to create infrastructure, it is not fair to ask us to account for, or defend, the action of a particular rider in a particular incident. We would not ask you to represent, defend, or speak for Dr. Christopher Thomas Thompson, Douglas Lane, Wendy Villegas, or Juliann Thomson – drivers whose (sometimes intentional) conduct resulted in the injury or death of our fellow residents.
I want to also address a few of the issues you raised in your email. It is not clear to me how some of your complaints and criticisms specifically apply to the incident you were involved in last week. On balance, I think your comments generally raised the specter of the “scofflaw cyclist,” an enduring trope in the media.
You noted that bicycle riders are subject to the rules of the road "especially when it comes to stopping at stop signs.” I urge you to please be fair in your criticism. I invite you to join me (or another one of our board members) at a controlled intersection in San Diego for 30 minutes. We have, in the past, engaged in this exercise. The truth is that more-drivers-than-not “roll” through stop signs – a truism known nationwide as the “California roll.” I also ask you to be fair in the conclusions you draw when you see a cyclist “roll” a stop sign (like most drivers do): for a cyclist, it is truly a zero-sum-game, in that the rider runs the risk of great bodily injury if he or she acts recklessly. After all, a cyclist is not ensconced in tons of steel, watching the scene play out through a windshield; rather, the cyclist is part of the scene, inches away from the concrete below.
I would venture to guess that, if you honestly assessed your fellow driver’s behavior, you would not single out cyclists for rebuke. I expect you have witnessed – likely on a daily basis – bad behavior by drivers (texting while driving; talking on the phone; speeding; etc.) but don’t consider singling that behavior out because it is truly ubiquitous. I do not encourage you to complain about all bad behavior you witness by drivers but I would like you to reconsider the behavior of cyclists in context.
You suggested that cyclists are required to ride single file and as far right as physically possible. Generally, this is not true. The law requires cyclists to ride as far to the right as is “practicable;” however, the law makes many exceptions to this rule, one that I believe applies on Park Boulevard. A condition that makes it unsafe to continue along the right is when bicycling in a “lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.” The requirement to ride as far right as practicable – not “as possible” – does not apply on any lane less than 14 feet wide, or 18 feet wide if it contains parking (which Park Boulevard does). In other words, if the travel lane is less than 14 feet wide (or 18 feet with parking), a cyclist can use the entire lane (because the lane is too narrow for a car and bike to safely share). Virtually every right lane in Southern California is less than 14 feet wide (or 18 feet wide if there is parking). The reason why cyclists are not required to stay as far to the right as practicable in these narrow lanes is because to do so invites unsafe close passes and is inherently dangerous.
While I don’t know exactly where you encountered this group of cyclists, Park Boulevard is also marked with “sharrows.” “Sharrows” are intended to indicate a lane that is too narrow to be safely shared by a bike and a car traveling side-by-side. “Sharrows” not only indicate that the lane is to be shared between bikes and cars, they also indicate to everyone concerned that the requirement to ride to the right does not apply on that street. And a cyclist is not required to clear the lane to permit faster moving vehicles to pass (at least on Park Boulevard) because it is a four-lane road (at least most of it is).
When people are frustrated by a group – in yesterday’s culture “hotrodders” – in today’s culture, the “scofflaw cyclist” – there is a great desire to find a member of that group who has actually broken the law and punish him or her to make an example to the rest. The truth is that any fair assessment of the relative risks and dangers on our streets would conclude that drivers are far more dangerous to the general public than the less than 1% of San Diegans who travel regularly by bike. And yet cyclists are the one who are tarred with the “scofflaw” meme.
In many instances, the conduct that you perceive as inconsiderate, rude, or improper is the result of inadequate infrastructure – something our group is working to remedy. Our City has for far too long failed to facilitate any mode of travel besides the automobile and we are playing catch –up. We are having a much-needed, and long-overdue, discussion about our most widely used public space – our streets. I fear that this lack of foresight leads to needless conflicts between groups of road users. Our mission is focused on building bicycle infrastructure to reduce conflict and to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans.
I am sorry for the negative encounter you had last week. I encourage you to please continue sharing your thoughts with us as we continue our work.
Sincerely,
Samantha Ollinger
News, Links, and Other Views
I know you've been missing one of our most popular features, Chip Sanders' weekly news roundups. He's promised to come right back to doing them just as soon as he is done with his most recent project that he's committed to. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of the stories that have caught my eye. Did I miss a story you want our readers to read? Leave a comment below.
City of San Diego
- Walt Chambers of Great Streets San Diego penned a great piece on density that has got a many thinking and talking about what really do people want, when they talk about a "livable" community. In response to some of the questions raised in the comments, Chambers wrote an equally good response which includes this gem, "you do have a right to choose wherever you live — as long as you are willing to pay for it."
- Bike thieves. Everyone hates them. Yet, they were taped boldly stealing bicycles from a garage in Crown Point and the SDPD wants your help in tracking down these lowlifes.
- The San Diego Police Department received funds to purchase bicycles to patrol the College Area Community. Safety for the community and a health wellness plan for the Police Department, I call that win-win.
- Early last month a man was arrested after a road rage dispute in Poway resulted in injuries to a local bicycle rider.
- How friendly is San Diego for bicycling, if our local (and nationally renown) researcher on active living describes himself as "petrified" to bike anywhere outside Mission Bay because of the danger from passing motorists? A panel of experts recently got together to discuss this issue and San Diego's built environment.
- Have you been eagerly looking forward to riding San Diego bike share bikes? Time to work on your patience practice as the program has been delayed by a few months.
- Mission Trails Regional Park isn't in the good books of San Diego's Mountain Biking Association after closing access to some trails. The mayoral candidates were questioned about the closures and neither seemed aware of the issue.
- The city is being sued by rider who spent ten days in hospital after sustaining injuries from unsuccessfully trying to navigate around an uneven sidewalk.
- Why Downtown San Diego Pedestrians Stop for Cars More Than Any Other City and What to do About it
San Diego Region
- If you didn't have enough to worry about while riding, Carlsbad has a dog problem that they are trying to deal with.
- Carlsbad claims they are building the county's first roundabout. I think the ones in Bird Rock were the first, no? Rep. Scott Peters may want to have a chat with the residents of Carlsbad.
- Are you civic minded and want to serve on one of the many board opportunities available in East County? You're in luck!
Elsewhere
- Gov’s Report to Caltrans: Get Out of the Way of Protected Bike Lanes (yay!)
- What does roadside assistance, Minneapolis-style look like? As a FYI: Minneapolis it the #1 bike city in the country.
- How can cities become more livable? Not having a windshield perspective would be a great first step.
- Driving Through A Neighborhood Makes You Like It Way Less Than If You Were Walking Or Biking.
- Protection of cyclists and pedestrians from automobiles is not only a city planning issue; it is a social justice issue
- Tour de France finally makes its way to last century: there will be a women's stage at this year's Tour. Pretty sure Elly Blue had a role in making this happen.