News

News, Links, and Other Views

Below is a list of stories sent in from around the city, region and elsewhere. Hope you enjoy them. Don't be shy about sending in your stories to: talk@bikeSD.org

City of San Diego

• The San Diego Community Newspaper Group did an interview with our former board member and community advocate, Nicole Burgess.
• The advantage (for law enforcement) of people riding bikes and committing crimes is that they are easier to catch
• Community Group Aims To Make Over San Diego’s Lincoln Park Intersection
• Woman had meth in system when she hit cyclists and permanently injured Juan Carlos Vinolo, prosecutor says
• No word on whether the pipeline replacement project in Hillcrest, that diverted traffic, has  resulted in Leo Wilson filing another lawsuit against the city.
• Golden Hill Planning Group reps are very unhappy with the excellent improvements in Golden Hill.
• Fellow rider, Javi was seriously injured after he was hit by driver near Balboa Park. Driver is said to be cooperating with law enforcement. Friends have set up an online fundraiser.
• People walking the streets of San Diego are twice as likely to be injured in a crash than people in cars. They're 15 times more likely to be injured if they're riding a bike. Protected bike lanes and road diets can solve this problem.
• Where do bikes in San Diego get stolen? U-T has a great visual analysis.
• Animal Activist Gets Bike Back.

County of San Diego

• Imperial Beach’s Eagle and Times profiles the city’s new Assistant City Manager, Steve Dush, who says he loves to ride his bike on the Bayshore Bikeway. An advocate’s friend in city hall is always a good thing.
• A road diet in Carlbad’s’ notorious La Costa Avenue seems to be a welcome addition so far.
• Drunk drivers have killed 11 people since May.
• Chula Vista may implement a road diet on Broadway and businesses express doubt over proposed changes.
• The Encinitas Advocate profiles Darius Degher who uses his bicycle for transportation as often as possible
• Step aside bike haters of the bygone era, San Diego is ready and willing to take your place. Encinitas Planning Commissioner Dave Hutchinson has accused fellow Commissioner Brian Grover of doing his job in promoting Complete Streets and has asked Grover to resign. In Coronado, myopic residents have single handedly turned their city into a national laughing stock.
• Chula Vista students take part in Safe Routes to Nature

State of California

• Governor Brown signed SB 530 clarifying the rules for Pedal Powered Quadricyles, like San Diego's own Social Cycle. We sent in a letter of support so owner Laura Rovick could operate her pedal powered business in peace without meddling from our meddlesome City Attorney. Even the First Dog seemed pleased.
• Los Angeles finally gets a bike share program.
• Drivers Unaware California Bike Law Exists, Few Citations Given In Its First Year
• A Los Angeles Plan to Reshape the Streetscape Sets Off Fears of Gridlock

National

• Salt Lake City add the nation’s first "protected intersection" for bicycle riders
• In Washington D.C., students in the public school system will get to incorporate healthy living as they get to and from school
• Seattle’s Traffic Engineer, Dongho Chang, loves to promote protected bike lanes.
• What If Traffic Engineers Were Held to Safety Standards Like Carmakers?
• New Report Finds Drivers Pay Less Than Half the Cost of Roads

Elsewhere

• Guess who has the most stressful commute? Hint: not anyone who walks or bikes.
• Are cars parked 95% of the time?
• How Taxis and Uber Might Be Worsening the Paratransit Problem
• Large car free day in Paris is a success

Preventable Carnage

• On Park(ing) Day, a driver crashed into parked cars in Banker’s HIll. There are downsides to curbside parking.
• DUI Suspect Kills Pedestrian 1 Block From DUI Checkpoint
• Mother Of Baby Who Died After Being Left In Car Overnight Gets 10-Year Sentence
• Driver takes out tree, pole, lands on side in El Cajon.
• DUI suspect crashes into police cruiser
• A Southern California woman who was texting and chatting on her cellphone before she slammed her Toyota Prius into the back of an idling car on an Orange County freeway, killing the 23-year-old driver, was sentenced Friday to six years in prison. No word on whether law enforcement in Orange County intends to step up their efforts to prevent distracted driving
• A young girl who was struck by a car in the 500 block of North Johnson Avenue in El Cajon died at the hospital.
• Two injured in head-on crash in Lincoln Park
• Child 7 Dies After Being Hit by Car While Playing
• A 12-year-old child on a scooter was thrown 20-feet when he was hit by a car in the South Bay
• DUI Suspect Crashes Van Into Home Shears Gas Line  Source
• Pedestrian dies of hit-run injuries
• SUV (speeds and) skids on wet road, plunges into swimming pool
• A 59-year-old man walking near City Heights Saturday was seriously injured when a car hit him, sending him flying into the air, according to one witness.
• A woman with a baby in the back seat of her SUV slammed into the back of a Santee dry cleaners
• Woman arrested for DUI after hit and run in Pacific Beach
• Drunk drivers get his car stuck on the Georgia Street bridge.
• Teenage Driver Hits Injures Kids in San Marcos
• Daughter Charged With DUI Vehicular Manslaughter in Crash That Killed Mother
• Vehicle crashes into wall along home on Winnett Street near SR 94

by BikeSD Staff

SANDAG’s Gary Gallegos: “Transit is not going to work for every person in the region”

“We are not going to put everybody on a bike, we are not going to take everybody out of their car, transit is not going to work for every person in the region.” - Gary Gallegos, executive director of SANDAG, San Diego’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. January 8, 2014.

“the SANDAG plan is to spend more than half the $204 billion on mass transit, adding five new Trolley lines, 32 new rapid bus lines and 275 miles of new bikeways, as well as 160 miles of freeway lanes intended to help transit and encourage carpools and van pools. The net effect would be to reduce county greenhouse gas emissions by considerably more than state targets.” - UT Editorial Board

I don’t know what sort of drugs the UT Editorial Board is consuming, because if they bothered to read SANDAG’s own analysis they would have seen that implementing the existing Regional Transportation Plan (scheduled for a SANDAG board vote on October 9th) in its current form is going to increase the region’s greenhouse gas emissions. Check out the below graphic for a visual, taken right from SANDAG’s own documentation

SANDAG’s own analysis shows an increase in vehicle miles travelled between now and 2050, which will increase greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis goes on to state that in order to meet the state goals of reducing the region’s greenhouse gas emissions, SANDAG needs to encourage “more compact development than a multiple dense cores scenario, further substantial increases in the cost of driving, and further substantial transit service improvements,“

This same document by SANDAG staff discusses induced demand, in that increasing roadway capacity induces driving (and thus more greenhouse gas emissions). The document also points out that congestion is good because it “may then lead to longer trips and a change in mode.” Between 2012 and 2050, SANDAG’s own analysis shows that they are planning to increase freeway capacity by an additional 1, 757 miles of freeways.

The implementation of the entire 2050 plan is divided into three phases summarized below in the table by expenditures (in millions)

To SANDAG’s credit, Active Transportation investments have been increased to $4.9 billion - no small amount. But if Uptown was any indication of how future projects will proceed, the future for walking and bicycling looks very bleak in that projects will continue to be implemented in a hodge podge manner, watered down over the smallest of whining over loss of curbside parking instead of implementing proven methods that actually connects communities and addresses the barriers to walking and bicycling and transit use in the region.

Within the 2050 RTP Update, SANDAG is proposing to leverage a little over $98 billion in local funds to receive $68 billion in state funds and $36 billion in federal funds. A cursory glance at the state and federal funds scheduled to come into the region seems to indicate that these funds can be used toward providing increased transportation choices like dedicated rail transit which can also increase bicycle ridership, but the board (our own elected officials) has - at Gallegos’ behest - continued to prioritize freeways over transit and active transportation projects.

I wanted to take a cursory look at the transit investments however. Out of the $100.9 billion devoted to transit, $17 billion is allocated toward the California High Speed Rail that wouldn’t be in operation until the later part of the plan’s implementation. Further more, $39 billion is for transit operations and given the region’s high farebox recovery rates, we have proof that transit pays for itself more than highway projects do. In the first phase of the plan’s implementation (2014-2020), $2.1 billion (out of the total $15.4 billion) is being spent on transit: the Mid-Coast Trolley and double tracking the Coaster. The rest of the money is being spent on Rapid Buses and a Airport Shuttle that sounds like it was designed by individuals who haven’t experienced airport transit systems in nearly every major city in the country.

To summarize, SANDAG’s own plan won’t meet the governor’s order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SANDAG continues to build freeways and increase road capacity for drivers while failing to push for either a means to pay for driving use or provide an alternative that would induce San Diegans to shift travel modes.

So what is the SANDAG board going to adopt next week? More of this:

and less of this:

Change to a more sustainable, healthier future is well within San Diego’s reach. Changing behaviour by redesigning our region’s transportation networks for the long term sustainability is possible. It’s just too bad our elected leaders aren’t willing to be leaders.

by Sam Ollinger

Transforming Hillcrest: A Video Explanation of the Uptown Bike Corridor

One of BikeSD's members and a local owner of several UPS stores, Dennis Stein, was having trouble understanding the full picture of what happened around the SANDAG vote to kill protected bike lanes on University Avenue this past June. So he decided to make a short video about the entire project's history and you can view that video here (embedded below):

The Uptown Bike Project was the first project that was part of the Early Action Plan within SANDAG's Regional Transportation Plan.The total funding allocated to the project was $40 million. Per SANDAG, the "project’s 12 miles of on-street bikeways are within the City of San Diego’s urban core communities of Uptown (Five Points, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, and Bankers Hill neighborhoods), Old Town, Mission Valley, Downtown, North Park, and Balboa Park".

The goals of the Uptown Bike Project were:

1.Mobility: Increase choices; connect communities
2.Experience: Improve travel safety for everyone, and create an exceptional biking experience
3.Community: Build on and support related community initiatives
4.Placemaking: Enhance community identity and public spaces
5.Economic Development: Improve public infrastructure and strengthen opportunities for community and business development

I've created a visual to show you the five corridors below. The red highlighted segments visually show the elevation one must climb to get up to the Central Mesa. This elevation is a challenge for most people. As you can see, most of the corridors already have painted bike lanes along with low vehicle traffic counts, with University Avenue being a glaring exception. University Avenue is the most deadly corridor as identified by Circulate San Diego's analysis for Vision Zero, a plan to eliminate all serious injuries and traffic fatalities within a decade in the city of San Diego.

After the Uptown Corridor is implemented (construction is scheduled to begin in 2017), University Avenue will get three blocks worth of protected bike lanes which will thus fail the goals identified by SANDAG above: including connecting communities and improve safety for everyone.

Hillcrest Business Association has retained their lobbyist to fight against possible protected bike lane implementation on 4th and 5th Avenue. The current painted buffered bike lanes is already being sued by former Uptown Planners head, Leo Wilson.

As the Stein's video alludes above, Level of Service, or the practice of prioritizing vehicle traffic throughput to the exclusion and detriment of all other travel modes killed the Uptown Bikeway Corridor on University Avenue. If you recall, our own Planning Commission identified a need to deprioritize Level of Service. And given the approximately 13% of Uptown residents who live without a vehicle (let alone the thousands that get by with one vehicle or want to live without a vehicle), their own voices are not being heard or acknowledged in this public process of where and how projects get funded and implemented.

Here is another point to chew on: below is a visual of the car-free residents in Uptown taken from the Census. The source is via Better Institutions. You can view the entire country's car-free status here.

In his email to all the people he spoke with about the video, Stein wrote the following:

A few months ago I was looking for an interesting project to make a video about to practice my video making skills.  The Uptown Bikeways project keep popping up.  In mid-July started interviewing people who had been involved in the process.

My goal from the beginning was to tell a balanced, objective story.  (If I didn't do this, please let me know.)  I was concerned that I might make a video skewed in favor of the bike community since a lot of them are my friends.  However, I also relate to the business owners as I own a retail business.

I was surprised as I started getting into the interviews how the conflict between the bike community and the business community was real in its early stages, but that there was a lot of agreement between both groups later on over Transform Hillcrest.  I was also surprised at how Todd Gloria, who both represents Hillcrest and is the chairman of the SANDAG transpiration committee, didn't get more involved in April and May to advocate for the Transform Hillcrest plan that the community was rallying around.  The story turned from one pitting bike advocates against businesses to one pitting the community against city and SANDAG leadership.  SANDAG is obliged to do what the transportation committee directs it to, so that mean Gary Gallegos did not kill Transform Hillcrest, but that it was the board of the transportation committee led by Todd Gloria.  I felt that the results of this whole process was that Hillcrest missed out on a huge opportunity.

(By the way, these jabs at Todd are specific to this issue.  From what I've seen, he's a very effective, reasonable, and hard working politician.  My understanding of this issue just leads me to a different conclusion than him on it.  I might make a pro-Todd Gloria video someday too about a different topic.)

My hope in releasing this video is that it will revive the conversation about what we want from our political leaders and about how we interact with them and the organizations they lead (SANDAG, City of SD).  I hope the video will put pressure on all parties to act in a way that is best for the community.

My hope is also to correct any errors that may be in this video.  Is there something big in it that you see in it that is incorrect or mis-leading?  Is there something glaringly missing from the video?  If we catch it quickly, I can do another edit before too many people see it.  (It takes hours to upload the video, so unless the change is very important, I may not make it.)  I'll probably also make some other versions of this video, like a trailer and a sub-5 minute version.

Send me any questions or comments you may have about the video.  It's been a fun project and I'm not looking for the next video to work on.  I've got some ideas and it will probably not have to do with a political issue next time!

by Sam Ollinger

SDPD is Seeking Public Help Finding Hit and Run Driver

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Susan Shroder writes,

San Diego police traffic investigators are asking for the public's help to locate a driver who did not stop after striking a bicyclist Thursday morning in the Bay Park neighborhood.

Police encouraged anyone with information to call Traffic Division Detective Heidi Hawley at (858) 495-7811, or the San Diego Police Department non-emergency number at (619) 531-2000.

If we learn more details, we'll post it here. But for now, keep an eye out for a dark blue small compact or subcompact car that may have damage to the hood and the front bumper.

We hope the woman the driver struck is on the road to a speedy recovery and back riding soon.

Update #1 from Wendy Fry at NBC San Diego who writes that the rider was a local teacher at Alice Birney Elementary School,

Carol Lord, a P.E. teacher at Alice Birney Elementary School, was riding her bike at Clairemont Drive and Galveston Street Thursday morning when a blue sedan swerved into the bike lane to pass another car, striking Lord, according to her husband Steve.

 

Update: 9/23/2015 Investigators believe the car was a metallic blue 2005 to 2009 Buick LaCrosse. The left passenger-side mirror was found at the crash site. The car will likely have a damaged hood, fender and front bumper on the passenger's side.

by BikeSD Staff

News, Links, and Other Views

This 2-minute video shows how bike lanes can be built without clogging up traffic, via BikeSD member Barry.

City of San Diego

• Co-founder of Bikes & Beer, Tim Stempel has created Spin Again Bicycles. Stempel says, it is "a classified site dedicated specifically to bicycles.  Born out of my frustration with a glutted Craigslist in Southern California, the interface is designed to be clean and easy to use, with a sophisticated search/filter mechanism." Check it out!
• Decobike stations are now searchable via phone apps. There is a standalone app available on iPhone and via RideScout.
• In a community vs. business battle, the city is pitting the Deco Bike Bike Share program against Pacific Beach residents.
• Would San Diego's bike share program have been more successful with a network of bicycle infrastructure and public funding supporting the program?
• It is against the law to ride a bicycle while drunk. A woman in Pacific Beach was injured when she rode into a tow truck.
• A helpful guide from the U-T on how to use the bike sharing program
• The Nextdoor community in South Park helped catch a bicycle thief.
• Pacific Beach now has bicycle greenways

San Diego Business Love (the following businesses not only support bicycle riding, but will reward you with a small discount if you ride your bicycle over)

• 10% off at Girl On the Go Spa
• 10% off at Blueprint Contracting
• 10% off at Milestone Running Shop
• 5% off at Cordin Blosiu Chiropractor
• Check out more businesses at the SD Bike Commuter website.

County of San Diego

• Save the date: October 9-12, 2015 for America's Finest Ride, a three day overnight bicycle tour around San Diego to experience the richness, variety and beauty that is San Diego cuisine, and San Diego topography.
• Bicycle rider in Carlsbad was killed when a driver entered the bike lane and struck the rider from behind
• Plans for the county's first bike park in Valley Center appear to have slowed down.
• A 16-year old boy was injured when struck by a vehicle. Note to readers: a helmet doesn't protect one from being struck by a vehicle
• SANDAG’s Role In Cutting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Disputed
• Auto shops don't make for livable neighborhoods and in National City, neighbors are thrilled that the City auto shop is moving out
• A bicycle rider was hit and killed on the I-5 near Rancho Bernardo. No one on the conclusions of the investigation.
• Another bicycle rider was killed in El Cajon by a vehicle. We don't have any updates on the cause or the details of an investigation.
• Skateparks now are open to non-skateboarders too
• A San Diego man who has been under suspicion for nearly a year in a hit-and-run crash that killed an Oceanside bicyclist was arrested earlier this month

Elsewhere

• The founder of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Deb Hubsmith, died after a long battle with cancer
• The CDC says that cycling will be made safe with protected bike lanes and lower speeds
• Let’s Put Those Tired, Anti-Bike Arguments to Rest
• Crashes doubled after Houston banned red light cameras
• Sabotage and hatred: what have people got against cyclists?
• There is a right way, and a wrong way, to lock your bicycle
• The City of Seattle has started to install temporary protected bike lanes as a way to test out and build support for permanent street changes.
• Munich is building a highway for cyclists.
• When it comes to enforcing traffic laws, investigative journalists in Tampa found that the black bicycle riding population were at a disproportionate risk in being targeted. Something to think about and address as San Diego gets close to adopting a Vision Zero resolution.
• A new study shows that urban sprawl reduces quality of life in cities.
• Minneapolis has eliminated its parking minimums which will not only cut vehicle traffic congestion, but also make housing affordable - problems that San Diego is trying to address.
• The LA Times Editorial Board lays out a vision for the City of Angels. Wonder what U-T's vision will look like
• The deaths of Sandra Bland in Texas and Samuel DuBose in Ohio following police stops for failing to signal a lane change and lacking a front license plate highlight the dangers of relying on law enforcement to rectify social ills, including Vision Zero (via)

Preventable Carnage

• Woman Falls Asleep at Wheel, Hits Two Pedestrians
• Head-on collision on Rancho Santa Fe street
• Late last month, two brothers will killed in a DUI head-on crash.
• There are dangers of having auto repair shops in residential neighborhoods.
• Two women were killed in a head-on auto crash last week.

by BikeSD Staff