Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Safe Biking For San Diego

It's no secret that I haven't operated a motor vehicle for about 4 years now. Even before my car kicked the bucket, I rode my old $25 Craig's List bike a lot and used it in my commute when I was working downtown. Unfortunately, there was a gap of a few years that I didn't have a reliable bike, but I attended my share of CCDC meetings to advocate for safe bicycle riding downtown. The CCDC no longer exists, but it is pretty amazing to enter a new era of city politics where the Mayor and the City Council all support safe riding. With SANDAG's cooperation, because of the TransNet tax that we all pay for complete road infrastructure improvements, it looks like things are really happening. You can see the evidence by increased signage, sharrows, bike lane improvements and connections made along the San Diego River among many other projects.

The inclusion of safety for pedestrians, public transit, and bicycling along with cars is the distinction of a "complete road" and it is really exciting that EVERYONE can have a say in the process. Yesterday the City Council passed a resolution to prioritize bicycle infrastructure. While they didn't dedicate any funds to that end, that the subject is on people's minds is a great benefit to everyone across the city. So maybe I'm a johnny-come-lately to some of the politics and activism, but I thought I'd share some links, video, and let you know that TODAY (Wednesday, March 6, 2013) there is an open SANDAG meeting at Sunset Temple, behind Claire De Lune, to discuss actual routes for what they're calling the North Park-Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project.
Community Advisory Group: A community advisory group has been formed to provide in-depth input on the design and serve as the community liaison from kick-off to completion of The planning phase. The group will meet four times at key project milestones. Meetings are open to the public – all are welcome to attend. Here's the AGENDA
The second Community Advisory Group will be held:
March 6, 2013
6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sunset Temple
3911 Kansas Street
San Diego, CA 92104

San Diego Bicycle Master Plan (City of San Diego)

San Diego Regional Bike Plan (SANDAG)

Keep San Diego Moving

Bike San Diego

San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

North Park - Mid-City Regional Bike Corridors Project

Transit 5010

Here's the City Council Item from yesterday (that passed unanimously save for two absent votes):
ITEM-331: Resolution Prioritizing Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements in the City of San Diego to Enhance Public Safety. (Citywide.)
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
To consider and adopt resolution prioritizing bicycle infrastructure improvements to enhance public safety in the City of San Diego
COUNCILMEMBER ZAPF'S RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the following resolution:(R-2013-456)
Declaring that the City of San Diego supports prioritizing citywide bicycle infrastructure improvements which enhance rider safety, provide transportation options, and benefit the greater public as our region steps forward and progresses.
Video after the jump. 



Here's local Fox news coverage from last night, along with my super sexy superhero boyfriend speaking at 1:19.

1 comment:

Matthew Ruscigno said...

If they can 'squeeze in bike lanes' on the narrow, pre-automobile streets of NYC then they can very easily do it here on the wide streets of San Diego.