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SAN CARLOS BIKES NEWSLETTER

April 29, 2021 Biking News

Bicycle Sundays on Cañada Returns ~ Bike Film Festival coming ~ SMC 2021 Bike Champion Announced ~ Hillsdale Caltrain Station Opens ~ California Safety Stop Passess Bill Passes in Assembly ~ Safe Routes to School Survey Due & more...


Topics in this issue:

  1. Chance to Advocate for Improving San Carlos Bus Service

  2. Bicycle Sundays on Cañada Rd returns this Sunday, May 2

  3. Virtual Bicycle Film Festival coming to Silicon Valley, May 7-16

  4. Good news for Bike-Train Commuters - new Hillsdale Station open

  5. ‘California Stop’ for cyclists passes another hurdle

  6. Joining SVBC as a member is the easiest bike advocacy there is

  7. San Mateo County Bike Champion of the Year announced

  8. San Carlos Safe Routes Survey due tomorrow-- Friday, 4/30


1) Chance to Advocate for San Carlos Bus Service!


Now is our chance to bring more bus service back to San Carlos. SamTrans is asking for our community’s feedback tonight, as well as by survey through May 31.


SO many cars are taken off the road by one bus, and buses pair well with bikes (and scooters and skateboards). SamTrans is considering significant changes to bus service through the Re-Imagine SamTrans Public Outreach Process, and they’ve assured us NOTHING is set in stone yet, so we can still advocate for more daily bus routes around San Carlos.


Here’s a link to my Letter to SamTrans Requesting San Carlos Service, specifically requesting resurrecting a modified version of the old 46B route. It also suggests some revisions to the #295 and thanks SamTrans for helping get our school kids to school and reducing commute traffic with the VERY popular #61 route. (Thank you Meredith Park, Jean Dehner, Dawn Brozek and Karen Molinary for all the letter help!)

Join the regional meeting tonight and give them your feedback! Time is running out for public outreach. Engage now!



2) Bicycle Sundays on Cañada Rd returns this Sunday. May 2



The San Mateo County Parks Department will resume Bicycle Sunday, opening a 3.8-mile segment of Cañada Road in Woodside along Crystal Springs Regional Trail to non-motorized activities, including walking, jogging, bicycling, hiking and roller-skating.

  • During Bicycle Sunday, the section of Cañada Road between Highway 92 and immediately north of the Filoli entrance will be closed to cars and motorcycles from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Filoli entrance gate will be accessible to northbound traffic. Road barricades and park staff will be present to redirect motorized traffic and assist Bicycle Sunday participants.

  • This open-street program occurs every Sunday on non-holiday weekends. Funding for Bicycle Sunday is provided by the San Mateo County Parks Foundation.

  • Current California Department of Public Health COVID-19 guidelines for outdoor activity require face coverings be worn when you can’t maintain social distancing from those who are not part of your household.

  • Parking for Bicycle Sunday is available at Cañada Road and Highway 92 and at Edgewood Road. There are no restrooms or water on site. The Pulgas Water Temple is open to hikers, bikers and equestrians on Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3:30p.m. See a map on our Bicycle Sunday page »



3) Virtual Bicycle Film Festival coming to Silicon Valley, May 7-16


The Bicycle Film Festival has been celebrating bicycles through art, film, and music since 2001. The physical BFF spanned the world in over 90 cities worldwide to an audience of over one million people.


  • This year due to COVID-19, Bicycle Film Festival is going virtual and coming to Silicon Valley (virtually) May 7 - 16. Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is hosting and a portion of all tickets will go to support their advocacy efforts.


  • Get tickets (sliding scale) here:



4) Good news for Bike-Train Commuters! - new Hillsdale Station open


Caltrain opened a new Hillsdale Station April 26 that now features modern amenities thanks to the 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project.


  • The new station has been relocated four blocks north of its previous location, between 28th and 31st Avenues. It has an elevated center-boarding platform, allowing for safer, more convenient pedestrian access.

  • It also offers riders on-demand bicycle eLockers and traditional bike racks, two parking lots and six connecting SamTrans routes, making the station a truly multi-modal transit hub.



5) ‘California Stop’ for cyclists passes another hurdle

On Earth Day (coincidence? I think not) the California Assembly took a historic step by voting 53 to 11 in favor of the Bicycle Safety Stop Bill (AB 122, Boerner Horvath, Friedman, Ting).

  • Most Democrats and two Republicans supported the bill. The bill will replace the requirement that people on bikes stop at stop signs with a requirement to yield and slow and stop if necessary for safety, including to yield the right of way to pedestrians. More than 75 organizations across the state signed a letter in support of the bill.


6) Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Annual Member Drive through May 3


Do you love going to council meetings? Filling out surveys? Emailing lawmakers? No? Most of us don’t.

Fortunately there’s also an easy way to advocate for safe streets and better biking that takes very little time, money or effort -- join our local bicycle coalition, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition as a member.


  • SVBC’s usual membership drive has to be mostly virtual this year because of COVID, so our contributions are extra welcome.




7) Area Annual Bike Champions of the Year announced


This year’s San Mateo County Bike Champion award went to San Carlos Bikes Founder, Sonia Elkes! Thank you to whoever nominated me/us, so glad to put San Carlos on the map for bike advocacy!


8) San Carlos Safe Routes to School Survey due April 30


-- Parents of School-age children in San Carlos please fill out the annual Safe Routes to School Survey here:

Spanish: https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/21_SRTS_Spanish


-- It’s our annual opportunity (no matter how many times you already have) to:

-- Raise specific safety concerns-- Request bike lanes, bike lanes, bike lanes

-- Make suggestions about SamTrans school bus service

-- Thank our hardworking crossing guards & Safe Routes staff

-- Advocate for amenities like pump tracks, skate parks, etc at our schools, parks and youth centers


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