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SAN CARLOS BIKES NEWSLETTER

March 27, 2021 Biking News

Bike Bridge Over 101 Delayed Due to Cost Increase ~ Bike Pump Track Coming to HMB ~ Bike Commuters Can Get $100 ~ New Bike Touring WheelTales Destinations Announced & more...


Topics in this issue:

  1. Bike/Ped Bridge over 101 near Holly St DELAYED :(

  2. Hopeful news for Bicycle ‘Pump Track’ Enthusiasts

  3. Get up to $100 for Commuting in San Mateo County

  4. Lessons from Mt Diablo--A Conversation with Cycling Advocates

  5. May is National Bike Month and May 21 is ‘Bike to Wherever Day’

  6. Legislative Update: Bike Stop-as-Yield Bill (AB122) Passes Hurdle

  7. Good News for Bike-Train Commuters--Monthly Passes Discounted

  8. Bike Touring Enthusiasts -- New WheelTales Destinations for 2021!


1) Bike/Ped Bridge over 101 at Holly Street DELAYED:


-- According to San Carlos City Engineer Grace Le, the Bike/Ped Bridge part of the Holly St/101 Interchange project did NOT get funded through the most recent ATP (Active Transportation Funding) that San Carlos applied for, but the good news is they will be re-applying in the upcoming funding cycles.


-- Somehow we all thought funding for this was already a done deal, but apparently not. :( So we wait... unless perhaps this is a project that could be funded by the new development coming to the East Side Life Sciences Campus?


-- Meanwhile, here are the specs for the planned bike/ped bridge:

  • The Pedestrian Overcrossing is a 10 feet multi-use path, combined bike and pedestrian path. Due to the need for cost reduction, the LED-lite arches shown below will be deleted. It will connect from E. San Carlos Ave, cross 101, and parallel Skyway Road




2.) Hopeful news for 'pump track' biking enthusiasts


-- San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (!) approved a Pump Track for Quarry Park in Half Moon Bay, scheduled to be installed by the end of this year. Hooray for the precedent! Now to getting pump track(s) into our San Carlos parks and schoolyards...



-- “San Mateo County Parks Director Nicholas Calderon presented the final design of a new bike pump track at the February 10th MCC meeting. The project was approved by the SMC Board of Supervisors and is scheduled for installation by the end of this year. The pump track is part of the County of San Mateo Parks Department Master Plan for Quarry Park and will be located in a portion of the meadow within walking distance to the children's playground and the one bathroom. A big push for this amenity came from a crowd of hundreds of bicycle enthusiasts who showed up to advocate for a bike pump track at the January 2020 Midcoast Community Council meeting after San Mateo County Parks shut down an unauthorized pump track, built over the 2019 holidays on the Mirada East section of Quarry Park, due to safety concerns.”




3.) Get up to $100 for commuting to work in San Mateo County!


-- If you live or work in San Mateo County, you can get up to $100 from Commute.org for biking to work and logging those trips!


4.) Lessons from Mt Diablo--A Conversation with Cycling Advocates


-- Between 2010 and 2014, there were an average of 23 Collisions per year on the roads of Mount Diablo State Park. By 2015, the number of collisions was reduced to five. In the past three years combined, there was only one.These safety improvements were no accident. How did that happen? What did it take? How do you keep up momentum when it takes a decade to get traction? Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is hosting an informal conversation over zoom with the lead advocate who organized, and fought for years to achieve this end result. Learn how you can advocate in your own community for safer streets.


Date: Thursday, April 15th

Time: 5pm – 6pm

Who: Alan Kalin, President Mount Diablo Cyclists and Chairman Bike Danville in conversation with Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Board member, Andrew Hsu

Where: Zoom, of course!


5.) May is Bike Month and May 21, 2021 is ‘Bike To Wherever Day!’


-- While most of us continue to work from home because of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic, we will once again be 'Biking to Wherever' during the month of May, Bike Month. There’s plenty of reason to get out and ride your bike to run errands, get exercise, visit friends and family (safely of course) and more.


-- This year, join Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition for the month of May and pedal to Wherever you need to go! Friday May 21st has been designated as BIKE TO WHEREVER DAY 2021 with select special festivities when possible.


-- San Mateo County will NOT be coordinating public face-to-face Energizer Stations again this year. San Mateo’s second annual Bike to Your Library day is being planned. Stay tuned for more information

-- Sign up here to Pledge to Ride in May, for a 2021 BTWD Messenger bag, to watch this year’s Virtual Bicycle Film Festival, and sign up for virtual swag: https://bikesiliconvalley.org/btwd/


6.) Legislative Update: Bike Stop-as-Yield Bill (AB122) Passes First Hurdle

-- The bill passed out of committee with 10 votes! It's headed to the whole Assembly next, an even bigger hurdle. Here's an article on it.


7.) Good news for Bike-Train Commuters--New Monthly Pass Discount and Clipper Card Available at Redwood City Platform


-- Caltrain is offering 20% Off Caltrain Monthly Pass beginning with April (goes on sale March 21). The discount is available through September (pass goes on sale August 21). Learn more at www.caltrain.com/monthlydiscount.


-- Customers can now purchase an adult Clipper card, add cash value or add Caltrain, Muni, SamTrans, AC Transit or VTA passes to their card at these Caltrain stations – San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Millbrae and San Francisco. The ticket machines will accept Apple Pay and Google Pay, and can be operated with an easy-to-use touchscreen. When an adult card is purchased with value, a cost of $3 for the card will be added to the total. Clipper customers still need to tag on and off at the card reader at Caltrain stations before boarding. Learn more at https://www.caltrain.com/Fares/howtobuy/Ticket_Machine.html.



8.) Local/Domestic Bike Touring--2021 Wheeltales destinations posted!


-- These are relatively low cost trips that are usually camping, with gear hauling, breakfast and dinner provided. More info at: www.wheeltales.com


2021 Routes include:

GOLD COUNTRY

APRIL 16-19

Angel's Camp. Cabin accommodations. Staying at one location for 4 days of riding.


SF PENINSULA TOUR

MAY 7-10

Redwood City. Renting house for entirety of tour.


NORTHERN UTAH

JUNE 13-19

Provo, Park City and more. 7 days of camping with a couple of loop days.


SANTIAM MOUNTAINS-OREGON

JULY 4-10

Start in Salem and head west into the stunning Cascades. Long loop tour


OREGON COAST

AUGUST 8-14

Starting in Salem. A 7 day loop tour out to the coast.


OREGON MTB ADVENTURE

AUGUST 15-21

Explore the many incredible dirty areas of Oregon. Including Oakridge McKenzie River, Alsea Creek, more


COLORADO ADVENTURE

SEPTEMBER 12-18

Take the adventure of the eastern slope of the Rockies.


Thanks all!

Sonia Elkes, Founder San Carlos Bikes

(415) 806-4632


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