Winter 2015 • Volume 24 / No. 4

SANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

QuickRelease

2 Quick Release Winter 2015

BOARDCourtney Dietz, PresidentDavid Hodges, Vice PresidentDavid Bourgeois, TreasurerByron BeckRobert CaizaSue CarmodyHector GonzalezJohn HygelundMike Vergeer

STAFFEd France, Executive DirectorEd@sbbike.org

Christine Bourgeois, Education Directoredu@sbbike.org

Shawn Von Biela, Shop Managershop@bicicentro.org

Howard Booth, Membership Coordinatorhoward@sbbike.org

Joey Juhasz-Lukomski, Volunteer CoordinatorJoey@sbbike.org

Sam Franklin, Avocacy sam@sbbike.org

GOVT. LIAISONS & ADVISORSMatt Dobberteen, AdvisorCounty of Santa Barbaramattdobberteen@gmail.com

Kent Epperson, AdvisorTraffic Solutionskepperson@sbcag.org

Teresa Lopes, AdvisorCity of Goletatlopes@cityofGoleta.org

Ralph Fertig, President Emeritus(deceased)

GRAPHIC DESIGNCynthia Stahl, info@cynstahl.com

EDITORHolly Starley, editor@sbbike.org

CONTACT US506 E. Haley St.Santa Barbara, CA 93103

PO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190

www.sbbike.org617-3255

CONTRIBUTEYour time: www.bicicentro.org/volunteerIn-kind: www.bicicentro.org/wishlistFinancially: www.bicicentro.org/donate

Our Vision

The Santa Barbara Bike Coalition (SBBIKE) vision is that Santa Barbara will be a leader

in creating a bicycle-friendly community and transportation system. Extensive on-road

and separated bikeways, a coordinated transit system, parking, and amenities allow us

to enjoy a culture where the majority of daily trips include a bicycle. As a result, our

community is healthier and encourages balanced living within our resources. Universal

cycling education for all ages supports the development of safe and respectful road

behaviors from both motorists and cyclists. Widespread community and political

support for bicycling is in place. By 2040, because it is a cycling-centered county,

Santa Barbara is both a great place to live and work and a nationally acclaimed cycling

destination, boasting a year-round calendar of successful, fun, and inclusive events.

COVER PHOTOS – Santa Barbara cyclists. Just a few of a series of portraits featuring the community’s cyclists that the photographer took at the bike light giveaway on SB’s west side. By STEPHEN LEWIS. BACK IMAGE – New lights! By PAUL WELLMAN.

Letter from the EditorOne phrase jumped out at me as we were compiling this issue—

social inclusiveness. It’s one of Connecting Our Community

campaign’s core messages about why well-engineered cycling

and walking infrastructure is important to an entire community.

And the phrase speaks to my heart, as I suspect it must for many

of us at the Santa Barbara Bicycling Coalition.

I Googled “social inclusion” and read about breaking down the barriers that separate

groups of people from each other and some groups from information and resources.

One Canadian government site, in part, defined a socially inclusive society as “one

where all people feel valued” and “their differences are respected.”

In this issue, the coalition launches the transformation of its newly purchased building

into a community center that welcomes all and is a model for sustainable resource

availability. Its advocacy heads strive toward the implementation of infrastructure

changes that will make our roads and transportation systems safer for every user—

cyclists, walkers, and motorists alike. The coalition spreads its education efforts into

the North County. Bici Centro opens up its third shop at Santa Barbara City College

(the second Bici is at Santa Barbara High School). Twenty local youth receive shiny

bicycles for Christmas. And a four-year program (decades in the making if you trace

Iluminando la Noche’s roots) designed to make a large and largely invisible group

of our cycling community visible reaches its highest numbers. And while the annual

light distribution has helped thousands of riders to be seen better at night, it has

also worked to bring these cyclists and their needs to light. Data from this year’s

annual survey will allow the group to speak its desires as the city determines what

infrastructure changes Santa Barbara will see over the coming decade and beyond.

As I envision the many arms of the coalition opening and spreading ever

wider and further—geographically, demographically, and politically—

to include more and more of the community, I think, Yep, this is

something I want to be a part of. This is social inclusiveness.

Inclusively yours,

Holly Starley, QR editor

www.SBBIKE.org 3

Santa Barbara Cruisers

Thank you, Business Members and Supporters

PLATINUM MEMBERS

DIAMOND MEMBERS

Marcia Burtt Gallery

GOLD & CARBON FIBER MEMBERS

Rincon Cycle CapCranks

SILVER & ALUMINUM MEMBERS

TITANIUM MEMBERS

BRONZE AND STEEL MEMBERS

The Dirt Club Ebike Santa BarbaraHelloHarvest Hoffman ArchitectureHorny ToadJohn Jones Precision WheelsKendrick Consulting

Mesa ArchitectsMesa Business AssociationRevolution Coaching LLCPacific Pedalers/ Santa Barbara PedicabPedal Born PicturesPedal Power Bicycles

Race CorpsREIService Objects True Nature Landscape ArchitectureWe Bike ElectricWaynes Pro Bike

4 Quick Release Winter 2015

Hutton Parker Foundation Grant Gets SBBIKE Plan Rolling toward 2016 completion date

S BBIKE’s community center renovation project is the Hutton Parker

Foundation’s most recent beneficiary. The foundation, which has

invested in local community (“instead of Wall Street” per its motto) for the

past sixteen years, has granted the project $50,000.

And this isn’t the first time the foundation has been behind Santa Barbara

Bicycle Coalition’s plans for its new building. Hutton Parker, a local

real estate guru, coached SBBIKE’s leaders through last year’s building

purchase. Through the relationship built then, SBBIKE applied for the

grant, and Hutton Parker’s board of directors reopened the capital

support fund that made it possible.

Thus, the proverbial ball is rolling, and SBBIKE is revitalizing its new

building—creating an inclusive community center that supports all

people-powered transportation and is a model of sustainability. “We’re

talking solar panels, permaculture planning, rain-water harvesting, water

efficiency strategies,” says SBBIKE executive director Ed France.

The project will prioritize “capital improvements that will transform

our building from a useable space (with some problems) to a vibrant

COMMUNITY CENTER

community center that’s comfortable and accessible

for everyone—just like we want our bike paths to be.”

A local architect is helping to map the requirements

necessary to not just make improvements but do

so in a way that brings the building fully up to code,

which France calls a significant but worthwhile

process. “As a community center, our concern for

safety is paramount,” he notes.

While the $50,000 isn’t quite enough to bring the

project to fruition—that’ll take more like $200,000—

the coalition is in communication with other local

foundations and philanthropic leaders, such as

Sarah Miller McCune. The McCune Foundation, a

longtime supporter, has already stepped in with a gift

through its President’s Fund. With such support, the

renovated facility could be open by early 2016.

Not that it’ll ever be closed for long. France says

closures will be minor and will involve different

portions of the space during late 2015. The Bici

Centro workspace will be available on an ongoing

basis through shifting its location within the complex.

$50K BOOSTS COMMUNITY CENTER REVITALIZATION

Families, DIY mechanics, volunteers, commuters, cycling enthusiasts—all part of SBBIKE’s community on a typical day at Bici Centro, the DIY shop and hub of the community center. Photo by HECTOR GONZALEZ

“We’re talking solar panels, permaculture planning, rain-water harvesting, water

efficiency strategies … capital improvements that will transform our building from a useable

space (with some problems) to a vibrant community center that’s comfortable and

accessible for everyone—just like we want our bike paths to be.” —Ed France

www.SBBIKE.org 5

ADVOCACY

SBBIKE’s Sam Franklin on answering, “Yes!”

W hat does winning a campaign take? SBBIKE Connecting Our Community

campaign (Connect) coordinator Sam Franklin and a group of advocates

and volunteers asked this over an intense weekend. More specifically, they

examined how to convince city officials a majority of Santa Barbarans support

infrastructure changes necessary for a safe and connected bicycle network.

The city’s Bike Master Plan (BMP), fifteen-year planning for cycling infrastructure,

is due for an update. City council, unsure of where the community stands, has

decided to take a year to find out—hiring a consultancy firm to conduct a public

input process. As Franklin puts it, “They don’t want to make changes perceived

as not popular.”

Franklin believes community members who are aware of why infrastructure

changes are necessary, will support them. But the issue isn’t on everyone’s radars.

The Alliance for Biking and Walking’s

Winning Campaigns seminar

encouraged advocates to define the

issue—identify the problem and frame

what you want to change—before

talking solutions. “The core problem

is that data for traffic collisions show

Santa Barbara is the most unsafe city

in the state compared to cities its size,”

says Franklin. In other words, “Too

many people are getting hit on bikes.” A

secondary problem is the perceived lack

of public interest. “Politicians believe

there isn’t enough public support for changing our infrastructure.”

Peter Brown, Public Works Mobility coordinator, says that’s not necessarily the case,

though it may have been six to twelve months ago. “Since then, a couple of the

opposers have listened and educated themselves,” he explains, concluding, “We’re

anticipating council support.”

Regardless of where the council stands, the results of the yearlong public input

process will majorly impact the BMP, says Brown.

Connect, with its ever-broadening group of supporters, intends to show that

improving our bicycle infrastructure “isn’t about serving a tiny group of cyclists but

about a generally accepted consensus on how creating better

infrastructure benefits all.”

Good cycling infrastructure boosts business and improves health, social

inclusiveness, and most importantly safety. “Our roads should be designed in such

a way that we end up with zero fatalities,” says Franklin. “Nothing else trumps this.

This is larger than just for cyclists. Better bikeways will also help pedestrians

and car drivers.”

Connect Message Good cycling infrastructure:

• Boosts local business

• Benefits the community’s health

• Promotes social inclusiveness

• Makes all forms of transportation

safer for everyone

Infrastructure designed to protect

pedestrians and cyclists is a safety

benefit for motorists. Better bikeways

will benefit all Santa Barbarans. This is

Connect’s message to the community,

and whether it’s also the community’s

message to the city over the next

few months will guide infrastructure

planning for the coming decade and

beyond.

Public Input Timeline

• Now – Preparation of

materials, such as flyers and

videos, explaining the issue

• Spring – Public inquiry via

neighborhood summits,

intercept surveys , and online

surveys (English and Spanish)

• Summer – Analysis of the data,

summary, and plan formation

This process will be the primary factor

in determining the BMP’s focus, says

Public Works Mobility Coordinator

Peter Brown. It’s intended to find out

what the community as a whole needs,

“and not just the cycling community,”

he explains. “It will engage people who

primarily drive and walk around town to

determine what they want in terms of

improving transportation options.”

As for the options, “We know from a

technological or engineering standpoint

what they are,” Brown says. “It’s a

matter of how those align with what the

community is looking for.”

City: “Does SB Support Bike/Walk-Friendly Changes?”

“Data for traffic collisions show Santa Barbara is the most unsafe city in the state compared to cities its size … Our roads should be designed in such a way that we end up with zero fatalities. Nothing else trumps this. This is larger than just for cyclists.” —Sam Franklin

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OUTREACH

Systematic Distribution Makes Safety Impact

More than 1,000 new lights are lighting up Santa Barbara County

nights thanks to Iluminando La Noche (Light up the Night),

SBBIKE’s annual light distribution. This fourth giveaway saw 560

cyclists, who received sets of lights and answered questions about

their cycling usage and needs.

Howard Booth, SBBIKE’s membership coordinator, points

out that, while a lot of bike coalitions host annual low-

income light giveaways during the “fall back” time change,

most give away fifty to seventy-five lights. “With our

numbers,” he says, “we’re hitting a really significant part of

the population.” (South Coast cyclists number in the several

thousands, so each systematic distribution over the past four

years has reached 10– 15 percent of that population.)

“We’re actually having a major impact on lighting up the night,”

says Booth. And that means a major impact on safety.

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKESBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE

560 participants from Carpinteria, Goleta, and Santa Barbara received new sets of light at the November 2014 distribution.

1,000+ New Lights Light SB Nights

These graphs, just two of a series created from the surveys collected at the most recent distribution, show who the recipients are and how they’re using their bicycles., Graphs by DANIEL FISHBEIN

www.SBBIKE.org 7

OUTREACH

Survey Sheds Light on Commuters’ Needs

Over the years, SBBIKE volunteers have surveyed the cyclists

who’ve received lights, determining who is in this group and their

needs and desires. The emerging picture shows the group is

young (the highest numbers were in their thirties), predominantly

male, and riding to work or school.

This last data point sets the group apart from a broader group of

cycling cohorts, notes Booth. “Most of the people we’re seeing,

this is their only means of transportation. This is how they get

there—to work, to school, to wherever they need to get.”

Understanding who’s getting the lights and what type of riding

they’re doing is important to better serve these commuters’

needs. What’s more, participants this time around were asked to

choose, from four infrastructure options, what type of bicycling

paths they’d like to see. The results will be a part of informing the

city what the community wants when it comes time to revise the

Bicycle Master Plan at the end of 2015. (See page 5.)

1,000+ New Lights Light SB Nights

These graphs, just two of a series created from the surveys collected at the most recent distribution, show who the recipients are and how they’re using their bicycles., Graphs by DANIEL FISHBEIN

Photos from left to right, by PAUL WELLMAN, STEPHEN LEWIS, and HECTOR GONZALEZ.

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EDUCATION

$12K GRANT A STEP IN NORTH COUNTY EXPANSION

W hen SBBIKE Education Director Christine Bourgeois learned

of a grant that would aid the coalition’s expansion into the

North County, she jumped on it. While she’s more than impressed

with bicycling education’s momentum in the region, she’s also

painfully aware of its lack of resources. Lompoc’s, for example, is

the only Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.

The $12,000 grant, allocated for Santa Maria and awarded by the

Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, will continue the Pedal Power

programs that have been going since 2012 at three junior highs—

Fesler, Tommie Kunst, and El Camino—and expand them; allow

for the hiring of a part-time education coordinator; and enable

outreach into schools and businesses.

“We really want to grow bike education there,” says Bourgeois.

Santa Maria boasts six League Certified Instructors (LCIs), four of

them teachers. Two more educators, including Fesler’s assistant

principal, have signed up for LCI training in April.

While the grant is earmarked solely for Santa Maria,

Bourgeois sees it as a step toward moving into other

cities, like Guadalupe, Santa Ynez, and Buellton. In

fact, last week, SBBIKE sent in a pre-application for

Measure A funding to expand through the region.

“What’s going on there already is pretty exciting,” says Bourgeois.

Santa Maria’s bike club Tailwinds is providing SBBIKE support and

“pushing us to do more.” Plans to bring bike education into junior

high PE classes are underway. “The North County is sounding

more progressive than Santa Barbara,” notes Bourgeois.

“Wait,” she says, “there’s more.” Having heard of a high school

already offering bike education, she had to see for herself. At

Santa Maria’s Pioneer High School, she found fifty cruisers and

a massive, two-lane, on-campus course that simulates traffic,

where students learn the rules of the road and get a fitness credit.

Bourgeois hopes Measure A funding will help this seven-year-

old program, whose fleet is getting old and funding dwindling.

“People want bike education in the North County,” concludes

Bourgeois, “and the bike coalition needs to provide it.”

The spring 2014 Pedal Power students at Tommie Kunst designed their own T-shirts. Photo by CHARLOTTE BELYEA

“The North County is sounding more progressive than Santa Barbara.” —Christine Bourgeois

Details: Education Coordinator needed on a contract basis (20h/week), at $15+/h DOE, in Santa Maria, CA

Description: SBBIKE is looking for a motivated individual who will grow the existing Santa Maria area youth cycling education programs and develop adult bike education and outreach for businesses.

Check out the posting at http://bicicentro.org/news/3206487 for a full list of responsibilities and qualifications.

How to apply: Please send résumé and cover letter to edu@sbbike.org and attach your résumé as a PDF. Telephone inquiries won’t be accepted. All materials should be received by February 13, 2015.

JOB OPENING

www.SBBIKE.org 9

SHOP

T hanks to a partnership between the Santa Barbara

Bicycle Coalition and Santa Barbara City College, Bici

Centro has been selected to open the college’s first bike

shop. Inside a shed next to the bridge on east campus, the

Do It Yourself (DIY) shop is alive and well, hosting the same

affordable bicycle repair and education users have come to

expect from Bici Centro. As enrollments continue to grow

at SBCC, infrastructure like this could be key in equalizing

the accessibility gap between bicycles and other forms of

transportation. And students like those in SBCC’s bike club,

who have utilized the mobile bike shop to actively promote

Bici Centro, understand the demand for bike repair on

campus.

The bike shop’s arrival stems from an update to the

college’s alternative transportation plan. The goals are

to reduce the demand for parking, reduce congestion,

improve air quality, and identify the most sustainable long-

term transportation practices for SBCC. When properly

applied, commuting by bicycle can, thankfully, accomplish

all of these at once, not to mention the individual benefits

of health and happiness for the rider. Prior to the shop’s

opening, a bicycling safety course for staff and faculty was

held at the bike shop. When asked why they didn’t opt to

ride their bicycles to SBCC, the group cited reasons like a

malfunctioning bike, safety concerns, and the steep hills

surrounding the campus.

While the addition of the shop certainly can’t eliminate

the hills, it will offer classes and information on bike

repair, riding safety, route planning, and theft prevention.

Geography and cycling instructor Mike Vergeer, who

taught the course, commented, “The great thing about this

expanded effort at SBCC is that our shop and programs

on campus address all of these concerns. We’ve got the

antidotes!”

SBCC’s campus bike shop is open from 10 am–2 pm,

Monday–Thursday and hopes to serve as a hub for the

future development of a bike friendly campus for the entire

SBCC community.

BICI CENTRO GOES TO COLLEGEBy Kevin McClintock

Kevin McClintock, a founder of SBCC’s bike club.

“The goals are to reduce the demand for parking, reduce

congestion, improve air quality, and identify the most

sustainable long-term transportation

practices for SBCC. When

properly applied, commuting by

bicycle can, thankfully,

accomplish all of these at once, not

to mention the individual benefits of health and happiness

for the rider.”

Faculty advisor Mike Vergeer speaks to faculty and staff about the new on-campus DIY bike shop. Photo by SERGIO GARCIA

10 Quick Release Winter 2015

SHOP

As part of the second annual A Bike 4 Christmas,

twenty youngsters received bicycles refurbished

by SBBIKE volunteers. All under the age of ten and

selected by the Franklin Neighborhood Center, the

riders received helmets and instructions on safe

riding. Several of them learned how to ride for the

first time!

SHOP VOLUNTEERS WRENCH UP A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

(1) Learning to ride (2) New bike and helmet (3) The Christmas giveaway fleet (4) Helmet fittings. Photo by HECTOR GONZALEZ

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www.SBBIKE.org 11

SHOP/MEMBERSHIP

Double the Bici

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE

APPLICATION FOR 12-MONTH MEMBERSHIP

name

(business)

address

city,state,zip

phone

email

Make check payable to the Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047for membership details:www.sbbike.org/joinThe Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, so donations are tax deductable as allowed by law.

Join and RenewIndividual, 1-yr $30

Individual, 2-yr $55

Household, 1-yr $45

Household, 2-yr $85

Business Bronze, 1-yr $100

Business Silver, 1-yr $250

Business Titanium, 1-yr $500

ooooooo

Business Gold, 1-yr $1,000

Business Platinum, 1-yr $2,500

Business Diamond, 1-yr $5,000

Bike Shop Steel, 1-yr $100

Bike Shop Al, 1-yr $250

Bike Shop Ti, 1-yr $500

Bike Shop C fiber, 1-yr $1,000Donate

oooooooo

Are you a member of SBBIKE? Your friendly mail carrier

will soon be delivering your all-new membership card!

Besides the inherent pride of being a card-carrying

member, the card will net you discounts at an ever-

increasing host of local shops, restaurants, and hotels.

Look for a list of those businesses on SBBIKE’s website.

Bici Centro has more than doubled its hours. All are

welcome to use the shop’s DIY stands, tools, and

assistance from volunteer mechanics and tackle those

projects to stoke out your bike! Bici will now be open

Wednesdays through Fridays from noon – 7 p.m. and

Saturdays from noon – 5:00 p.m.

While those with the know-how can grab a stand and

work at their own pace, you don’t have to know what

you’re doing to use Bici’s stands. Volunteers will be on

hand to help you learn about taking care of your own

bike.

The extended hours

mean more time to get

your donation on. Those

bicycles that your kids no

longer ride? They can be

part of the refurbished

fleet for SBBIKE’s youth

earn-a-bike programs. Your former ride taking up space

in the garage? It could be transformed into someone’s

brand-new commuter bike. In-kind donations—of bikes,

parts, and all things bicycles—are accepted during all

shop hours.

Volunteer days on Tuesdays—when the work of volunteer

wrenchers supports SBBIKE’s projects, programs, and

outreach—are also extended. Volunteers can come by

from noon – 7 p.m. No experience required!

Plus, the shop/community center is a great place to hang

out for cyclists of all types and interest levels. Stop in and

get the latest on community cycling events, upcoming

classes, and volunteer opportunities. Get involved with

efforts to improve cycling and walking infrastructure

throughout our county and mingle with friends.

The shop’s entrance is at 434 Olive Street between Haley

and Gutierrez. See you soon.

Members: Check Your Mailboxes

Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047

SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION

BIKE