SVBC News
Holly St. and Highway 101 update
Freeway crossings are one of the biggest barriers to biking and walking and discourage people from biking for transportation. As highway interchanges are updated, they should include safe and comfortable facilities for all roadway users, for all ages and abilities, which is the definition of Complete Streets. The Holly Street overcrossing of Highway 101 in San Carlos currently has a narrow sidewalk on one side, some fading sharrows, and shoulders adjacent to 4-6 lanes of fast-moving traffic entering and exiting the freeway. Even the most experienced bicycle riders are intimidated by this interchange, with good reason.
Update on Page Mill/280
As many of you know, last week a bicyclist was killed on Page Mill Road near the interchange with Highway 280. This was especially tragic given that SVBC has been working with the various stakeholders (Caltrans, County of Santa Clara, City of Palo Alto, and Town of Los Altos Hills) over several years to make this interchange safer.In 2014, our Roadway Safety Solutions Team visited the site with engineers and staff from the respective jurisdictions to analyze the site and offer solutions. As Colin mentioned in our previous blog post, there is currently a phased plan on the table. The first stage or “interim” plan requires approval by Caltrans and includes more visible delineation and green paint, similar to nearby Alpine Road at Highway 280. We are currently in conversation with Caltrans and the County of Santa Clara to figure out where the funding for this plan comes from and how to move it forward as quickly as possible.
A Recap of The Eighth Annual Dinner: SVBC's Largest Yet!
A record breaking crowd of more than 400 people helped make SVBC’s Eighth Annual Dinner a wonderful, fun, and successful evening in support of a healthy community, environment and economy through bicycling in Silicon Valley.
Fatality at Page Mill Interchange
Yesterday, we learned that a bicyclist was struck by a driver and killed on Page Mill Road, in Palo Alto near the Highway 280 overpass. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of the victim of this tragic collision.
Unfortunately, this is an intersection that Silicon Valley bicyclists know all too well. For over a decade, advocates, including SVBC and the Roadway Safety Solutions Team, have been working to get the area improved for the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.
A Potential New Bike to Work Day Role for SVBC
This update on SVBC's role in Bike Month was authored by our executive director Shiloh Ballard.
Having come from the world of policy advocacy, many of my friends ask how the new job is going and whether I miss advocacy. Yes and no. It’s easy for me to gravitate towards the work of our policy team – working with Caltrain to increase bike capacity, figuring out the next phase of bike share on the Peninsula, or coordinating with Santa Clara County leaders on a potential new transportation sales tax. But instead I’m focused on what many might characterize as the more mundane but necessarily elements of the Bike Coalition: reviewing contracts, raising money, and playing a support role to a great team.
One project that is on my plate is something that you don’t often hear of in the nonprofit world but is rampant in the for-profit sector – a merger and acquisition. In this case, the intent isn’t to gobble up competition, but rather to leverage SVBC’s strengths to improve how a regional program is run.
Spotlight: Google, SVBC's 2015 Corporate Cycling Champion
Friday's SVBC Annual Dinner will be an opportunity to honor some of this year's biggest bicycle advocates in Silicon Valley. Along with Janet Lafleur being honored with the 2015 Ellen Fletcher Volunteer Award, Google will be honored with the 2015 Corporate Cycling Champion Award.
Google has shown a commitment to reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and encouraging healthy transportation options for their employees. But beyond its employees, Google understands and appreciates the myriad of societal benefits that come with more people riding bikes in their communities. With their Google Bike Vision Plan, published in partnership with Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Google envisions a place where anyone from ages 8 to 80 can ride a bike safely and comfortably.