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SAN CARLOS BIKES NEWSLETTER

June 8, 2022 Biking News

Highlights include San Carlos Ave Community Workshop, Zack's Bikes moved to San Carlos, Park Tool Bike School opens, Summer Ice Cream Bike Ride, $1500 Spark Grants Available


NEW:

  1. TONIGHT at 7pm! San Carlos Ave Bike/Ped Safety Project Virtual Open House with City of San Carlos Staff, Wed, June 8

  2. Zack’s Performance Bikes’s of Belmont has moved to 1011 American St, San Carlos – Welcome to San Carlos, Zack’s

  3. Park Tool Bike School classes starting soon in San Carlos, with Basic Maintenance to Advanced Repair Classes available, hooray!

  4. Summer Family Bike Ride to Cowabunga Ice Cream/Plantation Coffee at 784 Laurel Street, San Carlos, Sun, June 26, 1pm

  5. League of American Bicyclists Offering $1500 2022 Community Spark Grants to cities & groups, Deadline to apply July 15, 2022

  6. If you’re not on your SVBC local city team’s email list, make sure to get on – Link to join the San Carlos/Belmont SVBC local team

  7. San Carlos Hometown Days Bikes & Wheels Valet Parking was a Success – 180 bikes/wheels parked over two days! Thanks everyone who rode and volunteered

  8. 4th Annual Civilized Century Bike Ride coming up Aug 7, 2022


DETAILS:


1. TONIGHT! San Carlos Ave Bike/Ped Safety Project Virtual Open House at 7-9pm, Wed, June 8, 2022

  • The San Carlos Avenue Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project enhances safety, connectivity, and mobility along San Carlos Avenue. The project addresses issues that often cause safety hazards between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, and improves pedestrian access along the corridor as a whole.

  • Background: In November 2019, the City began construction for Phases I and II of the Project, between Sycamore Street and Wellington Avenue. Improvements included:

    • Constructing curb, gutter, and sidewalk along the north side of San Carlos Avenue

    • Replacing and constructing new curb extensions, and curb ramps at various intersections along the corridor

    • Constructing new traffic signals, improving existing bicycle facilities in accordance to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

    • Installing new traffic signage, traffic striping, and pavement markings

    • Planting minor landscaping

    • Constructing green infrastructure

  • These "before" and "after" photos illustrate some of the improvements made during Phases I & II, including new designated bicycle lanes.

Before (May 1019)

After (December 2020)


Construction for Phases I & II was completed in April 2021.

  • The purpose of the final phase of the Project (Phase III) is to construct similar improvements to Phases I and II along San Carlos Avenue, to allow for a continuous stretch of sidewalk that connects from Downtown San Carlos to city limits in the west.

  • The proposed improvements for Phase III are identified below:

    • Pedestrian Safety Improvements: Constructing new sidewalk, curb, and gutter along the north side of San Carlos Avenue while the existing asphalt walkway on the south side will be replaced with concrete improvements in order to allow for all of the proposed improvements due to existing roadway conditions.

    • Bicycle facility improvements: Striping buffered bike lanes with green paint on the north and south sides along with a green bicycle box at the intersection of San Carlos Avenue and Devonshire Boulevard.

    • Landscaping and Green Infrastructure Improvements: Planting low-level shrubs and cover along with flow-through planters for collecting of surface stormwater run-off.

    • Removal of Street Parking and Permanent Structures: Removing existing street parking and parking along frontages. The Project will also require relocating existing structures such as, decorative walls, landscaping, or other permanent structures, within the existing right-of-way.



2. Zack’s Performance Bikes’s of Belmont has moved to 1011 American St, San Carlos

  • Zack’s downtown San Mateo location across from the movie theater remains open, at 250 Main St, Ste 240. Zack’s is a budget-friendly, quality family bike shop that carries hybrids, cruisers, SE bikes, BMX and a variety of used bikes as well as electric scooters and one-wheels.

  • Only the Belmont location is closed and has been moved to San Carlos. Welcome!





3. Park Tool Bike School beginning soon in San Carlos, with Basic Maintenance to Advanced Repair Classes available – Hooray!

  • The Park Tool School is a hands-on maintenance and repair clinic written by Park Tool and taught by the experts at Zack's Performance Bikes. Learn how your bike works, and how to change a flat or overhaul your bike completely. Clinic curriculum and materials originate from the BBB-4 Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair, which will be provided for you for every class this book acts as the outline for each clinic, tools for the intermediate and advanced classes will be provided as well.

  • For more information about the classes go to http://zacksperformancebikes.com. A percentage of the proceeds from these classes will be donated back to the bike community.

  • Zack’s Performance Bikes will offer 4 levels of classes

    • Level 1: New Rider and Basic Maintenance 3-hour course (1 session)​

    • Level 2: Novice Class: 6-hour course (2 sessions)

    • Level 3: Intermediate Class: 12-hour course (4 sessions)

    • Level 4: Advanced Class: 18-hour course (6 sessions)

  • More details on schedule coming soon.

  • Link to register for classes here. Please pass it around. A percentage of all proceeds will be going back to the biking community.

Any help from the bike community to make this endeavor a success is most appreciated!


4. Summer Family Bike Ride to Cowabunga Ice Cream/Plantation Coffee at 900 Laurel Street, San Carlos, Sun, June 26, 1pm

  • Ride on your own to Plantation Roastery at 784 Laurel St. We'll gather there at 1pm for ice cream, coffee, etc. Come early to grab lunch downtown and visit the weekly Sunday Farmer's Market. No agenda, but we'll enjoy ice cream, coffee and talk about current advocacy opportunities and make summer social biking plans. First 10 people to RSVP get a free scoop of ice cream! Happy Summer!





5. League of American Bicyclists Offering $1500 2022 Community Spark Grants to Cities, Deadline July 15, 2022


  • Over the past two years, America has seen a boom in biking. This can be seen on your neighborhood streets, your regional trails, and at the community level. The League of American Bicyclists is thrilled to be able to help build on this moment by launching the League of American Bicyclists’ Community Spark Grants. These spark grants are meant to be a catalyst for empowering your community through bike-related projects that create more Bicycle Friendly Communities. What ideas do you have for your community?

  • As record numbers of people have been getting out to take bicycle rides, streets have been converted to “slow streets” and other solutions have been used to accommodate safer, slower speeds for people biking, walking and rolling to get around. Advocates have been reimagining how to transform their streets and communities and we are excited to invite you to join in these transformations.

  • The League will award 10 grants of up to $1,500 to organizations seeking to improve their communities through biking. To be eligible to apply, organizations must be based in the United States and be a non-profit (501c3, 501c4 and 501c6) and/or a public or government agency/organization. Other types of organizations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The funding for these grants comes from the generous support of GM and from the Active People, Healthy NationSM Initiative, an effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.

  • Through these grants, the League is looking to fund the next generation of innovative and creative safe streets projects and we highly encourage organizations and partnerships led by or primarily serving people from ethnic or racial minority groups to apply. We hope this seed funding can be the spark that puts your next idea into action. The deadline to apply for the Community Spark Grant is July 15, 2022 at 11:59 pm PT. For more information about the grant check out the application page below. We look forward to receiving your application!





6. Join your SVBC local city team’s email list if you’re not already on it, to get more timely notice of upcoming opportunities and events – Link to join the San Carlos/Belmont SVBC local team


  • Last year San Carlos Bikes joined forces with our regional bike advocacy partners, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC), a nonprofit organization that creates a healthy community, environment, and economy through bicycling. You can find out more about SVBC on their website.

  • The focus of our San Carlos Bikes team so far has been on events, like the recent bike parking at Hometown Days, and Week of the Family Bike Fair back in January, and promoting Safe Routes to School. By partnering with SVBC we grow our influence over infrastructure projects, like the Holly St. Bike/Ped 101 Crossing, San Carlos Ave Bike/Ped Improvement Project, the new Downtown San Carlos Plan and more.

  • There’s no cost to join the SVBC email notifications list, and you’ll get your biking news much sooner than with this San Carlos Bikes newsletter.

  • You’ll get a personal invitation soon, or Sign up for the San Carlos-Belmont SVBC Google Group here

  • If you have a particular interest in a project or program, SVBC would love to hear about it. Just put it in the form and SVBC will contact you to discuss all the details.





7. San Carlos Hometown Days Bikes & Wheels Valet Parking was a Success – 180 bikes/wheels parked over two days!

  • Thanks everyone who rode there and to everyone who volunteered!





8. 4th Annual Civilized Century Bike Ride coming up Aug 7, 2022

  • Recreational Century for first-timers or old-timers looking to cruise. Event features:

  • No ugly start times. Ride out at 8am or later!

  • No hills, hills, and more hills. It’s pretty much flat-ish!

  • No time gates. There’s 13 hours of daylight but 10 ought to do it.

  • No long, early morning drive or expensive hotel stay. It’s local!

  • No rain. It never rains in California or so the song says.

  • No wind. Well that, we cannot promise.

  • No huge registration fee – it’s a “paltry” $40

  • Scenic views of the Bay Area Peninsula and South Bay.

  • Elevation: 1000feet. Routes: 35, 60, 75, and 100miles

  • Contact Information: Emanuel Washington at redwoodshorescyclingmeetup@gmail.com


ON-GOING:


9. Petition to Bring a Pump Track to San Carlos!, please sign and spread the word


10. Deadline Extended to July 22 for San Carlos Advisory Commissions, including Transportation, Economic Development, Planning & Parks & Rec.

  • Great chance to help shape a more bike & micromobility-friendly San Carlos: apply here

  • New 17-member Downtown Advisory Commission (just formed) will be announced soon, stay tuned


11. Rescheduled – Latest San Carlos Ave (Phase 3) Improvement Plan to be presented to Transportation Commission, now Tuesday, June 21, 7pm (last meeting postponed) Please attend if you can


12. Upcoming SVBC Bike Advocacy Training June 9th, 5pm to 7pm

  • A general advocacy overview - how bike projects get done, where to go for information and whom to contact when issues arise.

  • Also includes SVBC initiatives and other advocacy basics.


13. SamTrans Redesigning Route Maps & Pocket Timetables to help people ride the bus.


14. On-going VTA-sponsored Free Bike Education Series on-line and in-person at SVBC Headquarters in San Jose

  • Covers Biking Basics, Smart Cycling & Basic Maintenance


15. Belmont Youth Bicyclists – your chance to make a difference as a Recreation Youth Commissioner (openings avail. until filled)

  • The Parks and Recreation Commission has two seats for Youth Commissioners, who are full voting members. Youth Commissioners will also serve as the liaisons to the V.O.I.C.E.S. and the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The V.O.I.C.E.S. meet twice a month, Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and the YAC meet twice a month, Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. The City Council will consider applications from Belmont residents who are between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. Parent/Guardian consent is mandatory


16. SMC Sheriff’s Dept has agreed to send 3-foot Law violation letters when incidents and near misses are reported, with or without video evidence. Must submit vehicle license number and location of incident. Thank you Elaine Salinger for your advocacy!


17. Get Safe Cycling Tips for Bike Month, From Stanford Medicine


18. Need free help fixing your bike? Next Free Fixit Clinics coming to Redwood City Library Makerspace as well as available 24/7 through online support:


  • Anywhere/Everywhere: In parallel with in-person events we’re fixing 24x7 around-the-clock around-the-world through the Global Fixers Server on Discord, implementing hybrid in-person / online repairs. If you’re interested in joining: go to http://bit.ly/inpersoncoachsignup, select “Join the Online Global Fixers Server…” from the pull-down menu (last entry), complete the rest of the form and someone will reply with detailed instructions and the invite link via email.

    1. Questions? Peter Mui fixitclinic@gmail.com, www.fixitclinic.org


Thanks for reading/riding! Sonia Elkes,

Founder, San Carlos Bikes

(415) 806-4632


PS: Want to get bike-related news more promptly? To see biking- and San Carlos transportation-related updates sooner:



For General Information on Biking in San Carlos see our website: www.sancarlosbikes.org


Want to be removed from this mailing list? Please reply to this email to no longer receive these newsletter updates.



NEW:


1. End-of-Bike-Month Bike Bash Friday, May 27, 5-7pm at Sports Basement, RWC. If you pledged to ride and rode in May, or rode in May but haven’t pledged yet, you’re.

  • There’s a group meeting to ride over together at the “Redwood City” Sign on Broadway, by the Caltrain Station at 4:55pm.


2. Big Used Bike Sale at Silicon Valley Bike Exchange, Sun, May 29, 10am-1pm, 3961 E Bayshore Rd (enter parking lot from Corporation Way, follow signs).

  • Refurbished used bikes including road bikes, mtn bikes, gravel bikes, vintage, hybrids/commuters, kids bikes

  • Brands include Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale, Santa Cruz, Marin, Raleigh and more. Some as low as $150

  • Note: SVBE accepts bike donations, and provides free bike repair education, see details here










3. Have you tried out a Pump Track yet?! Check out this newGuide to Riding a Pump Track here. Pump Tracks are an “all ages-all wheels-all abilities” solution to so many modern troubles, with the low-risk, high physical/mental/social health payoff they bring.




“Kids love them, amateurs love them, pros love them. Pump tracks should be in every town just like kids’ playgrounds or soccer fields. Pump tracks get people involved in sports, get them together, get them to have fun outside and do something for their health.” –Claudio Caluori, Founder of Velosolutions


4. Deadline for San Carlos Advisory Commissions Extended to July 22 , including Transportation, Economic Development, Planning & Parks & Rec.

  • Great chance to help shape a more bike & micromobility-friendly San Carlos: apply here

  • New 17-member Downtown Advisory Commission (just formed) will be announced soon, stay tuned


5. Rescheduled – Latest San Carlos Ave (Phase 3) Improvement Plan to be presented to Transportation Commission, now Tuesday, June 21, 7pm (last meeting postponed) Please attend if you can (Congratulations San Carlos Public Works on getting grant funding!)


6. The Redwood City Walk Bike Thrive Draft Planavailable for public feedback, due by Wed, June 1. This is a huge part of what the city is working on street-wise for the next several years, so if you have improvements to suggest, let your voice be heard!


7. Belmont’s “Building Our Backyard” Parks & Open Spaces (PROS) 5th Advisory Committee Meeting isTues, May 31, 7pm


8. Upcoming SVBC Bike Advocacy Training June 9th, 5pm to 7pm

  • A general advocacy overview - how bike projects get done, where to go for information and whom to contact when issues arise.

  • Also includes SVBC initiatives and other advocacy basics.


9. SamTrans Redesigning Route Maps & Pocket Timetables to help people ride the bus.


ON-GOING:


10. On-going VTA-sponsored Free Bike Education Series on-line and in-person at SVBC Headquarters in San Jose

  • Covers Biking Basics, Smart Cycling & Basic Maintenance


11. Belmont Youth Bicyclists – your chance to make a difference as a Recreation Youth Commissioner (openings avail. until filled)

  • The Parks and Recreation Commission has two seats for Youth Commissioners, who are full voting members. Youth Commissioners will also serve as the liaisons to the V.O.I.C.E.S. and the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). The V.O.I.C.E.S. meet twice a month, Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and the YAC meet twice a month, Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. The City Council will consider applications from Belmont residents who are between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. Parent/Guardian consent is mandatory


12. SMC Sheriff’s Dept has agreed to send 3-foot Law violation letters when incidents and near misses are reported, with or without video evidence. Must submit vehicle license number and location of incident. Thank you Elaine Salinger for your advocacy!


13. Get Safe Cycling Tips for Bike Month, From Stanford Medicine


14. Need free help fixing your bike? Next Free Fixit Clinics coming to Redwood City Library Makerspace as well as available 24/7 through online support:





Thanks for reading/riding! Sonia Elkes,

Founder, San Carlos Bikes

(415) 806-4632


PS: Want to get bike-related news more promptly? To see biking- and San Carlos transportation-related updates sooner:



For General Information on Biking in San Carlos see our website: www.sancarlosbikes.org


Want to be removed from this mailing list? Please reply to this email to no longer receive these newsletter updates.

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