2024-Sept Biking Newsletter from SC Bikes
Hi bikers! Hope you’re getting out for some rides to enjoy the first taste of fall weather. Here’s what’s happening:
Bikeable, walkable downtown
San Carlos City Council inches closer to a buildable plan on 9/23
The City Council is scheduled to receive a presentation on refined street designs and key findings from the traffic operations and parking demand studies as part of the Downtown Specific Plan (“DTSP”) + Downtown Streetscape Master Plan (“DTSMP”) project at its next meeting on September 23, 2024.
600 Elm Street, San Carlos City Hall Council Chambers
7:00pm
Purpose: City staff presents street designs (refined after community input and Council’s direction from 6/10/24); staff explains likely effects on traffic, parking.
Staff is asking the Council to vote “yes” on a resolution to endorse the designs.
No final design and construction decisions will be made on 9/23, but if the Council adopts the resolution and approves the designs, these drawings will serve as the basis for the in-progress DTSP and DTSMP.
Steps after this:
When ready, the DTSP and DTSMP will be released for public review.
Once the bugs are worked out, the Council will vote to adopt the plans.
For more information on how to join the City Council meeting virtually, look for the 9/23/24 Council meeting agenda at https://www.cityofsancarlos.org/city_hall/public_meetings.php
Summary of Street Design Changes:
Significantly widened sidewalks (sidewalks proposed to be 20 feet wide on San Carlos Avenue and Laurel Street)
Protected bike lanes (on San Carlos Avenue and El Camino Real)
Improved outdoor dining space
Urban greening: i.e. consistent street trees, tree “groves” (for shade) and rain gardens (for stormwater management)
Other amenities such as outdoor seating, event and festival space accommodations, pavilions, opportunities for public art, drinking fountains, power outlets and charging stations
Connectivity between Downtown, Caltrain, and East San Carlos for all modes of travel (enhancing the experience pedestrians and bicyclists, and Caltrain riders)
Summary of Outcomes as a Result of Street Design Changes:
Added downtown vitality, vibrancy
Improved shopping and dining experience
Enhanced pedestrian experience
Safer bike routes
Increase in visitors
More space for downtown programming, and activities
…all resulting in people spending more time in downtown San Carlos. Learn more at www.sancarlosdowntownplan.com -- Questions? AdvancePlanning@cityofsancarlos.org
Art & Wine Faire is back. Come help with bike parking!
Art and Wine Faire is Sat/Sun Oct 12 & 13, sign up here to help valet-park the bikes of your friends and neighbors: tinyurl.com/ArtWine2024BikeValetV
Bay Trail
Help Close the Gaps in the Bay Trail by filling out the survey: https://fp.mysocialpinpoint.com/bay-trail-sfo-gap-study/bay-trail-sfo-gap-study-survey-english
Fix-it Clinic at RWC Main Library Friday 9/27
Next fix it clinic at RWC public library will be on Friday September 27, in case you have a bike (or anything you can carry in) that you want help fixing!
Location: Main library, 1044 Middlefield Rd, Redwood City.
Register here! https://www.smcsustainability.org/climate-change/sustainability-academy/fixit-clinic/
More kids are biking to school!
San Mateo Daily Journal article on kids biking to school
Includes interviews with SC Bikes folks and other local parents:
…and in the SF Standard
A well-argued editorial about letting kids bike to school in SF: https://sfstandard.com/opinion/2024/09/11/the-case-against-driving-city-kids-to-school/
SVBC Bike to the Future Ride is Sunday, October 6 in SJ
Ride start and end at SJ Civic Center (70 West Hedding St). The rides start at various times all morning (your suggested start time will depend on your ride’s length), and they all end with a post-ride meal in the afternoon by SJ Civic Center.
Register here! https://biketothefuture.funraise.org/ -- They have 10, 40, 60, and 100 mile routes: https://biketothefuture.funraise.org/page/route-descriptions
Join SVBC's 4th Annual Bike to the Future: Ride for Safer Streets! SVBC is on a mission to raise $60,000 to fund critical safety improvements along El Camino Real, creating a safer corridor for everyone. Join a team and raise money for SVBC. Form a team of your friends or coworkers or join an existing one—each team has a collective fundraising goal of $350 by December 31, 2024. Prizes include an e-bike and more. Register here! https://biketothefuture.funraise.org/
This year, SVBC is adding a highly requested 100-mile Century Route. It’s a perfect way for all you mileage hounds to finish off the season with a capstone ride! The route is comparatively flat (and most of the climbing is in the first half of the route) and follows the same initial route as the 56-mile option, making it a great route for those wanting to try their first century. What’s more, if you’re a seasoned rider, the relatively flat profile has the makings to be your fastest century! Best of all, you’ll be helping raise funds to campaign for a safe bike-transit route along ECR!
Cade’s fundraiser was a big success
Kudos to Cade Miller who organized a volleyball tournament as a fundraiser to buy bikes for kids in need. From Cade: “Earlier in the year, I organized and ran a grass volleyball tournament with the intention of raising money to give away bikes to local kids in need. We had 13 teams register and more than 50 players came to compete. The Dawgs won the Open division and Sandwitch won the Casual division. We raised over $2,600 from donations from players, spectators, and people online. Thank you!”
“With those funds we bought and put together 13 sets of bikes, helmets, and locks for local kids. We distributed them this week and it was a complete success. Seeing them enjoy their new bikes made all the work worth it.”
Cade continues: “I have lots of people to thank! Thanks to: Everyone who donated -- Everyone who played in the tournament -- Everyone who came out to cheer us on -- Bay to Bay for help with advertising, balls, nets, and advice -- Friends who loaned me nets and balls -- City of San Carlos who facilitated the permitting, insurance, and last-minute change of date due to weather -- The many non-profits who advised me throughout the project – especially One Life! -- My parents for all their help!”
Tour de Family 2025
Save the Date, the 4th Annual Week of the Family Bike Fair & Fun Ride is tentatively scheduled for Sun, Feb 2, 10:00am-1pm, in San Carlos.
A map app for good biking routes
Check out the Cycle.travel app for your phone. It shows lower-traffic bike routes between any two destinations, local, national and worldwide. See the https://www.sancarlosbikes.org/resources page for more resources.
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Thanks for reading. Donations to Silicon Valley Bike Coalition (SVBC) , of which San Carlos Bikes is one of its local teams, are always helpful. Besides making the Peninsula and the South Bay safer for bikers, SVBC helps us with every event we organize in San Carlos & Belmont!
-- Sonia, Andrew, and Arley
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