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Small Steps in the right direction in California.
CalBike Report
NEWS FROM THE CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION
Legislation
Signing of Complete Streets bill promises safer conditions for all
The California Bicycle Coalition's biggest legislative success to date -- the governor's signature on the CBC-sponsored Complete Streets Act -- means Californians who ride bicycles for transportation can look forward to safer streets and roads.
Last month Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 1358, the Complete Streets Act, making California the first state in the nation to ensure that all local streets and roads accommodate the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders, as well as motorists. The bill was authored by San Francisco Assembly Member Mark Leno and co-sponsored by AARP California.
Fourteen states, including California, have adopted legislation, resolutions or internal policies that apply Complete Streets principles to state highways. Only California has enacted Complete Streets legislation for all local streets and roads.
"The signing of AB 1358 marks a major milestone in CBC's efforts to increase bicycle ridership in California," said CBC Executive Director K.C. Butler. "Many more Californians would like to ride bicycles for transportation, but they feel unsafe on the road. Designing and building local streets and roads for all users will encourage more Californians to choose active transportation like bicycling and walking."
The new law requires cities and counties, when updating their general plans, to ensure that local streets and roads meet the needs of all users. The law takes effect in January 2011, when the Governor's Office of Planning and Research issues new general plan update guidelines that reflect Complete Streets planning principles.
Yet even as he embraced Complete Streets, the governor vetoed the CBC-sponsored bill that called on Caltrans to establish guidance and criteria to ensure that the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians are addressed in the development of its safety programs by January 1, 2010. Assembly Bill 2971, the Fair Share for Safety bill authored by Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Mark DeSaulnier, sought to give bicyclist and pedestrian safety projects higher priority for some of the $100 million allocated by Caltrans under the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005.
California ranks fifth among all states in the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed in vehicle collisions. Federal rules call for allocating transportation safety funds in proportion to the greatest needs.
"AB 2971 was a natural companion to AB 1358," said Butler. "By vetoing the bill, the governor chooses to ignore California's unacceptably high rate of bicyclist and pedestrian deaths. CBC is urging Caltrans to take the governor's veto message to heart and begin doing more to safeguard those who travel by bicycle and on foot."
Caltrans
Caltrans adopts Complete Streets policy
As the governor was signing CBC's Complete Streets bill, Caltrans released a revised policy that specifically applies Complete Streets principles to state highway projects.
Under review for the past year, the revised version of Deputy Directive 64, also known as DD-64, requires all levels of Caltrans, from headquarters to the 12 Caltrans districts, to consider the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations and maintenance activities.
The original version of DD-64, which addressed ways to accommodate non-motorized transportation including bicycling and walking, was adopted in 2001. Thirteen other states have adopted legislation, resolutions or internal policies that apply Complete Streets principles to state highway projects.
The new version of DD-64 clearly states Caltrans' intention to embrace Complete Streets principles as a matter of policy. It also expands the duties of Caltrans staff under the policy and delegates most of those duties to the district level.
The next step is for Caltrans to develop implementation guidelines.
"I'm really encouraged to see Caltrans turn DD-64 into a true Complete Streets policy," said CBC Executive Director K.C. Butler. "DD-64 and AB 1358 constitute a seamless statewide policy that ensures that state and local roadways are designed for people, not just cars. I look forward to offering CBC's help to ensure that the revised DD-64 is implemented as quickly and fully as possible."
NEWS FROM THE CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION
Legislation
Signing of Complete Streets bill promises safer conditions for all
The California Bicycle Coalition's biggest legislative success to date -- the governor's signature on the CBC-sponsored Complete Streets Act -- means Californians who ride bicycles for transportation can look forward to safer streets and roads.
Last month Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 1358, the Complete Streets Act, making California the first state in the nation to ensure that all local streets and roads accommodate the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders, as well as motorists. The bill was authored by San Francisco Assembly Member Mark Leno and co-sponsored by AARP California.
Fourteen states, including California, have adopted legislation, resolutions or internal policies that apply Complete Streets principles to state highways. Only California has enacted Complete Streets legislation for all local streets and roads.
"The signing of AB 1358 marks a major milestone in CBC's efforts to increase bicycle ridership in California," said CBC Executive Director K.C. Butler. "Many more Californians would like to ride bicycles for transportation, but they feel unsafe on the road. Designing and building local streets and roads for all users will encourage more Californians to choose active transportation like bicycling and walking."
The new law requires cities and counties, when updating their general plans, to ensure that local streets and roads meet the needs of all users. The law takes effect in January 2011, when the Governor's Office of Planning and Research issues new general plan update guidelines that reflect Complete Streets planning principles.
Yet even as he embraced Complete Streets, the governor vetoed the CBC-sponsored bill that called on Caltrans to establish guidance and criteria to ensure that the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians are addressed in the development of its safety programs by January 1, 2010. Assembly Bill 2971, the Fair Share for Safety bill authored by Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Mark DeSaulnier, sought to give bicyclist and pedestrian safety projects higher priority for some of the $100 million allocated by Caltrans under the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005.
California ranks fifth among all states in the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed in vehicle collisions. Federal rules call for allocating transportation safety funds in proportion to the greatest needs.
"AB 2971 was a natural companion to AB 1358," said Butler. "By vetoing the bill, the governor chooses to ignore California's unacceptably high rate of bicyclist and pedestrian deaths. CBC is urging Caltrans to take the governor's veto message to heart and begin doing more to safeguard those who travel by bicycle and on foot."
Caltrans
Caltrans adopts Complete Streets policy
As the governor was signing CBC's Complete Streets bill, Caltrans released a revised policy that specifically applies Complete Streets principles to state highway projects.
Under review for the past year, the revised version of Deputy Directive 64, also known as DD-64, requires all levels of Caltrans, from headquarters to the 12 Caltrans districts, to consider the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations and maintenance activities.
The original version of DD-64, which addressed ways to accommodate non-motorized transportation including bicycling and walking, was adopted in 2001. Thirteen other states have adopted legislation, resolutions or internal policies that apply Complete Streets principles to state highway projects.
The new version of DD-64 clearly states Caltrans' intention to embrace Complete Streets principles as a matter of policy. It also expands the duties of Caltrans staff under the policy and delegates most of those duties to the district level.
The next step is for Caltrans to develop implementation guidelines.
"I'm really encouraged to see Caltrans turn DD-64 into a true Complete Streets policy," said CBC Executive Director K.C. Butler. "DD-64 and AB 1358 constitute a seamless statewide policy that ensures that state and local roadways are designed for people, not just cars. I look forward to offering CBC's help to ensure that the revised DD-64 is implemented as quickly and fully as possible."
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