News, Links, and Other Views

City of San Diego

  • Kath Rogers, Vice Chair of the Hillcrest Town Council – the group that represents Hillcrest residents, is profiled by the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News. Rogers describes her support for groups like us to “increase bike-ability throughout San Diego.” If you are a resident of Hillcrest, the Town Council has one vacancy – so you should consider applying to be on the board to be a voice for friendlier streets. Email the Chair Luke Terpstra (luketerpstra[at]cox.net) for details.
  • The Mid-City Rapid bus rapid transit project gets a reality check from the Voice of San Diego.
  • The UT’s  Mr. Commute provides updates on the UTC trolley extension and construction of a concrete barrier to protect Santa Fe Street from I-5.
  • A look at Mayor Faulconer’s plans to fund San Diego’s infrastructure needs by borrowing money and using Community Development Block Grants intended for “economically distressed” neighborhoods.
  • Mayor Faulconer and Todd Gloria attended the groundbreaking for the 25th Street Renaissance Project in Golden Hill.
  • San Diego was awarded a Local Sustainability Matching Fund grant to help plan the development of the Mid-Coast light rail extension.
  • A cyclist was hit by a motorist on Pomerado Road in Rancho Bernardo, the driver fled the scene but was apprehended.
  • An extension of the San Diego River Trail is opening west of SR-163 in Mission Valley.

San Diego Region

  • Two men have been arrested in connection with a high-end bike theft ring operating throughout San Diego County.
  • More coverage of the recently opened segment of the Coastal Rail Trail in Oceanside.
  • Jack Shu calls into question the “freeways-first” nature of SANDAG’s Regional Transportation Plan for San Diego County.
  • SANDAG has filed 19 eminent domain lawsuits to obtain land necessary to build 7 miles of bike paths in North San Diego County.
  • There has been a settlement in the case of an NCTD bus driver who rode down a group of cyclists in Camp Pendleton killing one of them and injuring another.
  • A memorial ride was held on Saturday for David Voigt, a cyclist killed by a drunk driver in Chula Vista.
  • A bicyclist was killed by the driver of a cement truck in San Marcos.
  • Encinitas is not sure about plans to “upgrade” I-5 by building a parking lot and underpass on a strawberry field near Manchester Avenue.

Elsewhere

  • Caltrans announced that it will endorse the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide.
  • The NACTO Cities for Cycling Road Show made a stop in Oakland.
  • A Los Angeles real estate developer, tired of simply complaining about lack of access to the LA River, has put together a proposed project to enhance bike and pedestrian access to the river.
  • Installing “rumble strips” on the Elysian Valley River Path is the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s idea of how to make the path safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • The events at the end of Los Angeles’s most recent CicLAvia illustrate the confusion of average bicyclists and police officers about where cars and bikes should be on the street.
  • As the number of cyclists in San Francisco has doubled so has the number of crashes, calling into question the city’s bike infrastructure.
  • At Tuscon’s ciclovia event the organizers set up a demo of what a protected bike lane could be like.
  • South King Street in Honolulu is expected to get a cycle track by the end of the year.
  • A man in Cincinnati is worried about the financial effect of a proposed protected bike lane.
  • After being vetoed by the Florida Governor last year, the Coast to Coast Connector bike trail is being considered again.
  • A Missouri legislator wants to remove bicycles from the list of transportation methods eligible for state funding.
  • In the next 2-3 weeks Washington DC will have a cycle track on M Street.
  • An analysis of the effect of bike lanes on congestion and capacity in Minneapolis and Brooklyn.
  • A section of the Hokie Bikeway connecting Virginia Tech to the surrounding communities is now open to the public.
  • A study finds that the likelihood of a child being struck by a motorist while walking or biking to school in the United States depends on the built-environment they have to travel through.
  • Calgary is considering building a cycle track on a one year trial basis, while some  downtown businesses worry about the project’s economic impact.