What We Saw at CalBike 2024

Board Member Russell Toler here! I recently had the privilege of attending the CalBike Summit, an annual gathering of bicycling advocates, policymakers, and industry leaders dedicated to advancing bicycle-friendly infrastructure and culture in California. Along with my fellow board member David Martinez, we participated in workshops, plenaries, and networking sessions aimed at driving positive change for bicyclists across the state. Here’s a recap of our highlights and takeaways:

Opening Plenary: Advocating for Change

The opening plenary set the stage for the summit, featuring a keynote address by Jeanie Ward-Waller, a former Caltrans whistleblower turned lobbyist for CalBike. Ward-Waller urged attendees to engage persistently with Caltrans and elected officials to advocate for safer and more accessible streets. In particular, emphasized these strategies:

• Direct Engagement: Direct engagement really works, so keep contacting your Caltrans directors. Even better — get your elected representatives to contact them. Our new District 12 director is Lan Zhou, and her email is Lan.Zhou@dot.ca.gov. When you write, you may as well copy Alyssa.Murakami@dot.ca.gov, who works on active transportation for District 12.

• Understanding Authority: Caltrans owns/controls the freeways (including the ramps and bridges), Newport Blvd., and Pacific Coast Highway. Any changes that we think we need on these streets requires not only the City of Costa Mesa’s approval, but also must go through an arduous process of getting permission from Caltrans. We have to understand this if we want to make progress in areas that are under both the City’s and Caltrans’s control.

• Media Amplification: Leverage media channels as a strategic tool for advocacy. Ward-Waller specifically highlighted the role of storytelling in garnering public support for cycling initiatives.

• Collaboration with CalBike: Attendees were encouraged to leverage the resources and expertise of CalBike to bolster their advocacy efforts and effect policy change.

The quote of the Plenary was Ward-Waller’s statement that “Caltrans is freaked out that we’re threatening their business model of building and expanding freeways”. So let’s keep freaking them out!

After the plenary, I also had the chance to share CMABS’s story by hosting one of the morning sessions. I shared insights into the formation and impact of CMABS as a local advocacy organization. I described some success stories and lessons learned, which led to a great discussion about effective strategies for grassroots activism and community engagement. The room was full of advocates eager to make progress in their own communities. It was really a great session and there were lots of questions.

Following my presentation, David and I also had the chance to check out a bunch of other presentations:

Bikes and Buses: Finding Harmony in Transit

Presenters from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) delved into the intricate relationship between bikes and buses in urban transit systems. Through real-world examples and data-driven analysis, we got a deeper understanding of the factors influencing bus speeds and service frequency, underscoring the importance of integrated transportation planning for cyclists and transit users alike. One takeaway was that advocates need to learn more about transit if they want to be effective. Start with Jarrett Walker’s Human Transit.

New Trends in Design: Shaping Future Infrastructure

This session was presented by the SANDAG Regional Planning Manager and our District 12 Caltrans active transportation person, Alyssa Murakami. From innovative infrastructure solutions like bendouts to the evolving landscape of complete streets policies, the session explored emerging trends in urban design aimed at prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist safety. Ms. Murakami shared was that Caltrans Director’s Policy No. 37, adopted in 2021, helped change the course of the agency. It reads in part: “all transportation projects funded or overseen by Caltrans will provide comfortable, convenient, and connected complete streets facilities for people walking, biking, and taking transit or passenger rail unless an exception is documented and approved.” We should hold them to this!

Advocating for Complete Streets: The Legislative Landscape

Jeanie Ward-Waller and Jared Sanchez provided a comprehensive overview of proposed SB 960, the Complete Streets Bill, and its implications for statewide transportation policy. SB 960 looks to codify Caltrans Director’s Policy No. 37 mentioned above and it is the main legislative priority of CalBike this year. The bill requires Caltrans to set objective goals and “to prioritize the implementation of comfortable, convenient, and connected facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users on all projects in the [SHOPP funding] program, where applicable.” The SHOPP program is a $5B/year budget from federal, state, and SB1 money dedicated for capital improvements relative to the “maintenance, safety, operation, and rehabilitation of the state highway system,” so the change would be a pretty big deal. Definitely one to watch.

E-Bike Education and Cultural Shifts

Discussions centered on promoting responsible e-bike usage and fostering a culture of safe cycling, particularly among youth. People are doing good work with education at schools, including assemblies, rodeos, and rides. Everyone in the room generally agreed on the obvious: e-bikes can be great, should be ridden responsibly, and the answer to the problem of reckless kids is not obvious. There are some solutions out there, but no one-size-fits-all panacea.

Cycling Urbanism: Lessons from Helsinki

Anthony Desnick, Executive Director of the Finnish Cycling Embassy, offered insights into Helsinki’s pioneering approach to cycling infrastructure and urban planning. The Finns are not the Dutch they are still miles ahead of us when it comes to comfortable and convenient biking infrastructure! He shared about the Cycling Urbanism Master Class, which looks really cool. Think about signing up and bringing some good ideas back to Costa Mesa ;)

Finally…

David and I also reconnected with fellow advocates around the state. We made connections with key stakeholders from Caltrans districts, advocacy groups, and transportation consultants. One group we met were the folks from MOVE Culver City, who are in the middle of their own battle for better streets. They suddenly have a less-friendly city council–a scenario that we always need to be prepared for as well.

We had a great time at the CalBike Summit. We brought back with us a lot to think about and made some really great connections. We look forward to sending more CMABS people next year!