Bike Petaluma 2019 Goals Presented to City Council

May 19, 2019

Overview of Bike Petaluma Leadership Committee goals from our April 2019 Letter to City Council:

  • Adopt a Vision Zero policy toward eliminating all serious injuries and fatalities caused by traffic collisions.
  • Update the outdated Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
  • Plan and implement protected bike lanes on D St. between 1st St. and Lakeville St.
  • Make Lynch Creek Trail a welcoming, vibrant, and sustainable pathway that is celebrated and used by residents and visitors of all ages and abilities.
  • Ensure that bike lanes and shoulders along major roadways are kept clear of debris and vegetation.
  • Continue to improve the City Engineer, City Manager, and City Council’s discourse with the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee.
  • Promote and sponsor events, activities, and programs that celebrate bicycling, provide bicycling education, and foster community around bicycling.

Read the full letter submitted to City Council that outlined our priorities for 2019. We wrote this letter to provide our input to the City’s goal-setting efforts. Several of our leadership committee members also participated in The City of Petaluma Goal Setting Meeting to make sure our perspective was included. Last week the City released the draft City Goals, take a look for yourself to get a sense of what the City has identified as its priorities for the 2019-21 goal setting term.

Join us to speak up for space for bikes on D Street

May 19, 2019

Join us to speak up for space for bikes on D Street at the Planning Commission meeting where the Haystack Development Project will be considered on May 28th, 7pm at Petaluma City Hall. If you are concerned about how space for bikes is being considered along D Street between Lakeville and First St., join us at the planning commission meeting to listen. Consider giving public comment about your experience riding your bike along D street, and the need for comprehensive planning for bikes in this area. The Planning Commission will consider the proposed Haystack development project just east of the Petaluma River, in the space encompassed by D & Washington and Weller & Copeland. Bike Petaluma’s 2019 goal setting included attention to ways to improve the biking experience along D street between Lakeville and First Street. The Haystack Project includes 178 residential units and will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at this meeting.

Event: Petaluma High School Safe Routes to School Community Meeting

December 4, 2018

We just found out about this bike planning for safe routes to school event that is happening tomorrow, Decemeber 5th, 2018. 

The Petaluma High School Safe Routes to School Community Meeting is coming up this Wednesday December 5, 6:00-7 PM in the Petaluma High School Library at 201 Fair Street. This event is hosted by the Center for Climate Protection’s ECO2School Program (based in Santa Rosa, http://www.climateprotection.org) and will include representatives from the Petaluma Police and the City’s Public Works departments.

In leading up to this Community Meeting, the project team has gathered background and existing conditions information on walking, biking, and using public transit to and from campus (draft files here: full memo with map; map only).

In addition, a walking audit was held in Spring 2018 with school officials, students, and community members around the access points to the school grounds to identify critical pedestrian, bike, and public transit infrastructure safety issues.

Based on that research and input, the following was completed in draft form:

  • Suggested Routes to School maps (walking, biking, and public transit access points)
  • List of critical walking and biking safety issues which need to be addressed
  • List of associated recommendations for improvements to address these crucial issues

These three elements will be reviewed at the meeting. The Network for Climate Solutions and their collaborators are looking for input from the public and City officials to see if there are any additional comments or to tell us if we have missed anything. This invaluable input will help to finalize the map and plans for future improvements in the Petaluma High School community. 

Event: Bike Petaluma & Petaluma Arts Center Costumed Bike Parade

October 24, 2018

Join Bike Petaluma, in partnership with the Petaluma Arts Center event “Sunday afternoon at the PAC FUN-raiser” for a costumed bike parade. 

Ride will take place from 3:30-4:30pm

Bringing together bicyclists of all ages and abilities to enjoy a short ride around the downtown area. We will stay together and ride as a group with the help of designated front/end riders.

www.bikepetaluma.org
www.petalumaartscenter.org

2018 City Council candidates: How to make streets safer for bicycling and walking?

October 19, 2018

Last weekend an audience question about bikes and pedestrians was asked at the City Council Candidate Forum hosted by NBOP Petaluma, here’s the clip with candidate responses. Candidates respond in this order: Dennis Pocekay, Rob Conklin, D’Lynda Fischer, Dave King, Kevin McDonnell, Scott Alonso. 

View the video hosted at Bike Petaluma’s Facebook Page

Bike Petaluma has also compiled written candidate responses to specific questions we asked them about biking, you can read those here: https://bikepetaluma.org/candidates/

Petaluma City Council approves $59,225 in funding for new class III bike lanes.

September 29, 2018
City of Petaluma Bikeway Project ResolutionDownload

The City recently applied to and received $48,500 in funding from the BAAQMD to add 3.6 miles of Class III “sharrow” bike lanes to Petaluma, matched by $10,725 of City funds. The City’s statement that “increasing the bicycle network could greatly decrease vehicle trips within the City” is an unlikely scenario given how few people feel safe riding in Class III lanes. Incidentally, one of the new lanes includes connection across McDowell right by the proposed Safeway gas station, where traffic flow will be high. You can familiarize yourself with the City’s 2008 Bicycle Pedestrian Plan, which is currently 5 years overdue for updating. Then think about what types of bike lanes you’d like to see the City get funded based on your experience as a citizen bicyclist.