Planning Horizons May is Bike Month (May 2012)

1. Planning Horizons May is Bike Month(May 2012) Penny Gray, Program Manager Bicycle Facilities Unit (916) 653-2750 Penny.Gray@dot.ca.gov Deborah Lynch, BTA Program Coordinator Bicycle Facilities Unit (916) 653-0036 Deborah.Lynch@dot.ca.gov

2. Agenda • History of Bicycle Facilities Unit • What do we do? • Benefits of Bicycling (Environmental, Economic and Personal/Physical) • Safety Statistics • Safety Measures – What Can You Do • Safety Measures – What are federal, state, and local agencies doing? • Education Programs/Opportunities • Expectations

3. History of Bicycle Facilities Unit • Bicycle Recreation & Safety Act of 1971 • Creation of Bicycle Program, AB 69, 1972 • 3 staff • Bicycle Lane Account $360,000 • Staff increased to approx. 20 by 1982 • Disbanded in 1983 • Re-established in 1990 • SAFETEA-LU Strengthened Bike/Ped Program

4. Current Staffing • Bicycle Facilities Unit - Local Assistance Senior TP, Associate TP • Headquarters Design & Traffic Ops. One py each • Caltrans Districts Coordinatorsin Districts 4, 7, and 11; all districts have at least 1 person with Bicycle Program responsibilities. (Only 1PY in D-4, .5PY in 7 & 11 funded) • Department-wide Bicycle program relies on all programs to resolve bicycle issues

5. Bicycle Facilities Unit – What do we do? • Bicycle Program Mission – Improving Safety and Convenience for Bicyclists • DD 64-R1 • The California Department of Transportation (Department) provides for the needs of travelers of all ages and abilities in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities and products on the state highway system. The Department views all transportation improvements as opportunities to improve safety, access, and mobility for all travelers in California and recognizes bicycle, pedestrian, and transit modes as integral elements of the State highway system.

6. Current Issues • Bicycles on toll bridges/freeways. • Bike/Ped impacts of freeway interchanges. • Livable communities/flexible design standards to accommodate bikes/peds. • Rumble Strips – especially shoulder • Single-point interchanges. • Traffic calming. • Intermodal Connections • Bicycle Facility Designs not currently in HDM • Bikes Yield at Stop Signs • 3 feet passing law • Bicycle Support Facilities (bike racks, showers, lockers)

7. Bicycle Program Activities • Administer funding programs such as BTA. • California Bicycle Advisory Committee • Bicycle Facility Planning & Design. • Committees on bike/ped safety. • Bike legislation/policy development/reports • Caltrans web page. • Review Manuals, Guidelines, Procedures • Act as Department’s bicycle advocate. • Strategic Highway Safety Plan • Complete Streets Implementation Action Plan, Active Transportation and Community Living • Develop and Maintain Partnerships

8. Bicycle Transportation Account • Bicycle Transportation Account • Annual program • Provides state funds for city and county projects that improve safety and convenience for bicycle commuters. • Now funded at $7.2M • Funds approximately 20-30 projects/year

9. Benefits of Bicycling • Bicycle Commuting is an underused method of commuting. • About 40 percent of all trips are shorter than 2 miles. • Bicycling is an affordable form of transportation. • Bicycling can help reduce roadway congestion. • Bicycling can help reduce pollution • Approx. 10-12 bikes can be parked in 1 parking space.

10. Bicycle Commuter Stats • Per 2009 American Community Survey Commuter Statistics: • San Francisco ranked #12 of 244 communities with populations > 65,000 for Bicycle Commuters (Ranked Gold for Bicycle Commuting) • 3.0% bicycle commuters, estimated to be 13,025 • Sacramento ranks #38 of 244 (Ranked Bronze) • 2.10% bicycle commuters, estimated to be 4,090

11. Health Benefits of Bicycling • Provides exercise (burns more calories than driving) • Improves Cardiovascular health • Can provide “mental health” breaks, arrive at home or work more relaxed, less stressed • Allows you to incorporate your workout in your daily schedule • More pleasant than riding transit or driving • Commuting under your own power gives you a sense of accomplishment • Set an example for your children

12. Calories Burned While Cycling

13. Calories Burned • Formula for calculating calories burned for any activity (from Journal of Sports Sciences: • Calories Burned for Men: ((Age x 0.2107) – (Weight x 0.09036) + (Heart Rate x 0.6309) – 55.0969) x Time/4.184. • Calories Burned for Women: ((Age x 0.074) – (Weight x 0.05741) + (Heart Rate x 0.4472) – 20.4022) X Time/4.184 • Example: 32 year old, male, weight 173 pounds, 37 minutes of exercise, heart rate of 133 bpm  ((32 x 0.2017) – (173 x 0.09036) _ (133 x 0.6309) – 55.0969) x 37 / 4.184 = 174 calories

14. The all-time biggest question about bike commuting... What About Safety? “Isn’t it dangerous?” “What about all those cars?” “You’d have to be crazy to ride a bike out there!” “I’m afraid of traffic!”

15. Bicycling Fatality and Injury StatisticsHow Safe is Bicycling? • 630 “pedalcyclist” deaths in US in 2009 accounting for 2% of all traffic fatalities • 109 in California in 2009 (17%) • 51,000 pedalcyclists were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009, 8,000 were age 14 & younger • 11,993 in California in 2009 (24%) • Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino have most bicyclist fatalities

16. How Safe is Bicycling in California? • Less than 30% of bicycling fatalities can be attributed to motor vehicle vs. bicycle. • Most are single bicycle accidents • Between 2006-2008, the 5 highest primary collision factors for bicycle fatalities were: • Wrong side of the road • Improper turning • Driving or bicycling under the influence • Traffic signals and signs • Automobile right of way

17. What can you do to make bicycling safer? • Safety Equipment • Helmet (approved by CPSC) • Gloves • Lights/reflectors • Mirror • Bell/Horn • Reflective tape, clothing • Glasses

18. What can you do to make bicycling safer • Safety Equipment/Checks for the Bicycle • ABC Quick Check before every ride • Air • Brakes • Chain, Cranks, Cassette • Quick Releases • Map your Route – know where you are going and how to get there • Make sure you carry plenty of water, spare tube or patch kits, tire pump

19. What Every Bicyclist Should Do • Follow the Law – that means stop for all stop signs and red lights, ride with traffic • Be predictable – make your intentions clear to motorists and other road users • Be conspicuous – ride where you can be seen • Think ahead – anticipate what drivers, pedestrians, (and squirrels) will do next • Ride Ready – ABC Quick Check • Keep your Cool • Be a “Roll” model

20. What are Federal, State, and Local Agencies Doing to Improve Bicycling Safety • FHWA • Strategic Highway Safety Plan • Challenge Area 13 – Improve Bicycle Safety • Issues guidance • Responsible for overseeing requirements in legislation are understood and met by the States and other implementing agencies. • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/mutcd_bike.htm

21. What are Federal, State, and Local Agencies Doing to Improve Bicycling Safety • Caltrans • Understanding Bicycle Transportation (course for districts and HQ Engineers, Project Development, Planning, and local agencies) • Division of Design – Geometric Design Standards, HDM • Division of Local Assistance (Bicycle Facilities Unit) • District Bike/Ped Coordinators • BTA Program • May is Bike Month • Other Committees/Task Forces/Advisory Groups

22. What are Federal, State, and Local Agencies Doing to Improve Bicycling Safety • Local Agencies • Proposing/Testing Designs not currently in HDM • Road Diets • Sharrows • Green coloring in bike lanes • Bike Boulevards • Contra flow bike lanes • Separated bike lanes • http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/

23. Educational Opportunities • League of American Bicyclists • http://www.bikeleague.org/ • Provide classes in cycling skills, rules of the road • Promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America • California Bicycle Coalition • http://www.calbike.org/about.htm • Education and lobbying • Safe Routes to School

24. Educational Opportunities • Local Bicycle Clubs • Departments of Transportation • Departments of Public Health • Department of Education • Public and private schools • Drivers Training Classes • DMV • Law Enforcement • Local Transportation Management Associations • Metropolitan Planning Organizations/Regional Transportation Planning Agencies • Parent Teacher Organizations

25. What Do We Expect From You? • As an employee - Recognize bicycling as a valid form of transportation. • As a commuter, consider bicycling, even if it is for a portion of your trip. • As a recreational rider/tourist – be safe, obey the laws, be prepared. • And remember – bicycling can be fun! You’re never too old to start.

26. It’s Never to Late to Start

27. “Bike Pool”

28. Questions? • Thank you for coming

29. Videos • http://www.walkinginfo.org/videos/pubdetail.cfm?picid=13 • http://www.vehicularcyclist.com/vcvideo.html