Smart Rally on Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Support the SMART Train and Pathway.  

Join the SMART Jobs for the Holidays Rally 

December 21st at Noon
San Rafael City Hall  1400 5th Avenue



Join the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and the SMART Riders Coalition for the SMART Jobs for the Holidays Rally on December 21st at noon at San Rafael City Hall, 1400 5th Avenue in downtown San Rafael.

SMART is under attack by a small group of individuals that are attempting to kill the SMART train and pathway project forever. 

Join us to let your voice be heard.  Support the SMART Train and Pathway project allowing for a world-class multi-modal transportation system for the North Bay.

Please bring signs in support of SMART and please join us for the SMART Board meeting following the rally (the public meeting begins at 2:30 PM, check the board agenda for aganda changes).   It is important for SMART supporters to attend this meeting to speak on behalf of the SMART Train and Pathway.

If you can make this rally and/or the meeting, please RSVP to Alisha@marinbike.org.

SMART will provide: A world class bicycle/pedestrian multiuse pathway from San Rafael to Santa Rosa (in its first phase) Approximately 900 jobs in the region Sustainable transportation choices for Marin and Sonoma counties An alternative to Highway 101 traffic congestion Transportation choices for our aging population Clean, green transportation for this and future generations Regardless of whether or not you can make the rally, there are several things you can do today, including: Decline to Sign- Anti-SMART people are working to gather signatures throughout our communities to kill SMART. Please do not sign the anti-SMART petition.     
             Help Leaflet- The SMART Rider's Coalition has a team of supporters that are working on the ground to educate the public about the importance of SMART for this and future generations. This is an important way you can directly help to keep SMART on track. If you can volunteer, please contact Ben Boyce at:  ben.boyce@sbcglobal.net.  
                    Support SMART using your favorite social networking site-  Please "like" SMART Riders on the SMART Riders Facebook page, or visit our website at:  www.smartriders.wordpress.com.You can follow SMART Riders on Twitter too.
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is working as part of the SMART Riders Coalition, a group of individuals and union, business and environmental organizations formed to support the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Train and Pathway. The Coalition's mission is to educate the public about the benefits of SMART Train and Pathway for the North Bay community. 

San Rafael 2011 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

  

BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN

Link to: City of San Rafael Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

Supervisor Susan Adams' District 1 Newsletter

Lucas Valley Sidewalk Changes

Lucas Valley Road sidewalk:

       Staff is preparing documentation to complete the en-vironmental approvals for this federally-funded project. Final design needs to be completed in Spring 2012 to meet the funding deadlines. It is anticipated that construction will take place fall of 2012.

December 5, 2011

SRPD Program to Combat Traffic Deaths and Injuries

Author: PIO Margo Rohrbacher
Date: November 08, 2011 10:07 PM

San Rafael Police Department to Combat Traffic Deaths and Injuries with Special Program

San Rafael Police Department has been awarded a new traffic safety grant for a year-long program aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways.  The $129,992 grant awarded by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to San Rafael will aid in the city’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety and the quality of life.  Special traffic enforcement measures will be instituted by the SRPD as part of an on-going commitment to keep our roadways safe through both enforcement and education.

The grant will assist in efforts to deal with traffic safety problems and to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions.  Traffic deaths from all causes declined in California by 11.9 percent, from 3,081 killed in 2009 to 2,715 in 2010.  While alcohol impaired deaths saw a sharp decline last year, DUI deaths remain the largest sector, at more than 30 percent of traffic fatalities.

The grant activities will specifically target motorcycle Safety, DUI offenders, drivers with suspended or revoked licenses, red light running, and speeding.  This will be done through the use of DUI/driver’s license checkpoints, special enforcement operations, and court stings where DUI offenders with suspended or revoked driver licenses get behind the wheel after leaving court.

“Thanks to the dedicated hard work of agencies like the San Rafael Police Department, California has the fewest traffic fatalities since 1944,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy.  “While this is good news, we know that only by keeping the pressure on through enforcement and public awareness can we hope to sustain these declines and save lives.”

DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints are a key component of the grant.  These highly visible, widely publicized events are meant to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests.  Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.

  
For the second year in a row special motorcycle safety enforcement operations will be conducted under this grant. Motorcycle fatalities have finally dropped in California, following a decade long rise in deaths.  In 2010, 353 motorcyclists were killed, a 37 percent drop from the all time high for California in 2008.  SRPD officers will be conducting specialized enforcement efforts throughout the next twelve months.  Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas and events where motorcycle crashes and incidents have occurred.  Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations made by regular vehicle drivers and motorcyclists that result in far too many motorcycle collisions, injuries and deaths.

“We are on the right path with declining fatalities,” said Murphy.  “We have to stick to that path so that some day we can reach the vision we all share – Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”

Funding for this program is from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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California Governor vetoes the 3-foot passing bill

Governor Brown vetoes Senate Bill 910

Submitted by Colin Heyne on October 10, 2011 - 1:22pm



Despite strong support in the State Senate and Assembly, and advocate letter writing campaigns, Governor Jerry Brown returned the three foot passing bill, unsigned, to the Senate on Friday afternoon. Citing concerns that a portion of the bill, which calls for passing a cyclist at no more than 15 miles per hour if it is not possible to leave three feet of room, might create a "long line of cars behind the cyclist," the Governor asked the Senate and proponents of the bill to come back with an "improved" version next year. 

The Governor's comments make it clear that he feels it is more important for autos to be able to quickly make it to their destination than for cyclists to be able to ride on safe roads. He writes that "On streets with speed limits of 35 or 40mph, slowing to 15mph to pass a bicycle could cause rear end collisions." Apparently, the Governor believes that, lacking a safe distance at which to pass a cyclist, motorists should keep up their speed, lest their sudden deceleration so surprise the cars behind them that they cause a pile up. Though this situation seems highly unlikely, wouldn't a couple of fender-benders be better than dead cyclists?
At 15 miles per hour, less than ten percent of cyclist-motorist collisions are fatal. At 45 miles per hour, the speed at which Governor Brown would like to keep traffic moving past a bicycle without even a three-foot buffer, over 80 percent of such collisions are fatal. 

This was a very unfortunate loss for California cyclists, and even worse for those in the community who would like to venture out more often on a bike, but just don't feel it's safe enough. 

California cyclists are close to a huge win on the 3-foot passing bill

California cyclists are close to a huge win on the 3-foot passing bill

Safe passing

The California Bicycle Coalition goal: Encourage more people to ride bicycles by ensuring that drives give bicyclists adequate clearance when passing from behind.

Please send a letter of support to Gov. Brown today.

California's bicycling community is close to a huge win! The California Legislature approved Senate Bill 910, our 3-foot passing bill, on Sept. 8 and sent it to Gov. Brown for his signature.

We've gotten this far because of the efforts bike advocacy groups, cycling clubs and individual bicyclists throughout the state who support this bill. But our work isn't finished -- in fact, we may face our biggest challenge yet.

The Governor has been vetoing bills he deems unnecessary -- bills we wouldn't have expected him to veto -- so we need you to act today to let him know why SB 910 is so important for the safety of everyone on the road.

Here's what you do:

1. Download this sample letter of support, and modify it by replacing the text in brackets (<>) with today’s date and your name and mailing address. If you’ve been buzzed or hit by a passing driver, briefly describe the incident to help the Governor more clearly understand why this law is needed.
2. You have three options for sending your message:

• Email CBC your message and we'll deliver it to the Governor's office
• Fax it to the Governor's office at 916-558-3177
• Mail it to the address on the sample letter.

We expect the Governor to make his decision on SB 910 in the next week or so. Please send your letter immediately.

You can find more information at the CBC website or at givemethree.org.

Saturday, September 17 - California Coastal Cleanup Day

Mark MacMillan, Ruth Whiting, Carolyn Lenert and Ray Lorber

 Mark and Carolyn helping Ruth unload her truck.

Ray Lorber cutting overhanging branches from the willow trees.

Mark MacMillan and Ruth Whiting loading the cut willow branches.

Saturday, September 17 - California Coastal Cleanup Day

The Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road Campaign is calling for volunteers

 

The California Coastal Cleanup Day is only a  week away. 

This year we meet from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September the 17th.  Mark your calendar.
We will meet at the 101 Lucas Valley Road office complex parking lot.

The bushes are again forcing the pedestrians to walk in traffic.  They need to be cut back again. 

It seems like they just keep on growing and growing.  Well we'll just keep on cutting them back again and again.



Come out and join us in our seventy-five minute battle against the invaders.

Gallinas Watershed Council Bike Tour

Members of the Gallinas Watershed Council Bike Tour stopped at the 101 Lucas Valley Road office complex.  They have installed a pedestrian bridge over looking Gallinas Creek and that is where we presented our project. 

 

Ray Lorber is showing the 2010 survey map that defined the County of Marin and City of San Rafael boundary.

Ray Lorber signing up new members to support the Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road project.

Gallinas Watershed Council web site:

 www.gallinaswatershed.org  

Check out the Gallinas Watershed Council Bike Tour:

http://www.gallinaswatershed.org/bike-the-watershed-on-august-20.html 

Gallinas Watershed Council Bike Tour video.

PG&E moved the power poles out of the Gallinas Creek headwaters

Robert A. Merrick - Electric Construction Supervisor

North Bay General Construction

Holly Shepley -Wildlife biologist

Stillwater Sciences

 

Senate approves a 3 foot passing lane for bicyclists

Senate approves 3-foot passing bill 
 
 

California could soon become the nation's 19th state to enact a 3-foot passing law to protect bicyclists. Last week the California Senate approved CBC-sponsored Senate Bill 910 by a 27-9 vote, sending the bill to the Assembly.

SB 910, authored by Long Beach Sen. Alan Lowenthal and cosponsored by the City of Los Angeles, would establish three feet as the minimum clearance when a motorist passes a bicyclist from behind under most conditions. Three feet is the passing distance recommended in the California Driver's Handbook.

SB 910 is CBC's third try at enacting a 3-foot passing law in California. Six years ago the California Highway Patrol, truckers and transit drivers killed a similar CBC-sponsored bill in its first hearing. This year, a stronger campaign and hundreds of letters and from the state's bicycle clubs and advocacy organizations, including from the state's Republican-represented districts, helped the bill win a strong bipartisan majority.

The CBC's Give Me 3 awareness campaign, launched in Long Beach last month, is giving voice to hundreds of people who are concerned about the safety of our roadways.

Click here to see a video or Sen. Anthony Cannella of Ceres testifying in support of SB 910 about the number of times he's nearly been hit while bicycling.

Source: California Bicycle Coalition

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June 18th Clean up Crew along Lucas Valley Road

David Crowne

Mark MacMillan and David Crowne

Ladd Sievenpiper and Preston McCoy

Left to right - David Crowne, Preston McCoy, Carolyn Lenert, Mark Macillan and Ladd Sievenpiper

Deb Hubsmith Shifts Gears at MCBC

Deb Hubsmith Shifts Gears at MCBC- Andy Peri is the New Advocacy Director

Posted by Andy Peri | June 8, 2011 |

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Deb Hubsmith Shifts Gears After 13 Years on Marin County Bicycle Coalition StaffAndy Peri is the New Advocacy Director 



The Marin County Bicycle Coalition announced today that Deb Hubsmith, its "front line," energetic, Advocacy Director who has been on staff for the past 13 years will be taking on a new role within the organization as an Advisor.
Hubsmith is making the shift to focus more energy on the national organization that she directs and founded six years ago, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. 
Andy Peri, who has served on MCBC's advocacy staff since 2006, will be taking over as MCBC's Advocacy Director in July. As a five-year MCBC advocacy team member, Peri brings the experience, relationships, and know-how to take MCBC's advocacy program into a new era of success.
"I'm changing my role, but I'm not going too far -- MCBC has been my baby," explains Hubsmith. "You can still expect to see me at key public meetings advocating for critical projects such as the SMART train and pathway, the Alto Tunnel, and the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program -- visionary projects that will provide an alternative to Highway 101 and are essential to building the continuous North South Greenway through Marin and Sonoma Counties. Things are going well in Marin; it's a good time to make this shift. At the national level, however, we're struggling with a new Congress, many of whom are trying to eliminate bicycle and pedestrian funding. It's time for me to have an increased focus on national level policies. Ultimately, my national advocacy will help bring more funding to Marin County for bicycle facilities, creating healthier more livable communities here, and nationwide."
In addition to Peri's 5+ years of experience working on bicycle and pedestrian projects with MCBC, he brings a comprehensive understanding of sustainability and equity issues to the job. "After five years on MCBC's advocacy staff, I'm excited to be moving into the Advocacy Director position. The transition has been smooth and virtually seamless due to my ever expanding roles within the organization and on projects throughout the County." 
Deb Hubsmith was the MCBC's first Executive Director from 1998-2005, and served as Advocacy Director since 2005. She built the organization's reputation as a political power house, and led the effort to bring more than $100 million in funding to Marin to build more bikeways, including her work on the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program which brought more than $25 million from Washington DC to Marin. For 12 years Hubsmith led the campaign for completion of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, (which opened to much fanfare in December 2010) and since the 1990's Hubsmith has been a key leader for Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) which will create dozens of miles of multiuse pathways in Marin and Sonoma Counties, and establish a new train. Deb Hubsmith also played a key role in establishing and funding Marin's popular Safe Routes to School program, which is now in 50 local schools. During her tenure at MCBC, bicycling in Marin has more than doubled. 
Deb Hubsmith's 13 Year History with MCBCA founding board member of Marin County Bicycle Coalition in the spring of 1998, Deb Hubsmith became the organization's first Executive Director later that year. She started as a volunteer, and grew the organization's budget, structure, programs, staff and membership to become a political powerhouse in Marin County. The non-profit Marin County Bicycle Coalition has been led by Executive Director Kim Baenisch for the past six years. 
In the year 2000, Deb Hubsmith pitched Safe Routes to School to Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN), and landed MCBC a federal contract with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a national model program for getting children to and from schools walking and bicycling as a way to help reduce childhood obesity. Based on the success of the Marin program and increased momentum throughout the nation, Hubsmith worked with Oberstar and his staff to craft national legislation to develop the federal Safe Routes to School program to bring opportunities for safer walking and bicycling to schools to children and families in all 50 states. Hubsmith also worked with together with Oberstar to develop the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program as a demonstration project to test the effectiveness of investing in a connected bicycle and pedestrian network.
In March 2005, Hubsmith stepped down as Executive Director of MCBC to become the organization's part time Advocacy Director because she knew that she need more time and focus with Congress to ensure that the federal transportation bill SAFETEA-LU would include the Safe Routes to School program and the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program. Both pieces of legislation were enacted in August 2005, and Hubsmith simultaneously launched the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a national non-profit which now includes more than 550 organizations and is advancing policies to improve bicycling and walking to schools and in communities nationwide.
Including the Pilot Program, which resulted in more than $25 million, Hubsmith helped lead the way to bring more than $100 million in funding to Marin County jurisdictions for safer bicycle and pedestrian routes, including projects such as the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, Lincoln Hill pathway, and bicycle lanes, routes and racks all over Marin. 
Hubsmith spearheaded the development of Marin's first Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and worked for seven years to ensure that solid active transportation policies were included in Marin County's 2007 Countywide Plan. She was also a key player since the 1990's in crafting the policy language for and running campaigns to ensure the passage of Measure A (Marin's 2004 transportation funding measure) and Measure Q (SMART's 2008 funding measure for the train and pathway). Over the past year, she worked diligently with SMART's staff and board to ensure that two-thirds of the pathway was retained when the economy forced project changes.
As she moves into an Advisor role, Hubsmith will remain active with MCBC. She will be continuing as MCBC's representative to the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition, working on regional transportation policies, and she will continue to advocate for critical local projects including the SMART train and pathway, the Alto Tunnel, which will link Mill Valley and Corte Madera, and the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program which is a national model. Through her roles as Chair of the California Safe Routes to School state network  and Director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Deb Hubsmith will remain active in bringing state and federal transportation resources to make Marin County more sustainable, green and healthy.
During Deb Hubsmith's tenure at the Marin County Bicycle Coalition,
bicycling in Marin County increased 135% on weekdays and 159% on weekends. 

San Rafael Bicycle Route Community Mapboook

Take a look at all of the bike routes available to you in San Rafael and the neighboring communities.

San Rafael Community Mapbook

New York City Times Square now a complete Street

Check out this video on complete streets

in Manhattan and Times Square:

Earth Day clean-up along Lucas Valley Road

April 23, 2011 Earth Day

Marlies Carver, David Crowne and Preston McCoy

working their way through a tall patch of Broom.

Councilmember Greg Brockbank, Janet Coyne and Claire Watry taking a break from their hard labor.

 

Esther Wanning getting down and dirty to fight the invasive Broom.

From left to right:  Preston McCoy, Esther Wanning, Councilmember Greg Brockbank, Janet Coyne, David Crowne, Claire Watry and Carolyn Lenert
Photographer: Ray Lorber

Thistle attack being waged by Janet Coyne, Carolyn Lenert, Councilmember Greg Brockbank and Claire Watry.

 Preston McCoy crashing after a hard workout.

 Marlies Carver checking the results of our Earth Day clean-up.

Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road participates in Earth Day Marin

Carolyn Lenert receives the "Citizen of the Year Award"

Carolyn exclaims in surprise "Me?" as San Rafael Mayor Al Boro tells her that she was selected to receive the "Citizen of the Year Award."

Councilmembers Greg Brockbank, Barbara Heller, Damon Connolly and Marc Levine joined in the celebration.

Now she believes and is thrilled.

Carolyn Lenert named San Rafael's citizen of the year

By Jessica Bernstein-Wax
Marin Independent Journal

Posted: 03/22/2011 08:23:15 AM PDT

San Rafael officials have named Carolyn Lenert the 10th recipient of the Richard P. O'Brien and Mary Ferrario O'Brien Citizen of the Year Award.  The City Council honored Lenert, president of the Santa Margarita Neighborhood Association and current fire commissioner, with a resolution of appreciation in a ceremony Monday night.

A selection committee of council members, planning commissioners, a member of the O'Brien family and representatives of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods and North San Rafael Coalition chose Lenert from a pool of 16 nominees.

She will receive a $2,500 cash award and special recognition on April 8 at the San Rafael State of the City dinner.

In addition to her work as a fire commissioner, Lenert has been active in disaster preparedness, volunteering for Community Emergency Response Team efforts and co-founding the Marin County CERT Coalition, according to a report given to the City Council.

Lenert created the Terra Linda Wind magazine and continues to serve as its editor, working with high school students to spread information on local events and history. 

 


She also was heavily involved in the "Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road" project, which improved pedestrian and bicycle access in the area. 




"Carolyn has contributed countless hours coordinating outreach, sharing resources and disseminating information to local residents on issues of community concern," the report said. 

San Rafael fire Chief Chris Gray said Lenert has often served as a link between the fire department and community.  "She's been a staunch advocate of emergency preparedness and training, and she's been very effective at the neighborhood level, which is where it counts," Gray said. "She also is not only an ambassador of safety services, but she's an important link to the neighborhoods and the community."

Created in March 2001 with an endowment in honor of former planning commissioner Richard O'Brien and his wife, Mary Ferrario O'Brien, the annual Citizen of the Year award recognizes a person in San Rafael "who has made exceptional contributions to the city, making it a better place to live or work."

Past recipients include Margie Belrose, executive director of the performing arts 
school and theater The Belrose; Patty Garbarino, president of Marin Sanitary Service; artist Phyllis Thelen and her husband Max for their work with the nonprofit group Art Works Downtown; the late San Rafael historian Lionel
Ashcroft; and volunteer Sandy Greenblat. 

Contact Jessica Bernstein-Wax at jbernstein-wax@marinij.com

Mayor Al Boro reads Carolyn Lenert's many accomplishments that enabled the committee to select her for the award while Councilmembers Greg Brockbank and Barbara Heller express their agreement.

February 26, 2011 Clean-up day and 2nd Annual Meeting

Saturday morning's Broom Busters

Judy Schreibman, Susan Peterson, Brian Whiting, Carolyn Lenert, Ruth Whiting, David Crowne, Mark MacMillan and Marlies Carver

Susan Peterson, Rod Blouin and Mark MacMillan loading another pile of broom.

Brian Whiting enjoying watching Judy Schreibman pulling broom.

Rod Blouin with his favorite tool the "Weed Whacker."

Everyone is listening to Rod Blouin during our 2nd Annual Meeting

Seated on the left:  Brain Whiting, Marlies Carver, Mark MacMillan, Rod Blouin and  David Bernardi 
Seated on the right:  Ruth Whiting, David Crowne, Susan Peterson and Judy Schreibman
Carolyn Lenert is chairing the meeting

David Barnardi, Project Manager, Principal, Project Management Services explaining the details of the project

       Carolyn Lenert presented the Mark MacMillan Safety award to David Crowne

David also received the keys for a weekend at Sea Ranch

Luncheon was provided by Aref Ahmadia's West End Cafe

Walk with the County Engineering Team

On February 16, 2011 Carolyn Lenert and Ray Lorber walked along the Las Gallinas to Los Gamos corridor of Lucas Valley Road with the County Engineering Team.  

The County Engineering Team included:
 

Craig Tackabery, P.E., P.L.S. - Assistant Director, Department of Public Works, County of Marin

Ernest Klock, P.E. - Principal Civil Engineer, Department of Public Works, County of Marin

David Bernardi - Principal, Project Management Services

The team walked along Lucas Valley Road reviewing the obstacles for constructing a Class I multi-use pathway along the corridor.

Carolyn Lenert assists Ernest Klock in measuring the space between the light pole and the curb on Lucas Valley Road while Craig Tackabery and David Bernardi discuss their concerns with the limited space available for a path.

The team is discussing the available solutions for constructing a pathway at the most narrow place along the corridor.

The team is discussing the issue of incorporating the turn out for traffic at the 101 Lucas Valley Road office complex.

 Ernest Klock is measuring the width of Lucas Valley Road.

 

2nd Annual Meeting