Since 2012 we've made enormous strides implementing our four key strategies to enable more people to bicycle. Here is a summary of our success and expectations for the future.
Bikeways to Everywhere (strategy 1: Build the Infrastructure)
Imagine a world with Bikeways to Everywhere, where riders of all ages and levels can ride a bicycle, comfortably and conveniently, wherever they want to go.
- Funding for complete networks, not just single bike lanes. We’re pushing to create a revolutionary new program to get cities to build complete networks of quiet streets, bike paths, and protected bike lanes. We’ll never transform California quickly enough at our current, one-bike-lane-at-a-time pace.
- Improving Bikeway Design. We got the Protected Bikeways Actpassed, legalizing the kind of bikeways proven to get more people riding.
- Complete Streets. We’re pressing our state agencies to require cities to always include bicyclists whenever they build (or rebuild) their streets.
Bicycling for Everyone (strategy 2: Mainstream the Bicycle)
Anyone should be able to choose to ride a bicycle. We help all Californians embrace bicycling as part of our shared culture.
- Removing electric bike bans. We updated regulations that treated low-speed electric bikes the same as mopeds, opening thousands of miles of bike paths to people for whom the electric bike means freedom: people with disabilities, or those with heavy loads, children, or long, hilly commutes.
- Making high-quality utilitarian bicycles affordable for everyone. We’re pushing to get the bicycle, the ultimate clean vehicle, included in the state’s clean vehicle rebate program. This will help thousands of low-income Californians get family bikes, electric bikes, and commuter bikes.
- Expand bike share. We will expand bike share into every neighborhood, especially low-income neighborhoods that are currently completely neglected. We’ve already won a new program to expand bike share, but there is much more to do.
Protecting Your Rights (Strategy 3: Protect people who ride by improving the respect they receive.)
We work to ensure that the legal system protects those who choose to ride.
- The Three Feet for Safety Act went into effect in 2014, and we’ve been heavily promoting it to make sure that motorists follow the law.
- Education, Not Fines. Last year, we won the right for your community to offer safety education classes, instead of fines, to ticketed bicyclists.
- Taking the Lane. In 2017, we’ll rewrite the Vehicle Code so that police understand that the law does not simply require bicyclists to be “out of the way."
Build a Stronger Movement (Strategy 4)
Strengthen the voice of all Californians who seek to make the communities better through more bicycling.
- The 2013 and 2015 California Bicycle Summits. These two events attracted hundreds of diverse and powerful advocates to share knowledge and best practices in Oakland and San Diego.
- Transportation Equity Summit & Advocacy Day. Each May, we host the signature lobbying event of the year bringing together bicycle-advocate constituents with their legislators.
- Stronger Local Advocacy. We've granted more than $10,000 to local advocacy organizations and engaged in much more training and mutual support to strengthen local advocacy.
