1.SMART repeal effort fails- the train and pathway are coming to town

The effort to kill the SMART Train and Pathway officially failed Monday morning when the Marin County Registrar of Voters released the number of collected signatures received from Repeal SMART organizers.  The Repeal effort collected 14,583 of the required 14,902 they believed were needed to put the Repeal SMART initiative on the November ballot.  Because signature validation typically disqualifies more than 20% of signatures, it is thought that the Repeal supporters were a minimum of several thousand signatures short of what they believe were needed (not several hundred as the numbers would suggest). SMART has maintained that the Repeal initiative would have required nearly 40,000 signatures but because Repeal did not qualify at the lower level, this point is no longer relevant to resolve.

MCBC is celebrating the end of this effort to kill SMART as the SMART Train and Pathway has long been a major priority and fighting the repeal has taken a tremendous amount of staff time and energy.  MCBC advocacy staff can now get back to work supporting efforts to build the pathway and to support fundraising efforts to fully fund the $42 million portion of the pathway between San Rafael and Santa Rosa.

MCBC staff will continue to work with SMART engineering staff and board to help build a world-class multi-use pathway allowing for seamless multi-modal transportation within and between Marin and Sonoma Counties.

See a related article on the new SMART station plans below.

2. Dirt Roll III THIS SUNDAY!
Support safe roads and great trails for kids

Join us, and special guest Mark Weir (Team WTB/Fox Racing Shox/Cannondale), for the Dirt Roll III this Sunday afternoon. This no-drop mountain bike ride on the trails at Camp Tamarancho on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, is going to be a blast! Proceeds from the Dirt Roll support the ongoing advocacy work being conducted by MCBC and NorCal, which includes creating lifelong cyclists and ongoing efforts to ensure that kids have safer roads and great trails.

Sign up now to ride the Dirt Bowl III. There will be different length rides so nobody gets left behind, and a great post-ride party as well. This year we'll be starting from Fair-Anselm Plaza in Fairfax at 10 AM (sign-in starts at 9 AM), and we'll have a post-ride BBQ in the courtyard below the MCBC office.

The base fee for the ride and lunch is just $50. Those who wish to raise additional funds to support MCBC and NorCal can do so. Those who fundraise will be entered in a drawing for super prizes, including a shock fork and a wheel set.

Update: MCBC’s new Dirt Director Erik Schmidt will be riding Sunday, as well as Joe Breeze and other MTB VIPs

Register today!

See you Sunday!

Tom Boss, MCBC Membership Director
Vanessa Hauswald, NorCal League Director

3. Save the Date: Tour de Marin returns Sunday, May 20, 2012

The Marin County Bicycle Coalition and Whole Foods Market are proud to announce the return of Tour de Marin on Sunday, May 20, 2012.

Join all classes of cyclists on a moderate 45-mile ride through scenic Marin and then watch the final stage of the Tour of California in the afternoon! There will be great food all day long, including fine organic cuisine from Marin's artisan food businesses. You'll ride past Big Rock, see redwood groves and horse stables, and take in a feast at the Nicasio energizer station.

The 40-mile benefit ride will start and end at Whole Foods Market in San Rafael. This year's route will head north along Marin's Bicycle Route 5 and veer west in Novato towards Nicasio before returning to San Rafael.

All ride levels welcome, no one is left behind. The ride is well supported with ride leaders, sweepers, course marshals and SAG (support and gear) wagons courtesy of Mike's Bikes and REI.

Registration will open in February or early March and will be announced on our website. All proceeds go toward MCBC's work to expand our County network of bike lanes, pathways, bridges and tunnels. Free Tour de Marin T-shirts for the first 250 riders who register, so check the website weekly!

4. House Bill eliminates bicycle and Safe Routes funding—Act now to save it!

The House Transportation Committee will vote Thursday, February 2, on whether to approve American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, or to amend it to include bicycling and walking programs.

This is an extremely important issue, one that requires the action of all concerned citizens: continued funding for biking and walking is in jeopardy.

We’ve gotten action alerts from all over the transportation advocacy map. Groups as diverse as the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Bikes Belong, the League of American Bicyclists, and American Trails have all issued urgent pleas for their supporters to contact their Representatives and urge them to restore bicycling and walking to the bill. You can read some of their messages below.

MCBC joins in asking all our supporters to contact their Representatives. The passage of this bill as it now stands could reverse all progress we have made in the past twenty years.

Take action now—tell your representative to restore bicycling and walking in the Transportation Committee.

From Safe Routes National Partnership:
Why the urgency? House leaders are exerting pressure to completely cut bicycling and walking out of transportation. Lawmakers seem to have gone through line-by-line to gut programs that make streets safer. Read more>>

From American Trails:
There is strength in numbers and we need to present a unified voice for trails, to tell their story, to present their endless benefits, and to make the case for funding them. We urge you to contact your Representative and stress the importance of dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) -- essential programs that make trails and active transportation possible and that are vital to your local efforts. Read more>>

From LAB:
[The bill] basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.  Read more>>

This is as urgent as it gets. If members of the Transportation Committee are going to stand up to House leadership by supporting biking and walking, they will need to know their constituents are behind them. Please contact Congress today and ask them to preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking.

5. MCBC is hiring a Bike Parking Coordinator
Part time opportunity to manage bike parking service at countywide events!

Join the hugely successful Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s (MCBC) team – we’re currently hiring a part-time Bike Parking Coordinator to maintain our efficient service and state-of-the-art equipment.  Bicycle parking encourages non-polluting transportation and safeguards bikes in one easy to access location.

The Bike Parking Coordinator oversees bike parking at 20+ events throughout the season (March – November). The community events occur mainly on the weekends. Our busiest bike parking events include the two-day Fairfax Festival, three-day Sausalito Art Festival, and Biketoberfest.

The position fills a valuable public service and outreach role for MCBC and is a very fun and social opportunity.  The main responsibilities include: bike parking event logistics and coordination; volunteer recruitment, training and oversight; equipment transport, installation and maintenance. 

MCBC aims to fill the position by the end of February 2012. Training will be provided. Pay is $15/hour with mileage and annual tow vehicle insurance reimbursement. For more information on how to apply, please click here.

6. Volunteers needed for two broom pulls in February
Come out and steward the parks and open spaces you love!

MCBC is joining forces with Marin Open Space and MMWD on two days of habitat restoration in February. Volunteers will focus on containing the spread of French and Scotch broom monocultures and eradicate pioneer patches on Bald Hill and White Hill.   MCBC volunteers started this work in 2011--click here for video. Removing broom gives native plants and trees a better opportunity to thrive, improves habitat for animals, reduces the fire fuel load and improves views. Ranger chili will be served at noon!

Bald Hill Broom Bust
Saturday, February 11, 9 AM to Noon

We will meet at 9:00 AM at the intersection of Yolanda Trail and Worn Springs Fire Road.  A bike ride will leave San Anselmo Coffee Roasters at 8:00 AM. A guided hiking group will leave Deer Park School at 8:30 AM.

White Hill Broom Bust
Saturday, February 18, 9 AM to Noon

We will meet at 9:00 AM at the Brown Bridge on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. just west of Fairfax.  A bike ride will leave Fairfax Coffee Roasters at 8:30 AM.

For more information and to RSVP email Tom Boss at tom@marinbike.org.

7. MCBC accepting nominations for our Board of Directors
Nominations due by Friday, February 17

The MCBC’s Board Development Committee welcomes candidates for election to our Board of Directors. This is a great opportunity to work with an influential team of community leaders and help shape the future of cycling in Marin.

The Board of Directors is the governing body that provides direction and oversight for the MCBC’s scope of activities and is committed to the MCBC mission statement: “To promote safe bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation.”

Our directors have a variety of professional backgrounds, keeping our perspective fresh and balanced. Directors must be current MCBC members as of March 1, 2011. If you are not yet a member of the MCBC, please join now.

For more information, please click here.

8. SMART Draft Downtown Station Area Plan Released

Intended to set the stage to create a vibrant, mixed-use, livable downtown area supported by a mix of transit opportunities, including passenger rail service and bicycle/pedestrian facilities, the Draft Downtown San Rafael Station Area Plan (SAP) provides a visionary glimpse into the future fabric of downtown San Rafael. The Downtown SAP, one of two such SMART Station Area Plans for the areas around the future downtown and Civic Center rail stations, is now available for public review and comment.

Among other considerations, the Plan considers the operations and ease of use of the transit complex through better connections for bicyclists and pedestrians, including improvements to the streets, sidewalks and other facilities in the station area, as well as providing opportunities for public space and placemaking. 

MCBC has provided comments on the Plan that support inclusion of a separated, multi-use pathway on West Tamalpais Avenue along the SMART right-of-way between Mission Avenue and 4th Street, and also along Tamalpais between 2nd and 4th Streets by widening the existing sidewalk.

The SAP also presents two options for the proposed Canal Paseo Pathway, which will serve to connect the SMART and Bettini Stations to the east side of US-101. As expressed in the Plan, enhanced bicycle/pedestrian connectivity between downtown and areas to the east of US-101 is important for improving access to the Canal and Montecito neighborhoods, San Rafael High School and the Montecito Shopping Center.  Currently, the freeway, canal, and Mahon Creek all provide significant barriers to local bicycle and pedestrian mobility.

The next opportunity for the public to comment on the Draft Downtown SAP is this Thursday, February 2nd, at 7 PM, at the Redevelopment Agency Citizens Advisory Committee meeting at San Rafael City Hall. The meeting will be held in the Community Development Conference Room or the Council Chambers, depending on the level of attendance by the public. The Draft Downtown SAP is scheduled to go before the San Rafael City Council on March 5th.

Please click here for more information, or contact Rebecca Woodbury, Management Analyst, at rebecca.woodbury@cityofsanrafael.org or 485-3076.

9. Join the kick off meeting of the Healthy Transportation Network
February 15th 9 AM - 10 AM

Register now for the kick off meeting of the Healthy Transportation Network - Bay Area, Wednesday, February 15 from 9 AM – 10 AM.

Join us as the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and TransForm jumpstart a new collaboration of advocates, community members, health professionals, and planning experts from across the Bay Area. Our primary goal is to ensure transportation policy is infused with a concern for the health and well-being of all the Bay Area's communities. 

Our first meeting will include a discussion of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s $250 million OneBayArea grant, and give easy tools for people concerned about public health, equity, and the environment to make a difference in future Bay Area expenditures on transportation.

Please register now.

To make it easy to participate this kickoff will be a call-in meeting/webinar, and participation is free of charge. Please contact Marty Martinez of t he Safe Routes to School National Partnership with any questions or concerns at (415) 637-6488, Marty@saferoutespartnership.org, or Manolo González-Estay from TransForm at (510) 740-3131, mgonzalezestay@transformca.org.

10. Upcoming MCBC events

MCBC needs you!  Click here to see our upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Dirt Roll III
THIS Sunday, February 5, 2012
Fair-Anselm Plaza, Fairfax

Broom Pull on Bald Hill
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Ride leaves the San Anselmo Coffee Roasters at 8 am

White Hill Broom Bust
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Ride leaves Fairfax Coffee Roastery at 8 am

Pedal-Driven, a Bikeumentary
Thursday, March 22, 2012
6:30 PM and 8:15 PM; Lark Theater, 549 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur

MCBC Annual Membership Meeting
Wednesday, April 11
6:30-8:30 PM; Tamalpais Room, San Rafael Corporate Center, 750 Lindaro St., San Rafael

See an expanded list of events

Marin County Bicycle Coalition
P.O. Box 1115
Fairfax, CA 94978
Office Location: 733 Center Blvd., Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 456-3469 – phone
(415) 456-9344 – fax
http://www.marinbike.org

The MCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

We are a membership-supported group. If you are not already a paying member, please join today. Printable membership forms are on our website, http://www.marinbike.org.

Thank you for being a part of the solution.

To reach the MCBC Staff:

• Kim Baenisch, Executive Director, 456-3469 x 1#, kim@marinbike.org
• Tom Boss, Membership Director, 272-2756, tom@marinbike.org
• Bob Trigg, Administrator, 456-3469 x 3#, bob@marinbike.org
• Andy Peri, Advocacy Director, 457-0802, andy@marinbike.org
• Alisha Oloughlin, Advocacy Coordinator, 456-3469 x 4#, alisha@marinbike.org
• Erik Schmidt, Dirt Director, 456-3469 x 6#, erik@marinbike.org
• Wendi Kallins, Safe Routes to Schools Program Director, 488-4101, wendi@marinbike.org
• Laura Kelly, Safe Routes to Schools Volunteer Liaison, 456-3469 x 2#, laura@marinbike.org
• Peggy Clark, Share the Road Program Manager, Safe Routes to Schools Project Coordinator, 456-3469 x 8#, peggy@marinbike.org
• Gwen Froh, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator, 456-3469 x 5#, gwen@marinbike.org
• James Sievert, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator and Instructor, 510-301-6710, james@marinbike.org
• Shumit DasGupta, Safe Routes to Schools Instructor, 415-307-1557, shu@marinbike.org

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