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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3.4 Bike Month Festivities STAFF REPORT CITY CLERK File #590-60 CITY COUNCIL DATE:April 16, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager SUBJECT: 2013 Bike Month Festivities Prepared by Erin Steffen, Administrative Analyst II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: During National Bike Month, a series of regional events such as Bike to Work Day are organized by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition to promote bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation. This presentation is intended to update the City Council on the City’s involvement with Bike Month events taking place in Dublin and in the Tri-Valley area. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Fiscal Year 2012-13 budget includes $4,400 to cover the costs related to the Bike to Work Day events and advertising. The total Bike to Work Day budget will be funded by Measure B Bicycle/Pedestrian Funds. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council receive the presentation and approve the proclamation declaring the month of May as Bike Month in the City of Dublin. Submitted By Reviewed By City Engineer Assistant City Manager DESCRIPTION: On July 17th, 2007, the City Council adopted the Bikeways Master Plan. One of the elements of the Plan states, “Bicycle promotional and educational events, such as Bike to Work Day…should be planned and managed by the responsible departments. The City should coordinate public outreach and involvement with adjacent cities.” Bike to Work Day (BtWD) is a one-day annual regional event held to encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation during the commute to work by the Bay Area workforce. Entering its 19th year, BtWD will be held on Thursday, May 9 and is organized in Alameda County by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition (EBBC). Due to the popularity of the event and the growing number of cyclists in the Bay Area, Dublin has increased its number of bike-related ITEM NO. 3.4 Page 1 of 3 events, which are scheduled to take place throughout National Bike Month in May. All events taking place in Dublin are free to both Dublin residents and non-residents. Bike Month activities begin in April with several bicycle safety education classes and a public bikeways stakeholder workshop. Other regional events include a Team Bike Challenge hosted by EBBC to promote bicycle commuting for the month of May. Locally, the Cities of Dublin and Pleasanton are co-hosting a raffle of prizes for cyclists who participate in any of the bicycling events surrounding National Bike Month. Local businesses have contributed a number of prizes to the raffle. To prepare cyclists for National Bike Month activities, the City of Dublin and Dublin Cyclery will co-host a Flat Repair Tire Clinic on Sunday, May 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Iron Horse Trail at Amador Valley Boulevard. At the clinic, bicyclists are invited to have free bicycle safety checks and to learn how to conduct routine maintenance on their bicycles. On Bike to Work Day, the City of Dublin will help host an Energizer Station from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at both East and West Dublin/Pleasanton BART stations, consisting of refreshments and other giveaways for commuters who choose to commute via bicycle. The City will contribute a glow- in-the-dark wristband and a pocket guide map listing the local events surrounding National Bike Month. A “National Bike Month” webpage (www.dublin.ca.gov/bikemonth) has been posted on the City’s Bikeways webpage. EBBC continues to promote cycling in daily life with a regional ad campaign. The ad campaign will appear on buses, billboards, bus shelters, and on street pole banners throughout Alameda County. The City has maintained the level of contribution to the ad campaign at $1,700, which will be used to display street pole banners throughout the City in May. As a result of the sponsorship, the City of Dublin’s logo will appear on regional promotional materials as a sponsor for BtWD. The City of Dublin will continue to host bike-related activities throughout the month of May, including Bike to School Day / Week activities, Bike to the Market Day, a Community Ride and a Bike Donation Drive. Bike to School events are scheduled to take place throughout May. Dublin High School will host a Bike to School Day on May 24, where participating students and teachers will receive giveaways and refreshments. Additionally, Dougherty, Dublin, Frederiksen, Green, Kolb, and Murray Elementary Schools will each promote and host a “Bike to School Week” during May. Students are encouraged to bike to school throughout the week and will receive a surprise attached to their bicycle one day during the week. Dublin’s Bike to the Market Day will take place at the Dublin Farmer’s Market at Emerald Glen Park on May 16, where cyclists who visit the City-sponsored booth will receive “carrot cash” market vouchers and demonstrations of bicycle carrying equipment by Dublin Cyclery. Cyclists will be encouraged to explore the City’s bike lane and trail system as part of the Dublin Community Ride on Sunday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. Starting from the Civic Center, participants will be led on either a 3-mile or 7-mile group bike ride by experienced cyclists from the Valley Spokesmen, a local bike club. Participants will also be eligible to receive a free “bike check-up” courtesy of the Alameda County Transportation Commission, to witness a bike tire change demonstration, or to participate in a ride-planning discussion with Valley Spokesmen. The Community Ride is also being promoted as a “Live Healthy Dublin” program activity. Page 2 of 3 On Saturday, May 25, City Staff will co-host a Bike Donation Drive with REI Dublin and local non-profit organization Cycles of Change. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., residents will be able to donate gently used bicycles at the Dublin REI (7099 Amador Plaza Road) for repair and re- distribution to local youth programs and disadvantaged residents throughout Alameda County. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: City staff will work with East Bay Bicycle Coalition to prepare and distribute press releases regarding National Bike Month, Bike to Work Day, and related events to local media. Information on these events will also be posted on the City’s website. ATTACHMENTS: 1. 2013 Bike Month and Bike to Work Day Proclamation Page 3 of 3 A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF DUBLIN CALIFORNIA “Bike Month and Bike to Work Day” WHEREAS, the City of Dublin acknowledges that cycling is a successful rideshare mode to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, and decrease fuel consumption, and that bike-to-work days are effective in converting drivers into bicyclists, educating citizens about the environmental value of biking to work regularly, and promoting the health benefits of cycling; and WHEREAS, the League of American Bicyclists has declared the Month of May as National Bike Month; and WHEREAS, the City of Dublin has scheduled events to promote bicycling throughout May, including a Flat Tire Repair Clinic, a Community Bike Ride, a Bike Donation Drive, Bike to School Day/Week, Bike to the Market Day, and other activities; and WHEREAS, Kaiser Permanente, 511.org, Alameda County Transportation Commission, and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition along with other regional and local sponsors are promoting Thursday, May 9th as Bike to Work Day in the San Francisco Bay Area, to which the City of Dublin has contributed $1,700 to help promote Bike to Work Day regionally; and WHEREAS, on May 9, the cities of Dublin and Pleasanton, Hacienda Business Park, Dublin Cyclery, Alameda County Public Works Agency, Workday, and REI Dublin are hosting Energizer Stations at both the East and West Dublin/Pleasanton BART stations, to greet and reward bicyclists with refreshments and sponsored giveaways. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Tim Sbranti, Mayor of Dublin, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby th proclaim the Month of May as “Bike Month” and May 9 as “Bike to Work Day” in the City of Dublin, and I call upon all citizens and civic organizations to consider bicycling throughout the month, to get registered to win great prizes, and to visit the Dublin Energizer Stations on Bike to Work Day. DATED: April 16, 2013 Mayor Sbranti Vice Mayor Biddle Councilmember Hart Councilmember Haubert Councilmember Gupta