Win a New Set of Wheels

Posted on by Anna Gore

All month long, there’s an extra special reason to support our work for people biking: Join or renew your membership this September and you could win a new Republic bike!

Ways to enter:

  1. Join or renew at $35 for ONE entry.
  2. Join or renew for $50 or more and receive TWO entries.
  3. Become a Monthly Giving member and receive THREE entries.

The prize? A brand new Plato Dutch Bike made by Republic Bike! This sleek, black bike is supremely smooth, designed to keep you comfortable while commuting or cruising around town. With 3 speeds, front and rear racks, and fenders, you’ll have everything you need. Originally designed to serve the citizens of Amsterdam, this bike fits a wide range of people, from 5 foot 2 to 6-feet tall.

Perfect for casual rides, sharing with the household or when friends come to town, this beaute retails for $499. Looking for a simple, yet elegant bike? Join or renew your membership for a chance to win one! Each and every member who joins or renews their membership at the standard rate of $35 will have a chance to win. Want to double your odds? Include your roommate, partner or whoever you co-habitate with on your membership for an additional $15 and you’ll receive two entries. Better yet, if you sign-up as a Monthly Giver for just $10 per month, you receive three entries.

The best part of our September member drive is that everyone wins. By becoming a member, you’ll help to win bicycling improvements all over town. Each and every member strengthens our voice in City Hall, and this year we need our voice to be louder than ever as we advocate for landmark improvements across our city.

Plus, as a member of the SF Bicycle Coalition, you’ll enjoy discounts at over 70 local businesses, a subscription to our Tube Times magazine, and access to fantastic parties, rides, social events and more.

Join or Renew

Already a current member? Give a gift membership to a friend, family member or loved one, and you’ll be entered into the drawing!

Note that entries are per membership, so if you have more than one person in your household, the entries will go to whoever’s name the membership is in. View terms and conditions here. Huge thanks to Dave Howes and the Climate Ride for providing this wonderful prize.

Partners Like Chana and Northridge Make It All Happen

Posted on by Hannah Wells
Participants in a Community Bike Build at Northridge Cooperative Homes took their bikes out for a ride this summer.

 

Northridge Cooperative Homes is a nonprofit in Bayview-Hunters Point providing affordable housing. Chana Kennedy is the director of the Northridge Cooperative Homes Network Center, where she works with residents. In doing so, Chana reached out to us about teaming up on a Bike It Forward event. We caught up with Chana recently about how Bike It Forward fit into Northridge mission to serve residents.

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition: Can you tell us about the Northridge Cooperative Homes and your work there?
Chana: Northridge Cooperative Homes is a 300-unit affordable housing complex that is conveniently located minutes from downtown in San Francisco.

As the director of the Northridge Cooperative Homes Network Center, I love and enjoy my job. My daily task is to provide services and academic support programs for all ages. I offer information, resources and referrals that will address the needs of the residents and the community at large as well as work to enhance and reach the lives of our youth, young adults and adults.

What are the values that guide your work at Northridge Cooperative Homes?
We aim to provide resources and array of services to empower and enhance the lives of our youth and adult resident.

How were the Bike It Forward events at Northridge Cooperative Homes?
They were excellent, a very well-organized team. The bike mechanics were awesome.

What feedback have residents shared with you about the SF Bicycle Coalition’s Bike It Forward program?
The residents love the bikes they receive. Residents also appreciated learning the ins and outs of bicycling.

Want to make a difference like Chana and help make San Francisco a better place to live? Whether mechanically inclined or not, you only need to possess a desire to be helpful at one of our upcoming Community Repair Nights in the Bayview. Sign up to volunteer at an upcoming Community Repair Night today.

Beyond Construction: From the Panhandle to the Wiggle

Posted on by Julia Raskin

Some days, it feels like every other street in San Francisco is under construction, repairing aging infrastructure and redesigning our streets for people. With so many bike projects building out connections between Golden Gate Park to Market Street, we are hosting a happy hour on Sept. 5 to talk about all the different projects underway.

I’ll Be There

Our members have advocated for better street design in these neighborhoods for years, and now the work to transform our streets is actually happening. We want to make sure that you are up-to-date on construction timelines and know what you can look forward to once the work is finished.

The Wiggle

Traffic diverter at Fell and Scott. Photo courtesy of the SFMTA.

The Wiggle project combines green infrastructure for stormwater management with upgrades for people walking and biking to calm traffic and establish inviting, neighborhood-friendly streets. New rain gardens, curb extensions, improved crosswalks and traffic diversion are in construction to enhance the residential character of the street and reduce car volumes.

In September a diverter will prohibit cars from driving southbound onto Scott Street at the intersection with Fell, requiring all cars to turn right onto Fell Street. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of the year and will be coordinated with the repaving of Haight and Hayes streets.

Page Street

Have you noticed that the center-running bike lane on Page Street leading to Octavia has been extended an extra block to Buchanan? This is only the beginning for this important bicycle route connecting Golden Gate Park all the way to Market Street. Later this year the SFMTA Board may approve a plan which could include a raised intersection at Buchanan, raised crosswalks, curb extensions and a traffic diverter at Webster to encourage people driving to use alternatives to Page.

Masonic Avenue

Masonic Avenue is seeing a total transformation all the way from Geary Boulevard to Fell Street that will turn this thoroughfare into a preferred north-south corridor for people biking. The plan includes raised bike lanes, a planted median, wider sidewalks, lighting and a new plaza at the corner of Masonic and Geary. Although construction will be completed in Spring 2018, the City is adding temporary paving to the street that will improve the road for the next six months.

The Panhandle

There is a new smooth southern path on the Panhandle for people to walk and jog, thanks to the Panhandle Improvement Project. The improvements also included patching up problem spots on the northern path, new lighting, benches and bike racks. By the end of this month, expect to see striping and stencils on the northern path to remind people to share the path respectfully.

These changes will help guide walking and biking in the Panhandle, but there are more opportunities for improving the path to accommodate people in the park. To help slow down speeds in the park and ensure that the Panhandle path is accessible to everyone, we are supporting community calls for protected bike lanes on Fell and Oak along the Panhandle. Come to the happy hour in September with your questions and to for more details on opportunities to see protected bike lanes added alongside the Panhandle.

Hayes Valley Happy Hour
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Anina, 482 Hayes St.

Construction projects (highlighted in orange) currently underway to deliver improvements for people walking and biking between the Haight and Hayes Valley.

A Cross-Country Challenge: Howard Levitt and Wendy Scheffers

Posted on by Hannah Wells
Image courtesy of Howard Levitt and Wendy Scheffers

 

Howard Levitt isn’t the first person to ride a bike across the country. But as a San Franciscan these past 40 years and recent retiree from the National Park Service (NPS), his quest is not only interesting, but inspirational as well. Whether you’re also ready to take on a cross-country ride or not, you can follow Howard’s example and support our work advocating for people who bike in San Francisco by joining as a member today.

Howard, along with his wife Wendy Scheffers — a professor at San Francisco State — have been biking for a long time in the Bay Area. Upon his retirement from the NPS and with Wendy by his side, Howard decided to take on one of the biggest items on his bucket list.

We caught up with them at the beginning of their trip taking a rest day in Sisters, Oregon to ask some questions about their plans and their biking experiences in the Bay Area.

“I’m a lifelong cyclist,” Howard told us, “and for 15 years a daily commuter.” Howard consistently rode his bike from his and Wendy’s house in Noe Valley to his work at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Headquarters in Fort Mason. The days he didn’t bike, he said, “I arrived more stressed, so the commute was a sort of de-stressor.”

Howard also takes advantage of the landscapes and biking opportunities in the Bay Area to train for his cross-country rides. He mentioned Lake Merced, the Great Highway, Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, Twin Peaks, Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo as places he normally biked for training.

“Riding in SF prepares you for the roads you encounter on the trip,” Howard said. “It gets you comfortable with traffic sounds and vehicles passing you.”

This isn’t the first time Howard and Wendy have taken on a big biking challenge, however. In addition to a bicycle tour in Colorado, Howard has also done a four-month solo tour in France, Switzerland and Italy.

Wendy added that as part of their honeymoon, an 11-month trip around the world, they took six weeks to cycle from London to Athens. More recently, on a trip last October, Howard and Wendy spent six days exploring France by bike, with Howard on a mountain bike and Wendy on an electric-assist bike.

“It was fun to cycle together again. I can pass him up the hills,” Wendy said of the trip, laughing.

Even with these impressive rides under their belts, Howard said they had done “nothing quite like this” cross-country trip.

While Wendy does bike regularly, she prefers to ride with Howard on her new electric-assist bike for a shorter period before heading back to drive the trailer to the next location or drive there and bike back to meet up with Howard.

“Wendy’s support makes this trip possible without carrying gear,” Howard said.

A challenge of this nature has been in the works for some time, as it was a big goal of Howard’s. Howard and Wendy’s sons and friends also provided inspiration for them to take the trip.

“Our youngest son is joining us in Boise, Idaho, and his girlfriend a few days later,” Howard said.

He and Wendy are looking forward to their four-day layover in Grand Teton National Park, as well as the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming.

“We’re hoping for some tail winds in South Dakota, and we hope to see some small towns and farms we’ll cycle by in Wisconsin and Michigan,” Howard said. He and Wendy are eager to talk to all sorts of people outside the San Francisco political bubble.

Wendy added, “We’re looking forward to seeing the country and scenery change instead of going highlight to highlight like in a car. We’re experiencing America at a slower pace.”

If you’re interested in keeping up with them, they are documenting their trip here. We wish Howard and Wendy good luck on what remains of their coast-to-coast journey! We welcome anyone inspired by their adventure to become members of the SF Bicycle Coalition like Howard and Wendy, and support advocacy for safe, livable, bikeable streets here at home.

Unsung Hero: Barter Member & Volunteer Vernon Haney

Posted on by Kelsey Roeder

Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 160 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

We are so grateful to the nearly 1,000 people who volunteer with the SF Bicycle Coalition every year in roles ranging from streetside outreach to more behind-the-scenes work. Vernon Haney takes on both.

On Bike to Work Day this year, after he finished a long work day as an Environmental Educator at the SF Department of the Environment, Vernon came to our office for the late-night unloading shift, lifting and sorting supplies from the 26 Energizer Stations we hosted across San Francisco.

“The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is such a great group of folks to be around,” Vernon told us recently. “In addition, I really like to do my part to advocate on behalf of people biking in the city.”

Vernon first learned about the SF Bicycle Coalition when he happened to bump into one of our former board members while they were both locking their bikes up in the SF Environment secure bike cage. After that chance meeting, he was surprised with a gift membership in his mailbox.

Since that day, Vernon has kept his membership current as a Barter Member, volunteering at Tour de Fat, Bike & Roll to School Week, Winterfest and many more events. Sunday Streets was his first volunteer opportunity and remains his most frequently attended event. There, he assists with our Freedom from Training Wheels course, helping young ones become more capable and confident on their small bikes.

What’s Vernon’s favorite volunteer event, you may ask? “The Volunteer Appreciation Party, of course!” he answered. Our Volunteer Appreciation Party is a biannual celebration in recognition of all the hours our amazing volunteers share with us. Volunteers enjoy snacks, music, mingling and games. (Psst: want an invite to the next one? All you have to do is volunteer with us! Find a volunteer opportunity that fits your interests and schedule at sfbike.org/volunteer.)

When he’s not teaching young students how to protect the environment, you can find Vernon biking around town.

“My favorite aspect of biking in the city is the independence it gives me,” said Vernon. “I don’t have to feel like I’m stuck in traffic. Plus, biking is the fastest and most fun way to travel, learn and enjoy San Francisco.”

Want to become a Barter Member like Vernon? It’s easy! All you have to do is complete 10 volunteer hours in a three-month period. To learn more, go to sfbike.org/membership.

The Tube Times is published quarterly as one of the many benefits to members of the SF Bicycle Coalition. For a complete list of membership benefits, or to join/renew today, click here.

Upcoming Bay Bridge People Path Closures

Posted on by Chris Cassidy

We have some good news and some not-as-good news about the Bay Bridge People Path, and we need your help getting the word out.

First, the not-as-good news: The Bay Bridge People Path is going to be closed every other week between August and November. We met with Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and Bike East Bay to hear out explanations and work out closure details to be as unintrusive as possible. They laid out a convincing case for why security concerns require that the People Path must close for the week leading up to the final demolitions of foundations that supported the old East Span.

That’s right. These are the final closures of the Bay Bridge People Path related to demolition of the old span’s foundations, if all goes as planned.

And that’s not even the good news!

We also solicited from Caltrans a commitment to opening the Bay Bridge People Path 24 hours a day, seven days weekly by mid-May of 2018. So it sounds like people biking on both sides of the Bay will have one more big reason to celebrate on Bike to Work Day 2018.

In the meantime, please share the graphic above — or this whole blog post — on Facebook, listserves, Twitter and anywhere where people who bike exchange information. We really don’t want anyone going out for a leisurely ride over the Bay in the months ahead only to find demolition work and a gate barring their enjoyment of the Bay Bridge People Path.

Meet Women Bike SF Member Heidi Siegenthaler

Posted on by Liz Sommer

Heidi has been exploring San Francisco (and the world!) by bicycle for decades. We interviewed Heidi about the local and international communities she is a part of who focus on the bicycle as a method of movement for adventures big and small.

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition: When did you start bicycling in San Francisco?

Heidi: I’ve been biking in SF since I moved here in 1984. At first it was just weekend jaunts to Marin County, but as I experienced biking tours in other countries, especially Northern Europe and Scandinavia, I noticed people riding bikes with street clothes on, just going about their regular errands, like shopping, taking kids to school, commuting to the office and for recreation too. It looked very appealing to me, and I wondered why I didn’t do that at home. Of course, the infrastructure was much more accommodating in some other places, but I think San Francisco is making good progress with its biking infrastructure, and now I commute to the office and run errands on my bike too.

What’s your favorite thing about biking in the city?

One of my favorite things about biking in the city is not having to find a place to park a car when I arrive at my destination. I also enjoy feeling the wind on my cheeks and being outside.

What prompted you to become a member of the SF Bicycle Coalition?

My husband has been an SF Bicycle Coalition member for many years and he signed me up. I’m glad he did. So far I’ve participated in the Women Bike SF Coffee Club a few times and have enjoyed meeting the other women who always have interesting things to say. It’s a great way to learn about what’s going on.

At a recent Coffee Club you told us about hosting people who bike through Warm Showers. What is Warm Showers and how has your experience as a host been?

Warmshowers.org is a worldwide hospitality exchange system, much like Couchsurfing, but for bike tourists only.

In the past seven years my husband and I have hosted about 400 people who bike, many of whom are from other countries. It gives us a chance to meet new people, hear stories of their adventures, see various types of equipment (like a tandem bike frame made entirely of bamboo) and get new ideas. Our guests have ranged from new high school graduates taking a big trip before college, to retired couples and singles — the oldest being 72 years old and wrapping up his around-the-world tour. We’ve also hosted some families touring with small children. Most of the time we share meals with our guests and they often reciprocate by making dinner for us the next evening.

Want to build community like Heidi and chat over coffee with other women, trans* and femme-identified folks who bike in the city? Join us at the next Women Bike SF Coffee Club!

Key Approvals Coming Up for Folsom, Howard

Posted on by Charles Deffarges

From preliminary design to public planning, improvements for Folsom and Howard streets have advanced significantly in the past year. Both the long-term streetscape project and the near-term improvements are coming to the end of their public planning process and moving into an important decision point: approvals.

Our SoMa Member Committee has been instrumental in getting these projects to where they are now. This group of dedicated members weighed in on the designs, determining which elements are best. They organized around the project open houses, coordinating streetside outreach to invite people who biking there every day. Now this committee is pivoting to focus on the final phase of the projects to make sure that they are passed through the approvals process.

RSVP

Join us at our upcoming SoMa Member Committee meeting on Aug. 29 to learn the steps that go into approving a project and how best to influence that process. As a group, we will come up with strategies specific to Folsom and Howard’s approval timelines to make sure that they move forward on time and with broad public support.

SoMa Member Committee
Tuesday, Aug. 29 6:00 – 7:30 pm
SF Bicycle Coalition, 1720 Market St.

If you can’t make the above date and want to be engaged in the approvals process for Folsom and Howard, get in touch at charles@sfbike.org.

Eleventh Street: Connecting to SoMa

Posted on by Charles Deffarges

Protected bike lanes on Seventh and Eighth, and a transformative streetscape project in the works for Folsom and Howard, are changing how people travel around SoMa by bike. As these major corridors are getting much needed attention, 11th Street is in need of real bike safety improvements. Eleventh Street is a major connector in SoMa, being one of the major ways that people biking get to Folsom, Howard and other major bike routes.

Improve 11th

Eleventh Street is a short five blocks from Market to Division which serve as a crucial connection between some of our busiest neighborhoods and key bicycle routes. People biking from the Wiggle to SoMa, Market Street to Mission Bay and Polk Street to the Mission often have one thing in common: they take 11th Street.

Being such an important part of our bicycle network, we’ve pushed the SF Municipal Transportation Agency to add protected bike lanes to their plans for 11th. Now those designs are ready to be shared with our members, and we want your feedback.

11th Street Improvement Project Open House
Wednesday, Aug. 23 6:00 – 8:00 pm
SoMa StrEat Food Park, 428 11th St.

If you can’t make the above open house, we still want to hear your feedback. Email Charles@sfbike.org with any thoughts or questions about the project.

Catherine Kalessis, Safe Routes to School Advocate and Parent Champion

Posted on by Hannah Wells

Meet Catherine Kalessis, an advocate for Safe Routes to School in her community. Through her involvement with the Sunnyside Elementary School PTA and partner organizations, Catherine is working hard to make active commuting to school — such as walking, scooting, and biking — safe and accessible to all.

SF Bicycle Coalition: What inspired you to to get involved with the Sunnyside Elementary community in favor of biking and active transportation?
Catherine: We live only a few blocks from school, so there was no question we would be walking, scooting and biking to school. I wanted to be active in the school community, so this seemed like a natural fit. When my children entered first grade, I became the PTA chair of the Health and Wellness Committee, which encompasses healthy transportation options to and from school.

What work have you done at Sunnyside to encourage biking for the children and their families?
We have had weekly Walk & Roll Wednesdays, wonderful Walk to School and Bike to School days and a Bike Rodeo. I share information from Safe Routes to School to our online parent forum and write articles for our newsletters. We have hosted schoolwide encouragement programs and offered awards for participation. We’re looking forward to participating in the Shared Schoolyard Project this school year, which is a citywide initiative to provide a place for children and families in San Francisco to play and gather within walking distance from their homes.

It will take dedicated participation to reduce single-family car trips and create a continued awareness of and respect for everyone using our streets, sidewalks and bike lanes. I hope to encourage parents and children to embrace the pace of and enjoy walking, biking and scooting to school.

What work have you done with the Safe Routes to School partnership, including SF Bicycle Coalition’s Nancy Buffum, and how has that impacted the community?
Nancy and I have worked closely since day one. We’ve had many meetings and sent numerous emails to share and encourage new ideas and for me to garner her wealth of knowledge and support for our many activities. Nancy has always been available for meeting with new committee members, our teachers and our principal, and sent support for our traffic-counting project. I think our Bike Rodeo was absolutely the best as there was so much activity and support from Nancy and all her contacts. Without Nancy’s support and dedication, our program would not be where it is today.

What advice do you have for other parents who care about transportation issues around their school and community?
Stay positive and active throughout the school year, create crossover opportunities with Shared Schoolyard and other PTA activities and events, use the Safe Routes to School emails and newsletters to communicate activities through your parent-teacher online forums, and lead by example.

Are you interested in learning more about safe, active methods of moving through the city with little ones? Check out our Youth & Family Biking Programs page for program updates and to subscribe to the Youth & Family Biking newsletter.