October 2024
Fall is here, and the days are starting to get shorter, but the weather hasn’t cooled off yet. Globally, 2023 was the warmest year on record, and 2024 is looking to set another record. Choosing to ride a bike over driving will reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions by about two-thirds.
In this month’s Newsletter:
Coffee Outside will be on Saturday, October 12 at 7:15 am at Trolley Park.
The next Bike Station bike repair clinic is on Sunday, October 20 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Trolley Park.
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The FCBC Bike Prom will be on Saturday, November 2.
The legislative session has come to a close, and bicycle-related bills are summarized.
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Nominations to the FCBC Board will be taken beginning at the November 21 Board meeting.
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The next FCBC general membership meeting and FCBC Board meeting are scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm, respectively.
Coffee Outside
Celebrate International Coffee Outside Day with a gathering at Trolley Park, near Fresno High School at Van Ness and Weldon Avenues, on Saturday, October 12 from 7:15 am to 9:00 am. Bring your coffee in a thermos, buy a coffee from a nearby store, or bring your backpacking stove and coffee gear for maximum coffee. Register here.
The Bike Station
Last month, The Bike Station teamed up with the Slowest Locals to host a community-driven bike event at Goldstein's Mortuary and Delicatessen in the Tower District. The event featured a bike swap where attendees could buy low-cost, used bike parts and take advantage of The Bike Station's free bike clinic for on-the-spot tune-ups, all while enjoying cold beers and good company. The turnout was fantastic, with cyclists from across the community coming together to share resources and keep their bikes in top condition.
In addition to this event, The Bike Station has been working hard behind the scenes, tuning up 13 bikes for the Lion’s Club. These refurbished bikes will be used in upcoming events, helping to promote cycling and provide transportation for those in need.
For this month, The Bike Station will be at the Shotgun Bike Race Fundraiser on Sunday, October 20 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Trolley Park to offer bike repairs and support for all racers. The event will raise funds to help Spoke Easy recover from the recent fire. Register here to let us know that you will be attending.
Bike Café Recap: New Rides in the Tower District
This past month, Justin from the Slowest Locals gave a fantastic presentation at Bike Café, sharing details about his newest ride series in the Tower District. The rides would start at Spoke Easy, until the recent fire, and wind through various parts of the City of Fresno and are all about building community connections and celebrating cycling culture.
One of Justin’s standout events was the Little Library Ride, a themed ride where participants brought books to donate to the local Little Free Libraries scattered across the Tower District. These rides have quickly become a favorite for those looking to engage with the neighborhood in a unique way while supporting a great cause.
Whether you're an experienced cyclist or just looking for a fun way to explore the city, these rides are a great way to connect with fellow riders and discover new parts of Fresno. Be sure to check out the Slowest Locals on Instagram for details on upcoming rides and join in the fun!
Fresno Council of Governments Regional Transportation Plan Update
The Fresno Council of Governments, or Fresno COG, is the regional transportation planning agency for Fresno County and all cities within the County. They prepare and periodically update the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which guides the transportation investments over the next 20 years. The RTP is being updated, and Fresno COG has a survey open until October 31 to determine the needs of the community. You can find the survey here.
Bike Prom 2024
One of FCBC’s premiere events, Bike Prom returns on Saturday, November 2 at 6:00 pm for a fun, leisurely two-mile bike ride from Fresno High School to South of Shaw Beer Company in the Mural District. It will be a night of fun with music, raffle prizes, and the coronation of Prom King and Queen. Wear your favorite prom outfit from the era of your choice for this epic night of nostalgia. Register here.
Weekly FCBC Rides with Rubber Soul Bicycles
The weekly Tuesday morning 15-mile ride to Sycamore Island with FCBC and Rubber Soul Bicycles is led by Jon Stewart with the bike shop. The ride is both on and off pavement, and it departs from the bike shop at the northwest corner of Blackstone and Nees Avenues at 8:00 am every Tuesday. From the bike shop, the ride goes through residential streets into Woodward Park. The ride proceeds on the old Highway 41 and along the San Joaquin River to Sycamore Island and then returns to the bike shop by 9:30 am. Sign up here for the weekly series of rides. After registering, you may attend any week of your choosing.
World Day of Remembrance
Mark your calendars for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on Sunday, November 17. More information will be forthcoming on the event being organized by the City of Fresno Active Transportation Advisory Committee.
Legislative Session Wrap-Up
The California legislative session has come to a close. These are the more significant bicycle-related bills that were signed by the Governor:
Assembly Bill (AB) 1778 establishes the Marin Electric Bicycle Safety Pilot Program that would, until January 1, 2029, authorize Marin County or local authority within Marin County to adopt an ordinance or resolution that would prohibit a person under 16 years old from operating a class 2 electric bicycle or require a person operating a class 2 electric bicycle to wear a bicycle helmet.
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AB-2234 establishes an electric bicycle enforcement pilot program in the County of San Diego allowing the county or local authorities to prohibit a person under 12 years of age from operating a class 1 or class 2 electric bicycle until January 1, 2029. A report needs to be submitted to the Legislature by January 1, 2028 that details enforcement of the ordinance and changes, if any, in electric bicycle collisions and injuries.
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Senate Bill (SB) 960 requires performance targets for complete streets assets on the State Highway System.
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SB-1216 prohibits funds from the Active Transportation Program to place Class III bikeways on roadways with speed limits of 30 mph or higher beginning in 2025.
The following bills were vetoed by the Governor:
SB-961 would have required new vehicles beginning in the 2030 model year to have a one-time alert when traveling 10 mph over the speed limit. The Governor vetoed the bill because of concerns of having California-specific safety requirements that would undermine the federal framework for vehicle safety standards.
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SB-1509 would have increased the number of points a driver is given by the DMV if cited for exceeding the speed limit by more than 25 mph. The Governor vetoed the bill over concerns with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) needing to modify its information technology system to account for the changes without any additional resources to do so.
These bills did not make it through the Legislature:
AB-2290 would have established the Bikeway Quick-Build Project Pilot Program that requires each Caltrans district to implement a low-cost bicycle facility as part of the Caltrans Maintenance Program by the end of 2027. It would have also prohibited funding from the Active Transportation Program for Class II bike routes unless on a residential street with a speed limit of 25 mph or less.
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AB-2259 would have required the California Transportation Agency, which is over the DMV, the CHP, Caltrans, and the Office of Traffic Safety, to develop by September 1, 2025 a downloadable bicycle safety handbook.
Upcoming FCBC Board Elections
FCBC was established in 2001 and is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of FCBC is to build healthy, equitable, and safe communities through advocacy, education, and collaboration that promotes bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation. Board members set the direction, plan the activities, and manage the resources of the organization. There are nine positions on the Board, consisting of Chair, Vice Chair, Past Chair, Secretary, Membership Coordinator, Treasurer, and three Members at Large.
Nominations will be taken at the FCBC Board meeting scheduled for November 16. Voting will be held online in December, with results announced at the December general membership meeting. There is one open Member at Large position. However, FCBC members may nominate other FCBC members or themselves for any of the Board positions except Past Chair, which is not an elected position. There are no specific requirements to be a Board member other than being a FCBC member and resident within Fresno County. Because new board members bring new energy and ideas, all FCBC members should consider becoming a Board member. More information regarding the duties and election process can be found in the FCBC bylaws, and any questions can be directed to info@fresnobike.org.
Next General Membership and Board Meetings
The next general membership meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 6:30 pm via Zoom. The general membership meeting is for members and nonmembers to meet with the Board prior to the official Board meeting to ask questions or raise issues for the Board to consider. After the meeting concludes, at 7:00 pm at the latest, the Board meeting will begin. Board meetings are restricted to members only.
If you would like to participate in the meeting, register here, and you will immediately get the Zoom link.
Membership
If you are not yet a member of FCBC or need to renew, please visit https://fresnobike.org/join to become a member or renew your membership.