The 2022 California Bicycle Summit

California’s most important in-person bicycle advocacy and planning conference is in Oakland from April 6-9, 2022

The California Bicycle Summit is for anyone passionate about bicycling whether a bike advocate, city official, planner, or a CalBike member who simply cares about making the world a healthier, more just, and more sustainable place.

Rob Williams, Motherlode Bicycle Coalition Chairperson is a member of the Bike Tourism presentation panel.

The Final Report of Bike Valley to Sierra will be the focus of this presentation. The report presentation will share Showcase Bike Areas, Signature Bike Projects, Rumble Strip Guidelines, Bike Events, and Final Report Success Stories. Caltrans will share how the report guided bike Complete Street Plans in District 10. 

Registration for the CalBike State Summitt is found at the link below.

Motherlode Bicycle Coalition in the News

Rob Williams, chairperson of the Motherlode Bicycle Coalition was recently interviewed by Margaret Sloan for the Calaveras Enterprise. Download the pdf to read about MLBC’s advocacy for biking in Northern California’s Sierra Foothills.

Download the pdf to read the article.

Photo of Rob Williams of the Motherlode Bicycle Coalition in a white and blue van
BikeValleytoSierra

First Bike Event of the 2022 Calendar

Cyclists and walkers will enjoy the rolling green hills and rural roads of West Calaveras County during the Calaveras County Arts Council’s Sixth Annual Ride & Walk 4 Art on March 20, 2022. With three bicycle ride choices—30, 45, and 100 miles—or a 4.5 mile walk along the shores of New Hogan Lake—there’s something for everybody.

This year, organizer Rob Williams, chair of the Motherlode Bicycle Coalition, the organization that helps manage and coordinate the event, has freshened the popular fundraiser that supports the arts in Calaveras County schools. The biggest change is a new starting venue. The new site, the Jenny Lind Veterans Memorial Park in Valley Springs, offers many benefits. “It’s just a better site,” Williams said. “There is parking for over 200 cars. There are indoor bathrooms. And it starts and ends the ride at a safe neighborhood location. No one is crossing any highways to start the ride.”

CalBike Executive Director Dave Snyder

https://www.rideandwalk4art.com/ride-4-art-news

Signature Bikeway in Tuolumne County

pressreader.com/@nickname24773312/csb_fHq5zUjkv8sgqq4Rp702urH1WUTcxxoqVvHGrjJH3jJmD5tEaMtchR2YEW9NhsfBOksMyTrE5Od8fqRiuLUjQw

From The Union Democrat, Bike Tourism Report from CalBike and the Motherlode Bicycle Coalition

Mokelumne River Bridge Widening and Bridge Rail Replacement Workshop

Caltrans District 10 is hosting a virtual public workshop to provide informations about a project to improve the State Route 49 Mokelumne River Bridge. The workshop is Wednesday February 24 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm.

To join the workshop, visit https://bit.ly/3pzXG2N or call (408) 418-9388 (access code: 146 532 9118).
Project information and workshop presentation materals are available at https://bit.ly/3pzXG2N or click for PDF files for the press release and workshop PowerPoint presentation.

 

MLBC February 2021 Newsletter

Dear Motherlode Bicycle Coalition Members,

The MLBC Board recently met to discuss bike advocacy plans and bike sponsored activities in 2021. We agreed that our top priorities are to advocate to improve conditions for biking for transportation and recreation, encourage all residents, kids and adults to ride a bicycle, and to promote our region for road and mountain biking.

During the last several months we have all been out riding in the Motherlode and sharing our bike destinations on social media. Carl, Jack, Nikki, Holly, Rob and Carol are posting pictures and routes on Instagram, Facebook, and Strava.

In January, Caltrans District 10 Bike Advocates: MLBC, Merced Bike Coalition, Stanislaus County Bike Club, Modesto Bike Advisory, Lodi Bike, and California Alps Cycling met by Zoom with the new Caltrans District 10 Director of Planning and his staff.

At this meeting we discussed forming a Caltrans District 10 Bike Advisory Committee, our counties’ road safety issues and poorly planned rumble strips. (Photo above)

Our request to form a Bike Advisory is under review by the Caltrans District 10 Executive Managers. (*Purpose for formation of a District 10 Bicycle Advisory Committee is below) We also discussed our collective disdain for Rumble Strips! The good news is that CalBike has hired a transportation planner to draft general guidance to rumble strip application. These guidelines will be published in the final Cycling Tourism Plan and part of any road improvements application from Caltrans.

The Calaveras Arts Council annual bike event, RideandWalk4Art is scheduled for March 21, 2021. MLBC members are encouraged to participate. See https://www.rideandwalk4art.com/

We are proud to share that the Groveland Trail Heads Mountain Bike Destination Trail System in the Stanislaus National Forest was one of eight projects selected for International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Dig In Program founded by Shimano-MTB!

The goal of the Dig In Program is to bridge the gap between local and national fundraising efforts and show a new audience how inspirational and vital trails are to local communities, businesses and youth. This is an online peer-to-peer crowdsourcing opportunity with a $2000 match from IMBA corporate sponsors. Groveland Trailhead Needs our support. Make a donation to support the Ferretti Non-Motorized Trail System.

Tuolumne County has been awarded a $2 million State Active Transportation Program Grant to construct sidewalk improvements in the vicinity of Jamestown Elementary School. MLBC provided a support letter for the project, and we are happy to congratulate Tuolumne County on their first successful ATP application. MLBC also provided a support letter for Mariposa County’s application to the Caltrans Sustainable Communities Planning Grant program for an Active Transportation Plan. We wish them the best of luck in obtaining funding to help plan for walking and biking in Mariposa County.

The foothill counties need to compete with affluent urban areas for these statewide grant programs. Joining MLBC and supporting robust community planning can help our cities and counties demonstrate public support for their plans and projects to better compete for funding.

We hope to resume monthly pop up and weekly bike rides but until then, ride along with us on Facebook, Instagram or the Motherlodebike.org website to stay updated on our latest news.

If you haven’t become a member or would like to renew your membership find the Support MLBC page here.

Rob Williams
MLBC CHAIRPERSON

Important Motherlode Bicycle Resources:

Cycling Tourism Information
Showcase Areas Tuolumne and Calaveras
https://www.bikevalleytosierra.com/post/showcase-area-feedback-2

Caltrans District 10 Survey
https://www.bikevalleytosierra.com/post/caltrans-district-10-active-transportation-survey

My Calaveras County Road Maintenance Request
http://iframe.publicstuff.com/#?client_id=1000177

Caltrans Safety Maintenance Request
https://csr.dot.ca.gov/

Groveland Trailhead Needs our Support
https://www.imba.com/digin-applications-details?diginid=2861435

*Proposed purpose for formation of a District 10 Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC)

  • Provide District 10 with a dedicated outreach channel representing bicyclists throughout the District for planning, project development and delivery, maintenance, and encroachment permits.
  • Bring bicyclist concerns about State Highway conditions to the District in a coordinated way (reduce reliance on individual PIO customer service requests).
  • Improve, not bypass, bicyclist coordination for regional transportation planning agencies (COGs, Transportation Councils and Commissions), cities, and counties.
  • Inform coalition and club alignment with State goals regarding Active Transportation, Complete Streets, and transportation equity/inclusion of underrepresented communities.
  • Increase opportunities for partnership and knowledge sharing between bike advocates in District 10.

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