September 2015
WHEEL PEOPLE Vol. 34 No. 5 September 2015
Newsletter of the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
P.O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502
Website: www.humbike.org
Email: info@humbike.org
New and Renewed Members of the HBBCA
The following new and renewed members have become members for 2015.
New Members
Kevin Tucker, Eureka**
Cara Barnes, Eureka**
Renewed Members
Bob Morris, Eureka**
Kristi Wrigley, Eureka***
Michael Slavin, Arcata**
Those with a ** next to their name gave an additional donation. Those with *** have given a $25 or greater donation. Thanks to all those who have joined or renewed their commitment and those who have given additional donations to support our many causes.
Get on board now for all the benefits, including discounts at all the bike shops.
The Next Regular Meeting will be Held on September 28th in Eureka
The next regular HBBCA meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, September 28th, at Chapala’s Café, 2nd and C Street in Eureka. Dinner is optional. Agenda items may be suggested by emailing info@humbike.org.
“Hub Buttoned Down”
Thankfully, the raised hub which was part of the concrete bike wheel art at 10th and I streets in Arcata was removed in mid August. It was not a favorite of the HBBCA nor many others, apparently. Here’s what the Mad River Union had to say about it in its August 14th edition:
FLATTENING THE FIXTURE Arcata’s favorite traffic feature, the beloved Bicycle Hub at 10th and I streets, is slightly less topographically challenging now that the upraised “button” at its center has been removed. Installed in March as part of the long-planned “bicycle boulevards” project, the bike hub – intended to resemble a bicycle wheel – initially confused drivers who thought it was a traffic circle or roundabout. While most people seem to have gotten used to the controversial fixture, the nubby button was still drawing complaints. Netra Khatri, deputy city engineer, said vehicles with low clearance were scraping against the two foot-wide, one inch-tall button. Also, bicyclists making left turns were striking it unexpectedly at night. The decorative button was removed and the hole filled in with concrete.
Join the Bike Party Humboldt Folks in Arcata on September 25th
By Mark Mueller
Bike Party Humboldt is a new group of bicyclists that love to have fun on bikes with each other. Gaela Mitchel organized the first ride and is a pedaling force behind the movement! We had our first, The Boogie Down Bike Party in August and it was a lot of fun. Many of us decorated our bikes with lights and bells. Someone had disco lights that shined on the ground, and many wore costumes. The next ride is coming up September 25th in Arcata [meet behind the Arcata Coop at 7PM with riding at 8PM]. Here is a write up from our Facebook page for the upcoming event:
Bike Party Humboldt knows you have a secret bike gang persona that wants to be expressed. You didn’t know we knew that, huh. WELL WE DO!
Are you the Fixed Gear Fairy? Chain Grease Charlie? Or perhaps the dreaded Goat Head Thorn Crusher? SHOW US! Get creative with your persona. Get your bike lights going, and come ride with the rest of your gang!
Costumes are encouraged, but not required, Be courageous. Go all in. Bike party loves a good costume.
And don’t forget how we ride:
Stay to the right!
Stop at lights!
Ride Straight!
Don’t Hate!
Pack your trash!
Don’t get smashed!
You view some pictures from the Boogie Down Bike Party by going to the online version of the newsletter at humbike.org.
Arcata’s Two New Bikeways Nearly Complete
By Brett Gronemeyer
The City of Arcata’s two projects that include new bikeways are nearly complete! The Foster Avenue Extension project constructed a new roadway that includes Class II Bike Lanes, as well as a Class I Bike path. The new roadway and bicycle facilities run from the Skatepark at Jay Street and Sunset Avenue to Alliance Road. The new roundabout at Jay Street and Sunset Avenue features bike ramps that allow bicyclists that are not comfortable with “taking the lane” when riding through roundabouts (which is the recommended way), to instead use the sidewalk.
The Rails with Trails project starts where the Foster Avenue project leaves off at Eastern Avenue and goes south through Shy Park, then parallels Alliance Road, and then heads down alongside the railroad tracks along L Street. It ends at 5th Street, where users can then access Samoa Boulevard via the K Street traffic signal. This is a temporary situation until a suitable pedestrian/bicycle path crossing can be funded and constructed at the railroad crossing on Samoa Boulevard.
Motorists, as well as bicyclists and pedestrians, have already begun using the new Rail with Trail path along L Street. The class I bike path, except one short section between 10th and 11th Streets, is not intended for shared use with vehicle traffic. HBBCA believes once the bike path is signed “No Motor Vehicles” and striped with at least a yellow centerline stripe (if not white edge line striping, too) it will become obvious to motorists that it is not a roadway. The HBBCA does not want to see rigid, fixed bollards placed on the Bike Path to prevent motor vehicle entry, as these are fixed objects that bicyclists can run into, resulting in injuries, or worse. Reference: Highway Design Manual, Chapter 1000, Topic 1003.1(17) Entry Control for Bicycle Paths http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/hdm/pdf/english/chp1000.pdf
The HBBCA would also encourage the City to use Yield signs, instead of Stop signs on bike paths, wherever possible. Please reserve the use of Stop signs to locations that really need bicyclists to come to a complete stop for their safety and the safety of others. Reference: California MUTCD, Part 9, Section 9B.03 STOP and YIELD Signs http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/engineering/mutcd/pdf/camutcd2014/Chapter9B.pdf
GHD Earns Silver Status as a Bicycle Friendly Business in Eureka
The Eureka Office of GHD, Inc. (a consulting engineering firm located at 718 3rd Street) has just been awarded Silver Status as a Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) by the League of American Bicyclists. Part of the League’s Bicycle Friendly America program, the BFB awards recognize employers for their efforts to encourage a more welcoming atmosphere for bicycling employees, customers, and the community.
GHD is currently the only formally recognized Bicycle Friendly Business in Humboldt County. “We’re proud of what we’ve done to encourage people to bike,” said GHD Office Manager Josh Wolf. “We provide company bikes for our employees to use at lunch or for running local errands, and showers and lockers for our employees who bike to work. In the future we hope to add more bikes to our fleet and more incentives for those who wish to commute by bike.” Information about the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America program can be found at bikeleague.org.
Letters
In the July Wheel People, there was an article about Rick Knapp reaching 100,000 miles of bicycling on July 4, 2015. Rick received many notes of congratulations. Here are a few:
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Hello Rick,
Congratulations, that is an absolutely amazing accomplishment!!!!!!! That’s the equivalent of riding around the WORLD four times. I really enjoyed watching your news clip. 200K by age 100 is definitely ambitious, but doable!! Are you going to shoot for breaking your all time yearly record this year?? [Answer: Yes.]
Kathleen Eschker, Eureka
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Congrats, Dad!
That’s an incredible accomplishment. I had no idea you had been keeping track since I was 4 years old. I’m still a long ways from 1,000. L
Randy Knapp, Bend OR
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Hi Rick,
Congratulations on your 100,000 biking miles. Only engineers can do data collection like that. So cool you eclipsed the 100k on July 4th. And, I did Mr. Whitney on July 3rd (He’s the same age as Rick, 71).
Craig Tyndall, San Diego
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Rick,
That’s really something—more miles than some cars make! Congratulations on a very big deal!!
CJ Lewis, Fort Worth, Texas
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Rick,
Congratulations on the 100,000 miles. That’s pretty incredible!!
Gary Whitmer, Eureka City Police Officer
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Rick,
Congratulations on your 100,000 miles! Great to see you on tv!!!
Kim Bergel, Eureka City Councilmember
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Rick,
A really big congratulations to you! That is superb! And it’s good motivation to keep track of my riding miles…something I tend to start in January and forget to continue by April.
Emily Sinkhorn, Eureka
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Who to Call When You See a Safety Concern (Rev. 9/2015))
The HBBCA checked with agencies in the Humboldt Bay region to determine appropriate contact personnel to respond to bike-related issues. If you see a condition that needs to be corrected in order to improve safety or convenience for cyclists such as a pothole in a bike lane, accumulated debris on a roadway shoulder, the need to re-stripe a bike lane, the need to clear vegetation encroaching on a shoulder, or a street light that is out, call the responsible agency/person listed below. Of course, if you see a condition that requires immediate attention, like a stop sign knocked down, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency conditions, the following contact information is provided:
Caltrans
Mark Suchanek, Deputy District Director
445-6393 Mark.Suchanek@dot.ca.gov
Dan Ramirez, Maintenance Manager
(for maintenance-related concerns)
445-5327 daniel.r.ramirez@dot.ca.gov
County of Humboldt
Wendy Meeks, Dispatcher
445-7421 wmeeks@co.humboldt.ca.us
Abandoned Vehicles: Wally Williams,
County Sheriff’s Office, 268-3629
City of Arcata
Alynn Zdawczynski,
Public Works Administrative Assistant
822-5957 azdawczynski@cityofarcata.org
Abandoned Vehicles:
Arcata Police Dept. at 822-2424
City of Eureka
441-4203 publicworks@ci.eureka.ca.gov
with cc: shutchison@ci.eureka.ca.gov
Abandoned Vehicles: Mary Kirby
mkirby@eurekapd.org, 268-5232
HBBCA Board of Directors (Rev. 1/2012)
President--------------------- Rick Knapp
445-1097(h) email: info@humbike.org
Vice-President-------------- Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(h); 445-5390(w)
Secretary/Treasurer------ Gail Popham,
445-5204(w)
Director of Publicity ----- Allison Isaacson,
(925)628-4141(W)
Director of Planning----- vacant
Please Join or Renew Your Membership for 2015
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting. Help make it happen by joining now or renewing your membership for 2015. New members signing up till the end of the year will receive a membership through 2016.
Your $5.00 annual dues, paid on a calendar year basis, will help pay for youth helmets, bike racks, this newsletter, the website, BikeSmart promotions, “Bike Month” activities, prizes, postage, etc. And, it will help demonstrate your commitment to our goal.
With your membership card, you may request the following discounts on bike parts and accessories: 10% (or more) at Henderson Center Bicycles; 10% at Revolution Bicycle Repair; 15% at Adventure’s Edge; 10% at Pacific Outfitters, and 15% at Sport and Cycle. Membership cards include stickers on the back showing discounts offered by the various bike shops.
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Mail to HBBCA, P.O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502-9054