SGV Connect

Last week, activists from around California and the rest of the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for the national bike summit. During the summit, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) was honored for the "best winning campaign" of the past year for its work on getting the City of Los Angeles to pass and approve a progressive mobility plan.

Today, #DamienTalks with the LACBC's Executive Director, Tamika Butler, and Planning and Policy Director, Eric Bruins, about the campaign. The two discuss not just why it's important to have a plan that emphasizes creating safe places for people to walk, bicycle, take transit or just be outside; but also the importance of lasting coalition building.

To paraphrase a point that Bruins makes, it's not just about building a coalition for the plan; but creating meaningful dialogue with community partners about a shared vision of a more mobile, equitable, clean and just pleasant city. 

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Today, #DamienTalks to Habib Balian, the CEO of the Gold Line Foothills Construction Authority and Amy Wong with Women on Wheels.

This weekend, the long-awaited extension of the Gold Line to the San Gabriel Valley Foothills will finally open. Balian discusses the advocacy and work that led to the extension and the excitement that the line will be open soon. It is likely that any sales tax on the fall ballot will include another extension of the Gold Line, so Balian and his team are preparing in the eventuality that funding becomes available in 2017 for an extension all the way to Montclair.

Our second segment features an interview with Amy Wong of Women on Wheels (WoW.) WoW works to create safe spaces and events for female bicycle riders to meet, have fun, and improve their bicycle skills. Wow has a couple of events coming up, a social on Sunday, March 13, and the LA to SGV: Sister Cities Ride & Mechanics Class with the Ovarian Psycos on Saturday, March 19.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of Downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Two for the price of one!

Today #DamienTalks with a pair of Southern California bicycle advocates, BikeSD's Samantha Ollinger and the Bicycle Cultural Institute's Nona Vornado.

First, #DamienTalks with Ollinger about the exciting plans for Downtown San Diego. The City Council will vote next week on a plan to add 9.3 miles of protected bikeways and 5.5 miles of pedestrian greenways to the two square miles that make up Downtown San Diego. Once implemented, San Diego would leap past pretty much everyone for safe streets planning in the urban core.

However, it's not a done deal. If you live, work, or play in San Diego, you can click here to get your voice heard. If you want to read more, here's last week's story on San Diego's plans in Streetsblog USA, based on research in Next City.

Next #DamienTalks with Nona Vornado about the upcoming Los Angeles Bicycle Festival. Tickets are on sale now:$10 for individuals and $15 for families. There are lots of goodies for people who buy their ticket *in March*. For more information click here for the Festival's webpage, here for the Facebook page or, ya know, just LISTEN TO THE PODCAST.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Today, #DamienTalks with Jeannie Ward-Waller, the Streetsie-Award-Winning activist with CalBike about a proposal to provide rebates for people purchasing bicycles for their commute. The Air Resources Board already provides rebates to those purchasing hybrid, low-emission and zero emission vehicles. So why not provide the same benefit to those purchasing bicycles, the ultimate zero emission vehicle?

CalBike presented it's proposal to ARB earlier this year, and Ward-Waller reports that discussions with staff have been positive. However, ultimately the decision will be made by the Governor-appointed Board and there's many chances to get involved.

First, if the ARB is coming to your town for a public hearing, go to the meeting and let them know how you feel. Also, you can write to them via this action alert at the Fix California Roads website.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Welcome to episode 4 of #DamienTalks, an episode that focuses primarily on two projects in El Monte. We didn't plan it that way, but sometimes these things happen.

First, #DamienTalks with David Diaz Avelar about Historia de los Monteros, a collaborative effort between a handful of groups to explore the lost history of El Monte's mural culture. Day One, East of East, and the El Monte Arts Posse have programmed six events featuring discussions, bike rides, and lectures around this topic. The next event is March 5. Get more event detail at the Historia's webpage or the event poster.

If David's name (or voice) sound familiar, that's because he is the same person we interviewed in the last #DamienTalks for one of his other projects, advocacy for the Las Tunas complete streets project in Temple City for Bike SGV.

Speaking of whom, our second guest is Jose Jimenez, who runs Bike SGV's bicycle education center in El Monte. Jose discusses the brief history of the center, upcoming programs and invites everyone to come visit to learn how to ride, fix or improve their bicycle. The Education Center's schedule can be found at the Bike SGV website.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of Downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Welcome to episode 3 of #DamienTalksSGV, a public affairs podcast interviewing people that create and advocate for sustainable transportation in the San Gabriel Valley.

Which way will Temple City go?

Today, #DamienTalks with livable streets advocates in Pasadena and Temple City about chances to get involved with efforts to bring parklets to the Pasadena Playhouse District and a complete streets plan for Las Tunas Drive in Temple City.

First, #DamienTalks with Greg Gunther, a resident and activist from Pasadena. Gunther has been working for years to bring parklets to Colorado Boulevard in the Pasadena Playhouse District. After years of work, Pasadena seems close to approving the plan for two parklets on each end of the Boulevard in the Playhouse District. If you want to get involved, join the Facebook Group here or the mailing list, here.

Second, #DamienTalks with David Diaz Avelar, a program manager with Bike SGV. On Thursday, the Temple City Council is scheduled to vote on one of three plans for Las Tunas Boulevard. Despite its history with progressive transportation, community pushback is causing some to worry that the Council won’t go for the more progressive plans.

Bike SGV has a good rundown on both the meeting and the politics here. More details are also available in the actual podast.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of Downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

This week, #DamienTalks with Albert Ho of the Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority. Albert has been a booster of the project dating back to the mid aughts, helping to found the IWillRide campaign as an interested college student, managing the website early in his career and then working for the Construction Authority.

Albert talks about his experiences advocating for the project, touches on some of the highlights of the line extension, scheduled to open on March 5. Towards the end, we reminisce about our days of yore, sitting in the back of Metro Board meetings together, trying to come up with the wittiest tweet.

Next, #DamienTalks with Wes Reutimann, the executive director of Bike SGV. Reutimann discusses the upcoming scoping meeting for the Puente Hills Landfill Park. The park promises to be one of the largest tracts of open space on the Southland. There will be an environmental scoping meeting this Wednesday, January 27 (for more information on the hearing and the park click here.)

Bike SGV is hoping that there we be a safe network of bicycle lanes leading to the park and a network of bike facilities within the park to create the largest bike park in California. If you can't make the scoping meeting, click here to read and sign Bike SGV's petition.

If, like me, you are unfamiliar with what a bike park is, here are examples in Marin County and Fresno County.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the #DamienTalks homepage on Libsyn.

#DamienTalks is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of Downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit foothilltransit.org. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”

Today, #DamienTalks with Hasan Ikharta, the executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments about the pilot program that could be the second step in replacing the state's gas tax with a vehicle miles traveled tax.

Last week, the state announced it was looking for 5,000 drivers to participate in a pilot program to analyze different methods for replacing the state's gas tax. Tax receipts have fallen in recent years as cars become more fuel efficient. While cleaner cars are a good thing, the state can't keep up with the backlog of road repair projects that are needed to keep the state's transportation network functioning.

If you prefer your information in written form, and missed last week's story on Streetsblog California, click here. If you'd like to sign up for the pilot program, click here. 

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

This week #DamienTalks with Jessica Meaney, a longtime friend of Streetsblog and the founder of the Los Angeles based Investing In Place. Meaney has been a leading fighter for equity in transportation planning and funding by mode, by geographic need and by economic need. 

Today we focus on Meaney’s efforts to insure that any future sales tax passed for transportation infrastructure is used to create stronger communities that serve the people who live there and address regional mobility needs. Tomorrow, Los Angeles County Metro will unveil the results of a needs analysis for active transportation needs in the county which could go a long way in determining what a future sales tax will look like.

The interview also touches on best practices for advocates around the state who are facing sales tax measures on the ballot this fall. How do you build a coalition for active transportation? How do you judge whether a measure can successfully address the mobility needs of all residents?

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Welcome back to #DamienTalks! Today we're broadcasting our first episode for 2016 on Streetsblog California (we posted a local episode on Streetsblog Los Angeles yesterday). Today, Damien Talks to the most familiar of faces and voices, SBCAL editor Melanie Curry. Anyone that missed last week's report on Governor Brown's proposed state budget must listen to this episode, as Curry breaks down how the proposal deals with transportation funding.

Fans of the popular Active Transportation Program might be disappointed, as will anyone expecting any dramatic results from the Paris Climate Change Talks last year.

We’re always looking for sponsors, show ideas, and feedback. You can contact me at [email protected], at twitter @damientypes, online at Streetsblog California or on Facebook at StreetsblogCA.

Thanks for listening. You can download the episode at the #DamienTalks homepage on Libsyn.