Cupertino Bicycle Budget Plan Approved and other Good News for your 4th of July Weekend!

Cupertino Community Event Reminders:

July 4th Red, White and Blue Bike Ride in San Jose

July 20th Cupertino Bike/Ped Commission Meeting

Aug 27th CEEF Great Schools 5K Run

Student Safety Training? Safe Routes to School Education Update for 2016-17

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For more events see WalkBikeCupertino.org

$2M Bike Plan Approved!

The development and the June 21st Council adoption of a comprehensive strategic bike plan is a watershed event for Cupertino. Key in this budget are the significant - $2M being allocated this year for a meaningful and aggressive plan to "catch up" and make Cupertino safe for all citizens to bike to their destinations - whether school, relaxation, shopping or work. Please see the City of Cupertino Press Release You can also review the plan at this link CupertinoBikePlan17 .

The strategic plan's projects have a multi-multi-year implementation horizon and has an estimated total budget of $18M. Funding for the master plan will come from a variety of sources - Federal, State, Regional and Local. Over the next month city staff, led by City Senior Civil Engineer David Stillman, will put together the work plan of projects and tasks for the coming year.

Per David: "I am going to to bring the BikePed Commission heavily into priority-setting and scheduling and, to the extent possibly, implementation. As a result, things will be a bit clearer after the July BPC meeting, though I will be putting some things together before then. We will likely start out with getting the east west corridor improvements jump-started (Stevens Creek Blvd Class IV and McClellan-Civic Center-Sterling Barnhart Park Class IV and III...essentially the first two and last bikeway within the Tier 1 category). Also going to start right away on some feasibility studies for the UPRR trail and the I-280 channel trail (also Tier 1 projects). Will work on the other Class III and IV bikeways in Tier 1 as time allows between the others."

We urge you to write your council and Senior city staff and thank them for listening to you and passing this year's budget. This is all great stuff!

As an aside, the city will complete many the tasks outlined in the 2011 bike plan this summer of 2016. See the project table at: http://tinyurl.com/BPlan15-Status-021516

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Start dusting off your bicycles, folks! Cupertino has a new 2016 Bike Plan!

by Vidula Aiyer, Chair Cupertino Bike Ped Commission

The Cupertino Bicycle Pedestrian Commission (BPC) is delighted to announce that the City Council adopted the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan on June 21st. This plan provides a blueprint for expanded and improved education and encouragement programs and bicycle infrastructure throughout the city.

In 2015 the Council approved the engagement of Alta Planning + Design consultants to assist City staff with the plan's development. After a comprehensive evaluation of the existing bike network and two community input workshops, a plan was developed in alignment with the goals and vision set forth by the BPC. The plan's primary mission is to significantly increase the use of bicycle transportation for riders of all abilities and age groups, with a particular focus on safe connectivity to schools.

Below are a few of the highlights of the Plan:

Creation of a low stress, citywide bicycling network
Bicycling education, encouragement and enforcement to enhance attractiveness and safety of bicycling
Class IV separated bike lanes featuring physical separation between autos and bikes
Mostly off--street loop around the city
Bike pathways and boulevards connecting neighborhoods

The Cupertino 2016 Bike Plan is truly a community effort and will help enhance residents' lifestyle by providing greater accessibility to the healthy activity of riding bicycles for most any transportation need.

The 2016 Cupertino Bicycle Transportation Plan is available to view on the city's http://tinyurl.com/CupertinoBikePlan17

Sincerely, Vidula Aiyer

2016 Chair, Cupertino Bicycle Pedestrian Commission

p.s. Walkers, never fear! The BPC hasn't forgotten you. Our next assignment is to develop the 2017 Cupertino Pedestrian Plan

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Stevens Creek Trail Update - June 21, 2016. The Cupertino City Council accepted the Joint Cities Stevens Creek Trail Feasibility Study. It provides a framework to address the planning issues and potential routes going forward. A great number of residents in the area of a possible trail way expressed great reservations and resistance to any bike way - citing safety, crime, litter, ect. Likewise, there were a great number of area residents who spoke of the need for better and more integrated bike routes that could connect our neighborhoods and avoid the busy thoroughfares.

That said, Walk-Bike Cupertino supports developing Safe and Easy Biking and Walking throughout the city's neighborhoods and off the busy thoroughfares. Nationwide communities have realized safer and more pleasant environments for its communities where trails have been thoughtfully designed and implemented. Voice your opinion, or write your city council.
http://cupertino.org/index.aspx?page=41

WalkBikeCupertino.org
Website Updates:

Bike Routes Improve Safety and Property Values.

Walk-Bike Cupertino advocates safe and easy cycling and walking in the city. This implies better signed routes through neighborhoods that are shorter and quieter for our kids to get to/from school and for our adult population who wants to access shopping districts or for exercise.

At Walk-Bike Cupertino's request, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department has found no history of problems or crime related to three sampled city areas that are bike/ped friendly: and open for neighborhood access and use:

Creekside Park off Miller Avenue,

Orion Way and it's access path to the UP rail line; and

Scenic Circle near Blackberry farms.

These three Cupertino locations have open access for the immediate and general community and are models for future easy access/integration of our neighborhoods.

Walk-Bike Cupertino Strongly Supports

Making Cupertino the Bay Area leader for Safe and Easy walking and biking;
Create direct bike-ped pathways;
Educate drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists on best practices and sharing the road;
Embed bicycle safety training in our schools' curriculum;
Incorporate "Way-finder" signage, historical markers and points-of-interest into bike and walking pathways
Support the $10M funding set aside for Cupertino's strategic walk-bike improvements.

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Thank you for your support and your actions.... your efforts have made a difference!

Your team at Walk-Bike Cupertino!

See some of the recent improvements below: Safe Routes crossings

:Ann Arbor at Memorial Park and Orange Avenue. Next on our list, we are looking at improving the path through Memorial Park from the new passageway south, and adding green within the conflict zones along Stelling between Stevens Creek and McClellan

Walk, Bike Cupertino | [email protected] |
Cupertino, CA 95014