BikeWalkSolana Meeting (Zoom), August 7, 2023

The next meeting of BikeWalkSolana, the Solana Beach Active Transportation Committee, will be held on August 7, 2023, 5pm on Zoom. For an invitation, please email [email protected]

Agenda:

Meeting Notes by Jill Cooper

Present at the Zoom meeting were Douglas Alden, Katie Benson, Kristin Brinner, Jill Cooper, Dan Goldberg, Haley Johnson, Shawna McGarry, and Karl Rudnick.

Solana Beach E-bike Safety Discussion

City of Solana Beach Senior Planner Katie Benson informed us that on July 12 staff members from the City, Earl Warren Middle School and Skyline Elementary School met to learn about Earl Warren’s e-bike permit system. The goal is to develop a similar system for Skyline bike riders, requiring them to be educated about road rules and how to safely drive their bikes.

COSB staff are developing an e-bike safety report to be presented to the City Council on August 23. Information from the report will be used to possibly develop a city ordinance with rules for those riding e-bikes. A diversion program focusing on educating riders who are cited for riding unsafely could be an element of the ordinance.

BWS input:

  • Parents must realize that they are responsible for their kids’ e-bike riding. Parents need to be thoughtful about which e-bike they select, if any, for their child, and they should take e-bike safety classes with their kids.
  • The San Diego County Bike Coalition is working on an education model appropriate for younger teens. Kevin Baross’s 45 minute video is a good resource.
  • On the road training is very important. Young e-bike riders have requested help with riding in traffic.
  • California should require bicycle education in schools. Portland Public Schools have a 12 week program. In the Netherlands children take bicycle education classes at school.
  • There is concern that e-bikes could be overly regulated, and we don’t support a proposed CA law requiring bike riders to have licenses issued by the DMV.
  • A program to require Skyline bike riders to complete a bicycle education class before September 1 has been postponed by Principal Klein.

Improving the Lomas Santa Fe Drive roadway from West of I-5 to Nardo

There is interest in improving this section of Lomas Santa Fe Drive west of the freeway so that it’s safer for cyclists and pedestrians. With paint on the roadway, traffic lanes could be narrowed, and bike lanes widened and re-surfaced in this area used by Skyline and Earl Warren students. This is a heavily trafficked area for which the City might consider a temporary fix, instead of waiting for completion of the east side LSF Improvement Corridor project.

Updates from the City (City Engineer Dan Goldberg)
  • Lomas Santa Fe Corridor Improvement Project and Safe Routes to Schools

CALTRANS has received the LSF Corridor Improvement funding from the federal government for the east side. The City would like to begin construction asap, but there are a number of steps required before the money moves from CALTRANS to the City.

The Safe Routes to Schools Study was approved by the City Council. Many of the recommended improvements will come to fruition once the LSF Corridor Improvement Project is completed.

  • Bicycle Friendly Community

We look forward to celebrating the renewal of our Bicycle Friendly Community (silver level) award in effect until 2027 at a future City Council meeting.

  • Vehicle Detection Loops and Cameras for Cyclists at Intersections

Dan reported on the project to adjust and re-sensitize the electromagnetic induction loops in the pavement. The loops detect cars and bicycles at intersections, tripping traffic signals to change to the green light. There will also be a symbol on the roadway showing cyclists how to place their bikes over the roadway loops. (“Tires to the wires.”) Cameras are more effective than loops, and they will be placed on Hwy 101 at Dahlia, Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Cliff, and Estrella. Unfortunately, cameras don’t work well in foggy conditions.

We will need to change the date of our September meeting. The first Monday falls on Labor Day.

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