We’re Working For You!

Posted on by

May 9 Edition

Here’s an update on some recent OCBC activities:

  1. Notified the City of Irvine, OCTA, California Association of Bicycling Organizations, and Orange County about dangerous conditions in right hand turn lanes near 9740 Irvine Blvd in Irvine. The city will require new owners of the property to make improvements.
  2. Contacted the City of Irvine and Orange County requesting improvements to the detour around construction near the Como Channel segment of the Walnut Trail bikeway. The city agreed to make improvements.
  3. Continued to promote the long-planned bikeway through the Peters Canyon Regional Park, despite failure of the OC Parks Commission to prioritize all Orange County residents over NIMBY opposition.
  4. Reported sinking asphalt along the San Diego Creek segment of the Regional Parks Connector Bikeway at Mesa near UCI.
  5. Responded to a somewhat misleading advice given to an Orange County Register column by the CHP. In fact, bicyclists are NOT required to “hug the right-side curb”.

For up-to-the-minute news from the Orange County Bicycle Coalition, please visit our Facebook page.

The Orange County Bicycle Coalition’s mission is “To promote bicycling as an everyday means of transportation and recreation”. Join the OCBC Today!

OC Parks Refuses to Complete “Mountains to Sea” Bikeway

Posted on by

Update (May 3): Some Orange County Parks Commission meetings have been cancelled, and now the next meeting on this issue is on May 21. OC Public Works will hear public input on a plan to bypass Peter’s Canyon with Class 2 bike lanes. OCBC will attend the meeting and present serious concerns with these plans. Get the latest news on the OCBC Facebook page.

The County of Orange is ignoring the Master Plan of Bikeways and abandoning completion of the “Mountains to the Sea” Regional Class 1 Bikeway from Upper Newport Bay to Irvine Park.

This off-street Class 1 Bikeway has been on the County plans since the early 1970s. In keeping with that plan, Tustin has built a great bikeway and trail to the south end of Peters Canyon, and Orange has built a three lane multi-use side path from Irvine Park to the north end of Peters Canyon. Without a Class 1 Bikeway through Peters Canyon Regional Park there will be a gaping hole in what could be a great path from the mountains of Orange County to the sea.

In refusing to complete the missing segment through Peters Canyon Regional Park the County is denying access to cyclists, skaters, runners, wheelchair users, parents with baby strollers and people with mobility challenges from accessing a regional park that by definition should be serving ALL citizens of Orange County. The Parks Commission is proposing to bypass Peters Canyon and put everyone off the existing Master Planned Class I Bikeway corridor onto Class II bike lanes alongside steep, busy roadways UP Pioneer & over the summit of Jamboree on a widened side walk.

County staff will present this plan to the OC Parks Commission with an agenda to recommend it to the Board of Supervisors for final action. They have held several ‘workshops’ focused largely on local residents who oppose any change in ‘their’ park. County staff has not asked anyone at other Regional Parks, much less any cyclists who actually use the Regional Parks Connector Bikeway, for their input.

The Orange County Bicycle Coalition is working to see the the Regional Parks Connector Bikeway between Tustin and Orange completed.

We have been at this issue for years, and the NIMBYs are winning. We NEED cyclists and other bikeway users to support our efforts so everyone who uses the “Mountains to the Sea” bikeway will not be dumped onto steep street traffic. We will post regular updates on this website as well on the OCBC Facebook page.

The Mission of the Orange County Bicycle Coalition is to promote bicycling as an everyday means of transportation and recreation. Join the OCBC Today!

National Bike Month Events

Posted on by

May 14 8:30 – Caltrans has a Bike to Work Day Ride in Irvine. Click on the graphic below for details.

58772278_2782341218449667_8921945833247604736_n

May 15 6:00 pm – Annual Ride of Silence – City of Orange Civic Center. More information is on the ride’s Facebook page.

May 16th 7:30 am – 10:00am OCTA is hosting their annual Bike Rally. After a 3-mile ride, there will have snacks, a raffle and some guest speakers. On the OCTA website you can make a pledge and win prizes or track your miles. There’s even an employer resource kit. Check out the OCTA Bike Month web page.