Thanks to Metro Los Angeles for funding our Commuter Workshop Series! We reached 12 participants with our two classroom safety presentations, where bicycle commuting tips were featured. Our two LCI-led practice commute rides trained 9 additional individuals. Of our attendees, 7 were … Continue reading
In case you were not aware, there are a few big transportation issues that are being considered that have a substantial impact on the future of the surrounding area in regards to our transportation infrastructure. If you want safer streets for walking and bicycling in Glendale, now is your chance to change history. Glendale is currently submitting its final recommendations for the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments Mobility Matrix. This list of projects will determine the amount of funding that is being spent on pedestrian and bicycle projects in Glendale for the next 28 years!
Currently, only 1% of the funding ($290M-$480M of the total expected $23B -$40B) in the mobility matrix is set aside for bicycle and pedestrian projects despite the fact that:
As we close out the year and head into 2015, Walk Bike Glendale wants say a big thank you to all of our supporters, volunteers and our energetic steering committee members for their hard work making Glendale a city where everyone feels safe to walk and bike; and to take a moment to reflect on this past year’s accomplishments!
Before we share though, we’d like to remind folks that none of this work would be possible without donations and memberships. We know donation requests are frequent this time of year, but let me assure you that investing in Walk Bike Glendale will pay dividends!
Add us to your end of year donations list, register with us as a volunteer, or renew your membership with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC), noting Walk Bike Glendale as your chapter group.
Now let’s inspire you! Here are all the amazing things we did this year with your support.
2014 was a year of abundance, full of exciting milestones. We hosted more events, fought harder for safer streets, and received headline after headline for our hard work in promoting bicycling and walking in Glendale.
Focus on Long Term Sustainability:
In February, Walk Bike Glendale held our first Strategic Planning Retreat to map out our goals for 2014-2016. We are happy to announce that at our December meeting, the final version of our 2014-2016 Strategic Plan was approved, and will be ready for public distribution in early 2015. With our strategic plan firmly in place, we will be on solid ground to apply for grant funding and bring in additional dollars to support our work.
Events, Events, Events:
Thanks to our amazing steering committee, Walk Bike Glendale hosted more events in 2014 than ever before. Here’s the short list!
Jewel City Ride (Raised $18,000 for local non-profits in coordination with Glendale Rotary)
Montrose Christmas Parade
Education:
This year Walk Bike Glendale continued our annual Bike Month and Walktober activities and added multiple Operation Firefly outreach events to make sure cyclists in Glendale have and use lights while riding at night. We also volunteered at numerous events such as Earth Day and K-9s in the Park to share information on the rules of the road and how to walk and bike safely. Finally, several steering committee members took a “Traffic Safety 101” course offered by LACBC which is the first step to becoming bicycle safety instructors. This means that next year we will be able to expand our educational efforts and teach more classes to the public here in Glendale on how to ride safely on the streets in traffic.
Operation Firefly (Newspress 1, Newspress 2, Photos 1, Photos 2)
Walk to School Day (Minute 2:40)
Advocacy:
The City of Glendale made several huge strides this year that will benefit the residents for years to come. Most importantly, with support and encouragement from Walk Bike Glendale, the City received $2,642,000 in grants for a Pedestrian Safety Master Plan, a City-wide Safety Education Initiative and Safe Routes to School Improvements. We also advocated for the creation of the Pedestrian Safety Task Force and provided feedback to the city on numerous opportunities to make the city safer for pedestrians. In addition, we have attended hours of meetings with the City on infrastructure projects to make sure every time the city improves a street, they do it for all modes.
Glendale Narrows Riverwalk Phase 2
Arroyo Verdugo Wash Study
As we move into 2015 we look forward to your support either as an event volunteer; standing alongside us to support safer infrastructure; or helping educate all of our community members about the benefits of walking and bicycling in our wonderful Jewel City.
Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and thank you,
Katie Kurutz
Walk Bike Glendale Chair
Walk Bike Glendale is a local chapter of LACBC. When you join LACBC and choose us as your chapter your dollars go directly to help make Glendale a safer place to walk and bike. We use donations from generous members such as yourself to host events, advocate for safer streets and educate the community. This month if you become a member you’ll also get entered into a drawing for a trip to San Diego for CicLosDias! So what are you waiting for? Become a member today!
Paul Rabinov will introduce the proposed Arroyo Verdugo Pedestrian/Bicycle Trail feasibility study at the Glendale Beautiful Fall Dinner. The dinner will be catered by Damon’s at the Casa de San Rafael. Cost for the dinner is $30. There will be live music and a chance to win prizes. Wear your comboy outfits and come have a wonderful evening.
Friday, September 5, 2014 Casa de Adobe de San Rafael 1330 Dorothy Drive – Glendale Social – 5:30 P.M. Dinner – 6:00 P.M. If rain, Joe Bridges Clubhouse 2351 E. Glenoaks Blvd.PLEASE CALL Myrna Bunzey FOR RESERVATIONS BEFORE FRIDAY, AUGUST 29.
(1-818-248-4415) or E-mail at bloobyrd28@ATT.net
On Wednesday, August 20th, the California Transportation Commission approved the final project list for Cycle 1 of the Statewide Active Transportation Program. Walk Bike Glendale is happy to announce that the City of Glendale was awarded $500,000 to develop a citywide pedestrian plan to identify how to make Glendale safer for pedestrians. This recommendation was one of Walk Bike Glendale’s high priorities during our participation on the Pedestrian Safety Task Force. We would like to thank the city staff who wrote the grant and our city council members who supported the creation of the Task Force.
Glendale was also awarded $1,642,000 for additional Safe Routes to School improvements across the city. This grant will be used to make pedestrian improvements around schools to help make it safer for children to walk and bicycle to school.
In total Glendale submitted four grants to the statewide competition. The two unfunded grants will now be considered in a smaller regional pot of funding. If funded these grants would develop a pedestrian safety campaign and begin the creation of a bicycle sharing system in Glendale.
Update: Glendale received $500,000 for a Citywide Safety and Education Campaign from the Southern California Association of Governments.
On Tuesday July 29th, 2014 at the Glendale City Council, checks were distributed by the Glendale Sunrise and Noon Rotary clubs to three nonprofits that benefit children in our beautiful city. Homenetmen, the Glendale YMCA, and the Glendale Youth Alliance each received a portion of the money that was raised by the second annual Jewel City Ride. Many thanks go out to our many sponsors including Bache Capital Management and the Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
Downloadable Flyer: Glendale Workshop Flyer_4.17.14
Walk Bike Glendale 
