Napa County Bicycle Coalition

Programs: Education & outreach:napa county bicycle coalition has continued our work to provide high quality bike safety education to our community, through targeted programs and events. To accommodate planned expansions in staffing on education and advocacy programs, we secured our first-ever office space for the organization, through a partnership with the county of napa. Having a physical space not only provides our staff dedicated space to do their work, but also gives us the ability to hold educational classes, and host volunteers throughout the year.

encouragement:napa county bicycle coalition is firmly committed to encouraging our community members and visitors to use bicycles for everyday transportation, benefiting their own health and wellbeing, as well as reducing their impact on the environment and air quality. Our two largest events - napa bikefest and bike to work day - occur in may of each year, and are aimed at engaging and exciting riders of all ages and abilities to get out on two wheels. Throughout the year, we provided free to user valet bike parking at community events and festivals, including the city of napa's 4th of july activities and blue brews & bbq. We also continue to serve on the board of the napa valley vine trail, advising that organization on best practices as they move forward with a planned 47-mile long bike and pedestrian path from vallejo to american canyon. As part of our efforts to promote cycling to youth in napa county as both a recreational and transportation alternative, we joined forces with two local high school mountain biking teams, the st. Helena thunderbirds and napa valley composite, serving as fiscal sponsors for both teams, and supporting their off-season practice needs. In response to the devastating october 2017 napa wildfires, we were able to secure a donation of over 150 bicycles from giant, specialized, and other major bicycle manufacturers. Working with community service organizations in the napa valley, we identified fire victims who lost bicycles or vehicles in the fires, and ensured that they could receive a free bicycle and helmet to help get them on the long road to recovery.

engineering:this was an active year for the coalition in our policy and advocacy efforts. Major accomplishments include winning a highly competitive statewide grant for our napa county safe routes to school program, which in coming years will allow us to conduct safety evaluations at all 38 public schools across napa county, and research parent perceptions around barriers to increased walking and bicycling by elementary and middle school students. We continued strong advocacy on behalf of cycling events with the napa county board of supervisors. Bike events not only bring in significant tourism revenue, but promote a more healthy and active lifestyle for napa county residents. We fought for, and won, concessions that ensure that legacy bike events will remain in napa. Following the tragic death of a cyclist at the whitehall lane railroad crossing on highway 29, we were able to work with caltrans, county staff, and other stakeholders to significantly improve the safety of the crossing, resulting in the first-ever application of a green lane treatment on a state highway anywhere in california.