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About the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition
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Fresno County Bicycle Coalition… A Central Valley Success Story By Theresia L. Rogerson February 2004 The first few years of the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition have seen challenges and triumphs that are likely familiar to most bicycle advocates across the state. Born, ironically, out of a pedestrian advocacy forum, a handful of us kept meeting afterwards to discuss creating change in our transportation environment. We quickly realized that all of us at the table were bicyclists; hence, the idea to create the area’s first official bicycle coalition. Within the first year we managed to become a corporation and eventually a non-profit. The real work being done to promote bicycle facilities in the Fresno area up until that time had been led by a well-seasoned bicycle advocate, Nick Paladino. As Advocacy Officer of the Fresno Cycling Club for many years, Nick taught many of us, including myself, the ropes. I remember one of his first lectures to me in the first floor of Fresno City Hall shortly after addressing a bicycle-related city council agenda item. He warned me that this kind of effort takes real commitment, time, and most importantly, patience. It’s been about five years since that warning, and now I know how right he was in his assessment of bicycle advocacy work. We have seen, along the way, established bikeways eliminated and new ones implemented incorrectly, local officials unresponsive to specific requests, and strong opposition to parking prohibition for accommodation of bicycle facilities. Of course, we have also faced internal coalition challenges, such as slow membership growth, core group burn out, and website creation limbo. We have, however, had a dedicated team of mostly commuter cyclists sending emails, attending meetings, creating brochures, addressing elected officials, contacting media, surveying streets, establishing city and county staff relationships, and writing plans. Over these few years, the coalition has seen Bicycle Transportation Plans adopted in Fresno, Clovis and Selma, the establishment of a Bike Work Group within the City of Fresno Public Works Department, the modification of several street design standards to be more bicycle-friendly, the creation of the City of Fresno’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the passage of a Fresno County Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy and Expenditure Plan. All of you know how long the path was to accomplishing each of these triumphs, which is why we try to remember to have fun. In the course of our more frustrating but rewarding work, we have founded a set of annual Bike Week events in May, participated in Mardi Gras and Chinese New Year parades, and established monthly Bike Hop rides to local art galleries. Many of these events have been in partnership with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, local bike shops, and other groups working on air quality and asthma issues. The people, the freedom of riding, and the righteousness of our cause keep us rolling along towards a cleaner, safer and a more livable future for bicyclists, and all members of our community. |
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