2018 | 511 Contra Costa

Bike To Work Day 2018 – Nearly 20,000 Riders in the East Bay

Great Weather Creates High Bike to Work Day Turnout

An EBRPD staff member installs a bike bell

Thousands of East Bay residents pedaled to work on Thursday, May 10 to celebrate the 24th annual Bay Area Bike to Work Day. Morning counts taken at East Bay Energizer Stations tallied 19,800 people either stopping in or rolling by. In Contra Costa alone, over 4,000 riders were counted.

The event’s 48 Energizer Stations were located next to popular bike commute routes, along regional trails, at BART and other transit stations, and in downtown areas around Contra Costa. Volunteers cheered cyclists on by giving away coffee, snacks, and free Bike to Work Day bags.

Free Bike Bells: At the 511 Contra Costa Energizer station in Walnut Creek, the East Bay Regional Park District affixed over 200 free bike bells as part of their “Share Our Trails: Ring or Call Out” trail safety and etiquette program.

K. Myers bike-blending a smoothie

A BTWD Success Story: Sometimes all it takes is one bike commute for people to realize they’d like to bike to work regularly. That’s what happened with K. Myers – she literally started cycling on Bike to Work Day and is now committed to making her commute between Concord and Walnut Creek by bicycle every Thursday to work at AAA. When asked how she would get home in the case of emergency, she said, “Uber, Lyft or GIG if it was available in Walnut Creek.”
Clayton to Concord for a Decade: Steve Biggs has been bike commuting between Clayton and Concord most days for the past 10 years. Although he biked for fitness throughout much of his life, it was only 10 years ago that Bike to Work Day inspired him to try biking to work. This year’s BTWD was his 10th year anniversary as a bike commuter, so he whipped up a bike-blended smoothie on the trail.

Steve Biggs: Bike commuting for a decade

Steve recently bought an e-bike which allowed him to commute in the driving rain this past winter. He discovered that with his e-bike he was able to travel more in step with cars on the road, making him feel safer.
During the summer Steve rides his road bike. He loves cycling to work and to the grocery store. An added bonus from cycling to work is that it has increased his fitness level for his double centuries (200 mi. rides).

Bike to School Events: Bike to Work Day wasn’t just for commuters – local students and teachers joined in the fun with 117 schools hosting Bike to School Day festivities on Thursday and throughout National Bike Month this May.

Participation Up Substantially: Participation in Bike to Work Day has increased 30% over the past five years.

Elected Officials Join on Two Wheels

Brentwood Mayor Robert Taylor & friends

In Brentwood, Mayor Robert Taylor and Brentwood Traffic Engineer, Steve Kersevan, joined the Delta Pedalers Bicycle Club at their City Park Energizer Station.

Moment of the Day

Longtime Bike to Work Day volunteer Dick Anderson (age 82), who hosted the Martinez Amtrak Energizer Station, had a story to share which seems sums up the ‘people helping people’ spirit behind Energizer Stations:
A young couple got off the last train of the morning commute. They were about to transfer their boxed bikes to an AMTRAK bus to continue their journey. After I presented them with bike bags, Gatorade and bagels they offered to pay me for them. I told her that I do this strictly as a volunteer and I’d never accept any payment anyway.
Since I was ready to pack up for the day, the fellow offered to take the table I borrowed from AMTRAK back for me, saving me the effort.

Photo Gallery

[facebook https://business.facebook.com/pg/511CC/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155213567571755 social_plugin=false]

Bike to Work Day 2018


With funding from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, we were excited to provide support to cyclists and volunteer ambassadors of clean-air commuting at over 50+ Energizer Stations in Contra Costa County.

Tips: Getting Ready to Bike Commute
Don’t feel like you’ll be ‘road ready’ in time for Bike To Work Day? Preparing to bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think.

Taking a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff & find a good route (or even a bike buddy) can make things much easier.

Take the guesswork out of preparing for May 10 with our Six Tips & Tricks to Get You Ready for Bike To Work Day!

Laura Davis: Contra Costa Bike Commuter of the Year
Laura Davis is a nurse practitioner at an orthopedic clinic in Walnut Creek who commutes 10 miles by bike each day. She takes advantage of biking trails, including the Contra Costa, Iron Horse, and Canal trails, to ride comfortably across town.

Laura started bike commuting as an undergraduate at Stanford University, riding between classes and her dorm. During a summer home, she began cycling as cross-training for swimming, where she found she was able to combine her passions for health, exercise, and the environment and fell in love cycling as a result.

A strong advocate for preventing injuries before they occur, Laura educates her patients about how to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She’s even been known to jump into the on-site gym with patients to motivate and exercise alongside them.

Laura’s advice for people interested in biking to work?

“Just do it! Exercise always makes you feel better. You’ll never regret it and you’re not polluting the environment we all live in.”

Bike Mapper: Choose the Route Best for You”
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is an innovative bicycle mapping system designed to find the flattest, most direct, or fastest route anywhere in Contra Costa. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.

Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike Commuting
Are you an employer who wants to inspire more employees to commute by bike?

Find great strategies for promoting bike commuting year-round at YouCanBikeThere.com. For tips on how to get more people riding on Bike To Work Day, download the Employer Toolkit!

New Laws for 2018


2018 is here, and with it some new laws for transit and vanpool commuter benefits, walking and driving.
Pre-Tax Commuter Benefit: If your employer offers a program where you can pay for transit or vanpool commuting expenses with pre-tax dollars, the monthly cap for that benefit has risen to $260 for 2018. The pre-tax cap for biking expenses remains at $20.
Pedestrian Crossing Signals (AB 390): For crosswalk signals which include a countdown timer, it is now legal for a pedestrian to enter the crosswalk after the countdown has started, as long as they can make it across by the time the counter reaches zero. It is still illegal to begin crossing at a traditional pedestrian signal (i.e. no countdown timer) after it has begun flashing.
Seat Belts on Buses (SB 20): Effective July 1, 2018 – In buses which are equipped with seatbelts, the law requires both the passengers and the driver to wear them. The driver is also responsible for informing passengers of this requirement.
Driving Passengers for Hire (AB 2687, 2016): Effective July 1, 2018 – Now lowered to match the current limit for bus and truck drivers, the blood-alcohol limit for individuals driving for Uber, Lyft and similar services has been lowered to 0.04 percent when carrying passengers.
New Fuel Taxes and Vehicle Fees(SB 1): A new ‘transportation improvement fee’ will be added to all vehicle registration fees – ranging from $25 to $175 based on the value of a car or truck.
No Parking Citations at Broken Meters (AB 1625): You cannot be restricted from or ticketed for parking at a broken meter. However, you must still observe the posted time limit for parking.
Alcohol and Marijuana in Vehicles (SB 65, 94): Smoking or ingesting cannabis while driving or riding in a vehicle is prohibited. The law also prohibits the possession of an open container of cannabis or cannabis product when operating a motor vehicle.
To see the full text of any California law above, visit the California Legislative Information website.

California State Rail Plan – Caltrans Wants Your Input (2016)

CA State Rail Plan 2018Caltrans is starting work on its 2018 Rail Plan, which will provide a framework for California’s rail network for the next 20 years. The planning process is designed to allow early stakeholder and public input – providing information through meetings and webinars and soliciting feedback via workshops, surveys, emails and online comments.
If you’d like to help shape the Rail plan, you can sign up to the email list, leave a comment on the Comments Page, or send an email to RailPlan@dot.ca.gov. For more ways to participate, visit Caltrans’ Get Involved page.
If you’d like additional information, visit the 2018 California Rail Plan website.

Commuter Ferry Returning to Richmond (2015)

On March 5, 2015 the Water Emergency Transportation Association (WETA) Board approved the Richmond Ferry Project Agreement, signalling the return of ferry service between San Francisco and Richmond.
Richmond Ferry Terminal
The Water Authority will now order two catamaran ferry vessels — which will become part of the San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet — and build the new ferry terminal at Ford Peninsula in Richmond. According to the Agreement, ferry riders can expect:

  • In the morning (6am-9am), three trips to San Francisco, with two reverse commute trips back to Richmond
  • In the evening (3pm-7pm), four trips from San Francisco to Richmond, with three reverse commute trips back to San Francisco
  • The possibillity of mid-day service being established if demand and funding are sufficient

The Agreement does not provide for service on weekends, holidays or for San Francisco Giants games. Service is expected to begin sometime in 2018. For 2018, adult fares will be $9.10 one-way, or $6.80 with a Clipper Card. The youth and senior fares will be $4.50 and children under 5 will ride free.
For more information about the Richmond Ferry Project Agreement, click here.