Bicycling and other forms of nonmotorized transportation top my list of personal interests.
After reviewing how the activity is treated much better elsewhere, I hoped to see improvements in Palm Springs (and eventually other valley cities). I produced my “Bicycling Manifesto” with the hope that it would receive interest and support at City Hall.
I sat down with both Councilmember Lisa Middleton and City Manager Scott Stiles, presenting each with copies of my manifesto and making a fervent plea for support. Councilmember Middleton said she would send it to the Sustainability Commission. She did so—and there, it appears to have died. The city manager allowed me a courtesy interview, and I presented my manifesto. He thanked me, but I have no reason to believe it received further attention.
Having failed to interest the Palm Springs bureaucracy, there appears to be little left for me other than posting the manifesto as public commentary.
The Palm Springs Community Bicycling Manifesto
The purpose of this Bicycling Manifesto is to offer support to the city of Palm Springs should it decide to implement the 2007 General Plan bicycling goal—“Establish the city as the premiere provider of recreational trails and bikeways in the Coachella Valley”—by adopting, implementing and publishing an active and ongoing official policy supporting bicyclists and bicycling as a significant form of transportation.
Here is a list of desired bicycle-related policies respectfully submitted for consideration.
Bicycle Master Plan: Adopt and publish an official policy committed to supporting bicycling as a form of preferred mobility and recreation. Include support for the planning and development of bicycle-friendly development projects, streets and neighborhoods for both commuter and recreational riders. Adopt and publish a continually updated citywide Bicycle Master Plan.
The Bicycle Master Plan should address all issues related to local bikeways such as planning, community involvement, utilization of existing resources, facility design, safety and education, funding and more. Recognition that the sharing of bicycling paths and trails with other authorized users is a requirement that must be observed and enforced by all.
Update or create a comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan in the city’s General Master Plan.
Mobility Commission: Create an advisory body to the City Council and city manager on policies and issues related to the local transportation network. It should analyze transportation decision-making to ensure that people driving, walking, bicycling, taking transit, parking or using other transportation modes will have safe, easy-to-use choices to move around the city. An annual report should be prepared and published detailing activities and recommendations.
Suggested implementation plan: The overall bicycling goal should be to increase opportunities to use bicycles safely for everyday transportation, recreation and general mobility within the local community.
Appoint a “Bicycling Champion” in the city manager’s office to facilitate safer mobility, including traffic-calming treatments, protected bikeways, road diets, pedestrian improvements, traffic circles, etc., where feasible. Publish an updated bicycle project list annually for project selection and prioritization. New project requests to or compiled by city staff should include input from the community.
Bicycling website: Create a significant, detailed and updated bicycling page or section on the city of Palm Springs website. The page should detail bicycling goals, support policies, accomplishments, current implementation activities and future plans.
Pedestrians, bicycling, motorized bicycles and scooters should all, where practical and possible, be equally recognized, and relevant policies and goals should be incorporated into the bicycling website page.
The city of San Diego has a comprehensive website page that served as a reference in the preparation of this manifesto. It is recommended as an excellent example of a comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan. Their current Bicycle Master Plan was adopted in 2013 and prepared by the Alta Planning + Design team. The San Diego bicycling website page is www.sandiego.gov/bicycling/general-information.
Bicycle policies implementation: Inform all officers and employees of the city of Palm Springs of the requirement to recognize and support bicycling as an officially approved form of transportation within the community.
Advise all officers and employees of California Vehicle Code Section 21211, which states that “stopping, sitting, loitering, parking, impeding or blocking of any bicycle path or trail is not permitted,” and enforcement of the law is required of all.
Bicycling needs funding: Annually include in the city’s budget specifically identified monies intended for the current year’s bicycling policies, plans and infrastructure costs.
Bicycle maps and trail signs: An updated comprehensive community bicycle map should be published annually. It should include all bicycle paths, trails, links and routes. Copies should be distributed and made freely available from relevant sources and locations.
Consideration should be given to working with other Coachella Valley communities to compile and publish a comprehensive interactive regional bicycle map covering the entire valley.
All designated bicycle routes should be clearly identified using appropriate official trail signage. Trail names and directional signs should be posted at all intersections. Replacement of damaged or missing signs should be made on a priority basis. Records and lists of pending replacement tasks should be kept and reported on a monthly basis.
eBike policies: Specifically addresses issues and support for the different types of eBikes and other electric vehicles authorized to use bicycle routes, paths, links and trails.
Implement 2007 General Plan elements: These include 2007 GOAL CR6.1: “Create a trail along the north side of the Palm Canyon Wash levee.” Publish an update of the proposed Palm Canyon Wash levee new trail. This seemingly overlooked goal has been in the General Plan for 17 or more years.
Finally, there is 2007 GOAL CR6: “Establish the city as the premiere provider of recreational trails and bikeways in the Coachella Valley.”
Bond Shands can be reached at bond.shands@gmail.com.
Wow! What a novel idea, a cyclists ‘Manifesto’. A safer and direct means of conveyance on city streets throughout Palm Spring and the Coachella Valley. Work was planned with school districts via Safe Routes to school and Palm Springs Parks and Rec. I created The ‘Tour of Palm Springs’ to heighten the desert publics cycling awareness. A bike club with many weekly male and female riders of all abilities. A ‘Manifesto’. You have your artsy bikeway. I hope your children aren’t repeating your ‘Manifesto’ needs in ’15’ years, still without having safe and direct bike ways.
Biking in PS is a daunting experience in my opinion. The streets are dangerous with unmarked bike lanes on the main thoroughfares ( ie Ramon ) . The sidewalks are cluddered with obstacles ( ie. telephone poles, hydrants, mail boxes, etc. )making it impossible even for pedestrians, wheelchairs and baby carriages. The bridges across the wash (ieRamon) are unnavigable and the straight dash across the Vista Chino wash down right frightening. Leave the bicycle commuter out of representation.