BE BRIGHT! Workshops in Calistoga

Napa Bike brings its Free BE BRIGHT! workshop to Calistoga on June 9. Learn how to be seen by drivers to be safer on your bike! First session in Spanish, second session in English. Details here 

First bilingual bike safety workshop in Napa County!

Good News! Green Light Cycle Extended

I noticed on Sunday that the traffic light on Washington at Lincoln stayed green a lot longer. Plenty of time for me to ride across the street.  I wondered, could it be that Caltrans did an adjustment? Then, I got the email below confirming a change has been made. 

Not sure if the longer cycle is applied only if a car is present. Hopefully that is not the case . . . I will test it this week and let you know.

Quick Update on the Short Green Light

Happy to update that John Montelli of the Calistoga Public Works reports today he is attempting to get an answer from Caltrans.

Stay tuned!

Been gone. Got back. Light is still short!

Wow. I can't believe it's been a month since my last post. Things got crazy busy with April Fools, Bike Fest, Tour de Cure, and then BottleRock. But I'm on my bike and I do have a smile on my face. 

Things seemed to be moving forward. Mr. Montelli of Calistoga Public Works decided to reach out to Caltrans after all, on behalf of the folks who live in and visit Calistoga.

A few days later, it looked even more promising.

But when I got a chance to check things out at Washington and Lincoln. Here's what I found.

I just checked in with John for an update. Stay tuned!

Public Works: We Have a Problem.

A few minutes after the previous posting reporting the short green light for people wanting to cross Lincoln on a bike, received this from Public Works.

So I called the Caltrans number, left a message, sent a follow up email to Mr. Montelli outlining my dismay at his response, and copied the Mayor. The Mayor stated that a different response was in order. Hopefully the City will add its endorsement to one person's complaint and the recalibration of the traffic light will happen before anyone gets hurt.

Good on you Mayor Canning!

Public Works, We Have a Problem!

Been riding around town more lately thanks to the April Fools Challenge. Happened to be crossing Lincoln Avenue on Washington and noticed how short the green light is if the pedestrian crossing button has not been pushed. So I took this video.

I remembered that Lynn Goldberg sent me a link to Calistoga's Public Works complaint submission form, so I filled one out and sent it in.

emailed to pworks@ci.calistoga.ca.us

Hopefully the Public Works team will get the signal recalibrated before somebody gets hurt. I will let you know. If you have ideas for safety issues that need attention, maybe you could send in a form too?

Planning Meeting: Time Well Spent!

Just last week the members of the Bicycle Advisory Committee met to review the Calistoga Bike Plan and set priorities. Facilitated by BAC member Tom Sherman, the group was joined by Karen Chang representing the Green Committee, Bob Beck owner of the Cottage Grove Inn, Vito Serrano representing Solage Resort, and Lynn Goldberg, Calistoga's Director of Building and Planning.

Lynn Goldberg, Brad Suhr and Karen Chang - into the Bike Plan

The group agreed that the number one priority is completing the protected bicycling and walking link between the Oat Hill Mine Road trail head and Bothe Napa State Park. Not only does this link serve the recreation needs of Calistoga Families, it places Calistoga at the nexus of the Napa Valley Vine Trail and the Bay Area Ridge Trail where these trails overlap to cross the valley floor. That should put Calistoga on the map as Bicycle Friendly!

The BAC was surprised and grateful to have so much support from the community and its government for this planning session. Even more exciting was news in the Calistoga Tribune of April 5, in the page 1 article 'City council constructs goals and objectives'

that the Council has set a goal to "Promote Calistoga as a city friendly to walking and biking."

By unanimous vote of the Council

Maybe things are looking up . . .