CALIFORNIA BICYCLE NEWS AND CYCLING SAFETY TIPS BLOG

According to a recent report by UT San Diego, San Diego’s recent push towards expanding its alternative transportation infrastructure is rubbing off on its neighbor to the north, San Marcos. In an effort to encourage alternative transportation around San Marcos, the city is updating their master plan to include future bicycle lane and pedestrian pathways. According to a city traffic engineer, it is pivotal that San Marcos update the master plan now to receive priority for infrastructure development grants. Cities with master plans updated within the past five years are much more likely to receive state funding for mending roads, building bicycle lanes and sidewalks. San Marcos updated its master plan over 8 years ago. The process of drawing up the new plan is funded by the $80,000 state grant the city recently received. Previously, the city has included bicycle lanes in the master plan; however, there are other forms…
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According to NBC San Diego, 2014 will be a year marked by increased bicycle safety thanks to the new legislation requiring motorists to provide a minimum of three feet to bicyclists when passing on a roadway. Dubbed the Three Feet For Safety Act, the bill was proposed by Assemblyman Steven Bradford of Gardena and sponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a cycling enthusiast who was injured by a passing taxi four years ago. Current legislation requires motorists to provide an unspecified “safe distance” to bicyclists when passing, but the lack of specification creates a gray area of ambiguous liability. The bill received popular support from a variety of cycling and motorist organizations, such as the California Association of Bicycling Organizations and the Automobile Club of Southern California. The government affairs manager for the latter organization stated that “[t]his gives clear information to drivers about passing at a safe distance….
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