Over the course of the past four years, Sonoma County has been diligently working on a plan to connect the county’s 800 miles of off-street paths, bike lanes and bike and pedestrian-friendly road crossings in an attempt to make the county as bike friendly as possible. 1st District Supervisor Valerie Brown is a staunch supporter of bike access and helping people get out of their cars and, with the board last week, adopted a $250 million plan that will result in numerous projects that seek to improve both bike commuter and recreational routes.
This is welcome news to the folks at the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition and comes just in time for their third annual Sonoma Springs Bicycle Festival. Held in conjunction with the Stand By Me Mentoring Alliance and Sonoma Valley Cyclists, the event will take place on Saturday, September 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and promises bicycling fun for everyone with two different “Miles for Mentoring” bike rides.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Bike Fest again this year,” said Mentoring Alliance Development Director Laura Zimmerman. “Sonoma is a great place to bike and both the 7-mile Family Fun ride and the 25-mile ride are beautiful, scenic routes that offer options for every level of cyclist.”
This year’s event also features a post ride lunch and beer garden for participants who pre-register for either ride by the September 12 deadline. Both rides begin and end in Depot Park. For more information or to register, visit: www.sonomamentoring.org, or www.sonomabikefest.org or call 938.1990.
Also at the Bike Fest, vendor booths, entertainment and activities for young and old like the popular bike-powered smoothie machine. Additionally, Wine Country Cyclery has teamed up with Cannondale to bring in a collection of demo-bikes for cyclists to check out.
“Sonoma County is ripe for bicyclists and the Bike Fest is just one example of the number of enthusiasts. And while the county’s plan has been in the works for some time, the supervisors are more committed than ever to making it happen,” said Christine Culver, executive director of Sonoma County Bike Coalition. “Instead of saying they should consider bike lanes, they now use the word “shall” when planning road construction projects. It’s more concrete which is a huge difference. And it’s heartening to see the supervisors truly embrace the importance of bicycling from a county-wide perspective.”
This is especially good news for Sonoma Valley, one of the least bike-accessible cities in the county, according to Culver. Ken Tam is the park planner for the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. His team is currently looking for funding to conduct a building study into the particulars of linking the city of Sonoma with the city of Santa Rosa via a bike lane along Highway 12. “This would be a Class 1, family friendly route totally separated from vehicle traffic,” said Tam. To be determined in the study –identifying the right of way including private, public and utility parcels for possible easement. “One of the most important aspects is the supervisors’ adoption of the overall county-wide bicycle plan. With their endorsement, we have more leverage in raising money to fund the study and move projects forward.”
