SGV Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning (Phases 1 and 2)‍

The SGV Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan was a comprehensive, regional effort to: 1) develop local pedestrian and bicycle plans for 5 cities (Glendora, Irwindale, Montebello, La Puente, and Monrovia; 2) identify the 50 most feasible miles of potential 'greenways' - off-street walking and biking paths - along waterways in the region; 3) create consistent regional wayfinding signage; and 4) provide bicycle safety classes and support to the public. Project timeline is expected to be June 2017 - November 2018.

What is a Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan?

A Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan is a comprehensive planning document that guides the development of more walkable, bike-able communities. A plan typically includes goals and objectives; an inventory of existing conditions; community input to identify desirable routes; proposed roadway safety improvements; and policies and programs that support walking and bicycling as safe, comfortable, and healthy forms of transportation, recreation and physical activity.

‍PHASE 1 (2011-14): SGV REGIONAL BICYCLE PLAN

The San Gabriel Valley is home to over 30 jurisdictions, many of which are small in size and lack bicycle planning or infrastructure of any sort. Local residents that wish to cycle tend to cross multiple jurisdictions when commuting to work, shopping, or conducting everyday tasks, increasing the importance of developing city-level bike plans that will form a cohesive, inter-connected network of bicycle infrastructure for the region.

In early 2011 this reality prompted BikeSGV organizers to recognize that the region was an ideal candidate for a regional master plan, similar to the one developed by seven South Bay cities in 2010-11. In the following 2.5 years BikeSGV educated local decision-makers, key stakeholders, and members of the public about the merits of regional coordination in the San Gabriel Valley in the realm of bicycle planning, while simultaneously seeking funding opportunities to make this vision a possibility for communities without the resources to individually hire bike master plan consulting teams. Examples included the submission of a CalTrans grant proposal by the City of Baldwin Park in April 2012 which included the Cities of El Monte, South El Monte and Monterey Park.

Three months later in July 2012, BikeSGV joined forces with SGV-based public health non-profit Day One, Inc. and five cities - Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Baldwin Park, El Monte and South El Monte - to submit a grant proposal to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's PLACE Program. One of over forty proposals submitted, the San Gabriel Valley Regional Bicycle Master Plan initiative was invited in fall 2012 to the round of 16, which consisted of a panel interview. The aggregate scores of the collaborative's written proposal and interview were then tabulated and ranked. At the end of the process, the Day One/BikesGV led proposal was incredibly fortunate to finish among the elite 8 and "in the money."  

Project Goals

1. Promote bicycling as a means to decrease childhood and adult obesity resulting from lack of physical activity; 
2. Develop a Bicycle Master Plan that creates an accessible network of bicycle infrastructure and connects the participating San Gabriel Valley cities to one another other and to greater Los Angeles County for the general benefit of all County residents; 
3. Facilitate the implementation of Plan projects; and
4. Develop a youth-focused bicycle cooperative.

‍Phase 1 Timeline

The project kicked off on May 15, 2013 and concluded when the 5th and final City adopted its completed Bike Master Plan in Fall 2014. Unfortunately Congressional budget cuts ended the program's funding two years into a four year program. As a result, BikeSGV was not able to complete project goals 3 and 4 listed above.

‍PLAN OUTREACH EVENTS (2013-2014)

1. Sat. 10/05/13 - South El Monte's Mayor Ride @ City Hall
2. Sat. 10/19/13 - Baldwin Park Sports Tournament @ Olive Middle School, 
3. Sat. 10/19/13 - El Monte Children's Day Parade @ Arceo Park
4. Sat. 10/19/13 - Monterey Park Harmony Festival @ Barnes Park
5. Sat. 10/27/13 - BikeSGV's Halloween Bike Train @ Santa Fe Dam
6. Fri. 11/01/13 - Baldwin Park Carnival @ Morgan Park
7. Sat. 11/02/13 - South El Monte Mayor's Ride @ City Hall
8. Sat. 11/16/13 - San Gabriel 5K Turkey Trot @ Vincent Lugo Park
9. Thur. 11/21/13 - Farm Cuisine Restaurant Grand Opening @ Monterey Park
10. Sat. 11/23/13 - Baldwin Park Teen Center Anniversary @ Hilda Solis Park
11. Sun. 11/24/13 - BikeSGV's Turkey Bike Train @ Peck Rd. Park
12. Fri. 12/06/13 - South El Monte Service Center Open House @ Civic Center
13. Sun. 12/29/13 - BikeSGV's Xmas Bike Train @ Legg Lake, Whittier Narrows
14. Thur. 01/23/14 - El Monte Urben Greening Meeting @ Senior Center
15. Sat. 01/25/14 - Monterey Park Chinese New Year Festival @ Garvey Ave.
16. Sun. 01/26/14 - BikeSGV's New Year Bike Train @ Santa Fe Dam
17. Sun. 02/28/14 - BikeSGV's Lovely Bike Train @ Peck Rd. Park
18. Mon. 03/03/14 - El Monte Downtown Town Hall Meeting @ Senior Center
19. Sat. 03/08/14 - SGV Youth Summit @ Garvey Middle School
20. Fri. 03/21/14 - El Monte Arbor Day @ Community Center
21. Wed. 03/26/14 - SGVCOG Transportation Forum @ Pacific Palms
22. Thur. 03/27/14 - Healthy El Monte Coordinating Council @ Senior Center
23. Sun. 03/30/14 - BikeSGV's Bike Train @ Legg Lake, Whittier Narrows
24. Wed. 04/02/14 - El Monte Chamber Mixer @ El Patio Restaurant 
25. Thur. 04/03/14 - San Gabriel Farmer's Market @ Vincent Lugo Park
26. Sat. 04/12/14 - Sanitation District Earth Day Festival @ South El Monte
27. Sat. 04/26/14 - Monterey Park Earth Day Festival @ Barnes Park
28. Sun. 04/27/14 - BikeSGV's Spring Bike Train @ Santa Fe Dam
29. Fri. 05/09/14 - BikeSGV Open House Social @ Senior Center
30. Sat. 05/10/14 - Rosemead Blvd "Cycle Track Grand Opening @ Temple City
31. Thur. 05/15/14 - San Gabriel Health & Wellness Fair @ Mission Playhouse
32. Thur. 05/15/14 - El Monte Bicycle Pit Stop @ Metro Bus Station
33. Thur. 05/15/14 - South Pasadena Farmers Market @ Gold Line Station
34. Fri. 05/16/14 - Metro Bike Night @ Union Station
35. Sat. 05/17/14 - Tour De Cali @ Day One, Pasadena
36. Thur. 05/22/14 - San Gabriel Public Works Day @ Public Works Yard
37. Sat. 05/24/14 - El Monte Bike Festival @ Mt. View High School
38. Sun. 05/25/14 - BikeSGV's Summer Bike Train @ Peck Rd. Park
39. Sun. 06/22/14 - LACBC's River Ride @ Maywood River Front Park
40. Sun 06/29/14 - BikeSGV's Freedom Bike Train @ Legg Lake, Whittier Narrows
41. Sun. 07/20/14 - South Pasadena Sustainability Fair @ Garfield Park
42. Sun. 07/27/14 - BikeSGV's Bike Train @ Santa Fe Dam
43. Tues. 08/05/14 - Monterey Park National Night Out @ Barnes Park
44. Thur. 08/07/14 - Rosemead Kiwanis Club @ Open Bible Church
45. Thur. 08/07/14 - Pasadena Bike-in Movie Night @ Day One
46. Sat. 08/09/14 - Azusa Health Fair @ Memorial Park Recreation Center
47. Fri. 08/22/14 - Monterey Park Chamber Mixer @ Chamber of Commerce
48. Sat. 08/23/14 - El Monte Back to School Resource Fair @ Downtown El Monte
49. Wed. 08/27/14 - Baldwin Park Community Meeting @ Senior Center 
50. Thur. 08/28/14 - San Gabriel Farmer's Market @ Vincent Lugo Park
51. Sun. 08/31/14 - BikeSGV's Bike Train @ Peck Rd. Park
52. Thur. 09/04/14 - South El Monte Movie in the Park @ Mary Van Dyke Park

‍PLAN WORKING GROUPS

Various working groups were established to help inform the development of the Bicycle Master Plan. Members of each group were invited to participate based on a number of factors that essentially qualify them as community stakeholders and/or leaders. Each member provided a unique perspective toward the many elements included in the Bike Master Plan. The working groups included:

Blue Ribbon CommitteeThe Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) meets quarterly and is comprised of at least one council member from each partner city.  Each city may also assign an alternate which may include a second council member or commission member. The BRC members consist of:

• Council Member, Peter Chau, Monterey Park
• Council Member, Kevin B. Sawkins, San Gabriel
• Council Member, Victoria Martinez, El Monte
• Mayor, Louie Aguiñaga, South El Monte
• Council Member, Joseph J. Gonzales, South El Monte
• Mayor, Manuel Lozano, Baldwin Park

Technical Advisory CommitteeThe Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meets on a monthly basis and serves as the primary liaison to each partner city. The TAC is comprised of at least one staff member within the Public Works department of each partner city. The TAC provides direct assistance for all inquiries, correspondence, event, scheduling, etc. for their respective city. The TAC members consist of:

• Amy Ho, Monterey Park
• Daren Grilley, San Gabriel
• Fang-Zhou Zhou, San Gabriel
• Cesar Roldan, El Monte
• Matt Sanchez, South El Monte
• David Lopez, Baldwin Park

Internal City Work GroupThe Internal City Work Group (CWG) has been created within each city and meets quarterly to provide further comments and feedback on elements of the bike plan that are directly related to their respective department. Members of the CWG include directors of various departments such as:

• Parks & Recreation
• Public Works
• Community Development
• Public Safety, and others

Stakeholder Working GroupThe Stakeholder Working Group (SWG) consists of various resident leaders, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, business leaders, and other vested persons and agencies within the San Gabriel Valley region. The SWG meets quarterly to review progress on the bike plan and provide additional input throughout it's development. Members of the SWG include but is not limited to: 

• School district board members, administrators, principals and/or teachers
• Various conservations groups
• Public health non-profits and medical centers
• Various economic development organizations such as local chambers of commerce. 
• Transportation, public works and law enforcement agencies

Press Coverage

• ‍12/18/2014 - Monterey Park Puts Bicycle Master Plan in Motion - Five cities in the San Gabriel Valley have each unanimously approved master bike plans that will expand bike lanes in the region. Bicyclists in the lead city, Monterey Park, may see some of these improvements as soon as spring 2015. Monterey Park’s city council approved its master bike plan during their Dec. 3 meeting. The plan proposes 52.7 miles in bike lanes and routes citywide including some in the city’s busiest streets, Garfield and Garvey Avenue at a cost of $2.2 million to be implemented over 20 years. Read more‍
• ‍11/25/2014 - San Gabriel Valley Regional Bike Plan Faces Two Hearings Tonight  - Streetsblog LA - ​The 5-city San Gabriel Valley regional bike plan is currently making its way through a complicated series of city approvals. Two important bike plan hearings are taking place tonight in the cities of El Monte and Monterey Park. Specific details on those hearings after the jump. Folks who live, work, bike, or breathe in the San Gabriel Valley are encouraged to attend in support of plan passage. Read more

Final Plan

An electronic copy of the FINAL San Gabriel Valley Regional Bike Plan can be downloaded here

PHASE 2 (2014-2018): SGV REGIONAL PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PLAN

Following the successful adoption of the 5 city-level plans in phase 1, project organizers worked with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to submit a follow-up proposal with 5-more communities lacking local bicycle and pedestrian master plans.  On May 20th, 2014 BikeSGV organizers mailed away 6 copies of an ambitious proposal -- the San Gabriel Valley Regional Active Transportation Planning Initiative -- that would build upon and accelerate ongoing efforts to realize a more bike-friendly region. Developed by BikeSGV in partnership with the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (lead applicant) and the Cities of Glendora, La Puente, Irwindale, Monrovia, and Montebello, the proposed multi-jurisdictional initiative was composed of the following elements, selected based on their ability to positively impact some of the region’s most pressing safety, public health, and environmental problems:

1. Active Transportation Plans to provide the communities of Irwindale, Glendora, La Puente, Monrovia, and Montebello their first bicycle and pedestrian master plans.
2. Regional Greenway Network Plan to formally study Class I path feasibility along the over 50 miles of undeveloped storm channels and washes that crisscross the San Gabriel Valley.
3. Regional Wayfinding to design signage for, and a plan to, link together existing-, in development-, and proposed- city level bicycle routes.
4. Evaluation to collect the first bicycle and pedestrian data for partner communities and existing regional County-controlled bikeways along the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River paths.
5. Education and Encouragement programming to provide residents of the project area free bicycle safety and maintenance education.

In Fall 2015 the CA-Active Transportation Program (Cycle 1) awarded the project funding. In Spring 2017 a consulting team composed of Alta Planning, KPFF Engineering, and BikeSGV was selected to implement the proposal. The 18 month project officially kicked off in June 2017, and is slated to conclude in Fall 2018.

Phase 2 Goals:

The Goals of the SGV Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan were to:

1. Support walking, bicycling, and other forms of 'active' transportation to encourage healthier lifestyles.
2. Develop Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plans for 5 cities that support walking, biking and other forms of active transportation by: Improving street safety for all road users; Linking major points of interest (city facilities, schools resource centers, parks, transit hubs, retails districts, etc.); and Designing a cohesive network of existing & proposed walking and biking paths across the region (Rio Hondo & San Gabriel River bike paths).
3. Identify the 50 most feasible miles of future 'greenways' - protected, off-street walking and biking paths - along the San Gabriel Valley extensive network of waterways and storm channels.

Final Plan

The final SGV Regional Greenway and Active Transportation Plan can be downloaded here. The plan Appendix is available here.

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