• Welcome to the Trail Committee
• Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Study
• California State Parks
• Only in San Francisco

Welcome to the Trail Committee

by Michael More

Back in mid June, 2hrs after my Trails Committee interview, Ron Miska of Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) called me up and greeted me with: "Welcome to the Trails Committee!" The fact that the Commissioners chose a BTC member who builds sanctioned trails, attends trail conferences and is generally substantially involved in bicycle access issues, tells me that they are looking to end the Marin County Trail Wars. It is gratifying to me that all 4 applicants interviewed were qualified for the position. I got the nod partly through my visibility in public meetings of late and also my developing of relationships within the Open Space Commission. However, the issue that really tipped the scales in my direction was that in my application and subsequent interview. I stressed that the foremost task and biggest opportunity for the Trails Committee is to achieve "Peace on Trails", and stated categorically that this could only be achieved with the major participation of bicyclists.

When measure A went belly up, many of our opponents decried us as saboteurs of the environment. Some of the "powers that be" realize that one of the implications of the defeat at the polls was that the Mountain Bike Community has accrued some political clout. As a result, I believe that the Open Space Commissioners are beginning to realize that this issue can only be solved with the assistance of bicyclists.

Intolerance is the enemy. I feel that many MCOSD Commissioners recognize clearly the fact that the status quo on Open Space trails makes nobody happy. Clearly bikers want more access. Yet, members of other user groups who don't like bikers want to kick us off of everywhere and go ballistic whenever they see bikers breaking rules. Rules that the bikers had no say in creating; a proverbial lose lose situation.

There is an opening here to get the user groups listening to each other and maybe even working together. Such coalitions have produced positive results in areas such as Mid Peninsula and Downieville (to name a few), where user groups are starting to respect each other and with respect comes tolerance.

Such an opportunity is brewing down in Cascade Canyon, where a group of neighbors are unhappy about increased use in the preserve and other complaints, mostly about bicyclists. Some of these same neighbors are trying to connect their issues around increased use of the preserve with the MCOSD purchase of the property containing the Wagon Wheel Trail and making the use of that trail by bikers a problem. The BTC is contemplating staffing Informational Outposts in the preserve and, in so doing, will attempt to educate all users it contacts on district rules and the implications and problems associated with breaking them.

Other issues facing the BTC with respect to the MCOSD include the following: George Lucas's Open Space easements. We need to ensure that full access is granted to bicyclists and that no strange deed restrictions appear that are detrimental to this access. Any sections of "narrower trail" that need to be built to connect up existing roads must have full access to bicyclists.

Widening Wagon Wheel. As the County makes the second half of this purchase, the issue of its widening may be on the forefront in some circles. Why widen this trail for horses if they don't plan on using it, maybe because it is their preference not to share a single-track trail with bicycles in such an exposed situation? It is extremely important that Jim (the trail's designer) and I make sure that this widening is not undertaken frivolously and is under the guidance of MCOSD trail staff, trained professionals who appreciate the concern for correct, environmentally sound trail construction practices that went into the creation of Wagon Wheel.

New Multi-use Trails
I plan to keep our readers involved in these situations and indeed I might ask you to represent the BTC as this process unfolds through the "vehicle" of this newsletter. Particularly the BTC needs to develop its agenda so that we can get it discussed at Trails Committee meetings.

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Study
A Lane of Their Own

By Harvey A. Katz

Caltrans has established a committee to develop a study on the feasibility of bicycle and pedestrian access across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Caltrans staff will author the study, receiving guidance from the group comprised of Caltrans officials and representatives from the Metropolitan Transit Commission, Golden Gate Transit, Marin County, Bay Conservation & Development Commission, Contra Costa County, the disabled community and others. Also involved will be representatives from bicycle groups such as Bike the Bridge Coalition, East Bay Bicycle Coalition, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, and the Regional Bicycle Advisory Committee.

The study should be completed some time in 1998. This has come about at this time because earthquake retrofit work on the bridge will begin February, 1998. The study should produce several feasible alternatives. Policy-making board members, i.e. elected officials, will decide whether and which alternative should be implemented.

California State Parks

by Lisa Luzzi

At the end of 1995, the State mandated that all California State Parks re-examine their trail usage policies. All trails in the state parks were to be reviewed against a set criteria and then a determination on bicycle use was to be made. Blanket closure of all trails to bikes in state parks is no longer legitimate. It is now nearing the end of 1997, and I certainly have not seen or heard of any changes here in Marin County. We have a multitude of State parks, with extensive trail systems, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Tomales Bay State Park, Olampali State Park, China Camp State Park, yet not one trail has been evaluated and opened.

In speaking with Ken Lee, District Superintendent of CA Dept. of Parks and Recreation, I see this project is taking the slow political process. It is not a priority. We must take care of health and safety issues first, our drinking water, sewer plan operations. With little money and fewer rangers, recreational concerns are taking a back seat. Mr. Lee explained that he must get agency support to proceed on this. He needs a memorandum of understanding from the adjacent land managers (MMWD and NPS). He needs a negative declaration, which is a series of decisions that show that the impact is not significant enough to require an EIR. This negative declaration goes through Fish and Game and then gets posted for protest. All of this requires effort and funds.

A questionnaire did go out sometime last year to various trail users, which Mr. Lee admitted wasn't very useful. It was very clear from the responses on the survey, which ones were from the hiking group, equestrian group, etc. And it didn't tell us anything that we don't already know about Marin. Sharing even one trail in the entire state park system is not acceptable.

Ken Lee has identified a trail which he wants to have opened on an experimental basis. He wants it monitored, pictures taken, users interviewed, accidents (if any) tracked, and other miscellaneous data collected. He wants to explore ways to make a multiple use trail work and lay to rest some of the myths surrounding this issue in Marin. Of course, the BTC would be willing to work in any effort which would bring this to fruition. The BTC would happily help maintain the chosen trail.

Mr. Lee states he has two upcoming meetings scheduled (one in September and one in early October) with the adjacent land owners. When asked if he could project when some action might actually come about on this issue, he did say by the end of the year, though he did not say what year.

Only in San Francisco

As the crowds filed out of the Warfield theater, after a most excellent show by David Byrne, we strolled down Mission Street towards our parking garage. Riding towards the masses, on the sidewalk, was a guy on his ten speed bike, jeans, long hair and scraggly beard, pushing a shopping cart. In his cart was an antique oak table, tipped in sideways, which he maneuvered effortlessly as he weaved through the crowd.

©1997 Bicycle Trails Council of Marin