Yesterday, the California Bicycle Coalition, CalBike, put out an action alert urging supporters to contact Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks to schedule a hearing for AB 891: Quick-Build Project Pilot Program. Under the legislature's rules, all bills that require passage by the Assembly or Senate Appropriations Committees need to be moved out of Committee by May 23.
You can fill out their action alert here, or read on for a quick summary of the bill and then the text of Calbike's email.
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Santa Monica) introduced AB 891, a bill that will require Caltrans to develop quick-build bike lane and intersection projects to improve safety on state highways for cyclists and pedestrians.
A "quick build project" is a temporary, easily adjustable infrastructure improvement that can be installed using readily available materials to either solicit feedback from a community or put a smaller improvement in place while a larger one is planned. Quick build projects often rely on paint, signage, and plastic barriers, when concrete or other stronger materials will be needed for a permanent improvement. For more, read Streetsblog's article when AB 891 was introduced.
And here's the action alert :
The Quick-Build Bill, AB 891, will not move forward if it isn't voted out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee by May 23. We desperately need this bill, which will allow Caltrans to more consistently use quick-build methods to swiftly fix dangerous spots on state routes and protect vulnerable road users.
Buffy Wicks is the powerful head of the Assembly Appropriations Committee; please show your support for quick-build by taking a moment to send her an email.
TELL BUFFY WICKS QUICK-BUILD SAVES LIVES
Caltrans doesn’t do enough to protect people biking and walking on state routes that serve as local streets. But even when it builds better bikeways or crosswalks, the agency’s planning process can take years. The Quick-Build Bill lets Caltrans move fast and fix things.
But this critical bill will come to a stop on May 23 if Wick’s committee doesn’t give it a procedural vote to go to the Assembly floor. Please join with CalBike and speak up for quick-build. It just takes a minute to send an email.
Jared Sanchez, Policy Director
| P. S. Be a Bike Champion this Bike Month — email your support for active transportation funding and make a call to support bike highways. Our Bike Month Actions page has these actions, plus a way to support the Quick-Build Bill with a couple of clicks. |
