Bicycle Secure Program

1. RECEIVE update on 2020-21 Bicycle Secure Program; and 
2. APPROVE application submitted by the County of Monterey for the SHARE Center for secure bicycle parking for up to ten bikes; and 
3. APPROVE proposal for expending remaining funds in alignment with TAMC's Go831 Program, Safe Routes to Schools program and the pending applications from the City of Greenfield and Furey's Old Town Barber. 

Studies have shown that one of the primary reasons that individuals do not travel via bicycle is the lack of a secure place to store their vehicle. The Bicycle Secure Program addresses this need by funding bicycle racks and bicycle shelters. Over time, the program has been expanded to include other facilities to support active transportation such as bicycle repair stations and skateboard racks. The program serves the Agency’s public mandate to achieve a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system by promoting active transportation. By providing secure bicycle parking, businesses can attract more bicycle-riding patrons, employers can support the growing number of people who choose to bicycle to work, and schools can support students who bike to school - all of which supports local economic, health, and environmental goals.

Specific program goals include:

• Increasing the amount of secure bicycle parking in Monterey County giving high priority to locations without existing bicycle parking.
• Ensuring equitable distribution of bicycle parking facilities across Monterey County.
• Providing bicycle parking in convenient locations to encourage bicycling.
• Supporting artistic design of facilities that increase visibility of bicycle parking and maintain the character of a special area or district.

Program Update

The grant program has historically held a surplus in funds as the agency receives relatively few applications each year. The 2020-21 grant program was the first cycle that operated as a rolling grant program, allowing for applications to be submitted and approved on an on-going basis until the budget expended. To date, the agency has received three applications. Two applications have been approved by the Committee, one is pending approval during this meeting, and staff anticipates receiving an application from the City of Greenfield and a downtown Salinas business. 

The Bicycle Secure Program budget will dissolve and re-set at the start of the fiscal year if funds are not expended. While there are a couple pending purchases, in order to ensure expenditure of the entire budget, staff is proposing a solution to use the remaining program funding in coordination with the regional Safe Routes to Schools program and Go831 employers.

Pending Applications / Purchases

As included in the recommended actions, the pending purchases for the current grant cycle include: 

1. Purchase of a second bicycle repair station for the Greenfield Community Science Workshop (approved by the Committee during September 2020)
2. Purchase of secure bicycle parking for the Salinas Housing Advancement, Resources & Education (SHARE) navigation center
3. Purchase of bicycle repair station and bicycle racks for City of Greenfield's Patriot Park
4. Purchase of bicycle racks for Furey's Old Town Barber in Salinas, CA

County staff submitted an application that they would like to have bicycle lockers for added security of bicycles with storage for up to 10 bikes. The intended users of the facility are the residents of the housing transition center. If cost is appropriate, staff's recommendation is to purchase an enclosed bike corral, which could security fit up to 10 bikes with controlled access to entry. This solution would not require all users of the secure bike parking to have their own lock and the SHARE center could easily manage the use of the facility. 

Additionally, staff anticipates receiving an application for bicycle parking and a fix-it station from the City of Greenfield for Patriot Park and an application from Furey's Old Town Barber for a bicycle rack. Staff recommends authorizing approval for these purchases.

With the remaining balance of fiscal year 20/21 funds, Transportation Agency staff recommends offering bike racks and/or fix-it stations to Go831 program employers and schools included in the recently adopted Seaside and Marina Safe Routes to School Plan.

Future Grant Cycles

For the next grant cycle, staff is exploring a few changes to the program's guidelines in order to enhance it's ability to meet community needs while supporting the core mission of the program. Listed below are a few considerations that staff is exploring:

• Revising the program guidelines to include activities such as mobile bike repair stations or repair kits that could be distributed to community-based organizations or schools.
• Determining a means to accommodate requests for equipment, bicycle resources and educational materials for community events or workshops.
• Considering the possibility of renaming the grant program to be encompassing of active transportation more broadly.
• Developing a streamlined application form for requesting bicycle resources and/or equipment from TAMC.

TAMC has previously funded sponsorship events such as Ciclovía and provided bike locks, bike bells, bike maps and other educational materials. This aspect of supporting bicycle and pedestrian needs has been funded through a different funding resource than the Bike Secure Program. Staff is considering merging the resources under one umbrella to create a more streamlined system for funding bicycle and pedestrian equipment and resources that could accommodate requests for materials at workshops and events throughout the County. 

Any changes to the Bicycle Secure Program guidelines would be brought to the Committee for review and must be formally approved by the TAMC Board of Directors.