Upcoming Events

Mar
28
Thu
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Mar 28 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Apr
25
Thu
5:00 pm AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
Apr 25 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting - Eat, drink & problem-solve!! @ Everest Kitchen | Albany | California | United States
Come and talk about walking and cycling in Albany, while eating delicious Nepali & Indian food in Everest Kitchen’s Parklet! All are invited. Got a gripe, question or idea that would make cycling or walking[...]
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Apr 25 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Apr
27
Sat
10:00 am Albany Community Expo – Voluntee... @ Albany Community Center
Albany Community Expo – Voluntee... @ Albany Community Center
Apr 27 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Albany Community Expo – Volunteers (and bikes) needed! @ Albany Community Center
The City’s Recreation Department is organizing its 3rd Annual Community Expo to showcase community based organizations like ours and City departments at the Albany Community Center. AS&R will be sharing a table with Bike East[...]
May
2
Thu
7:00 pm AS&R Meeting – You’re Invited to...
AS&R Meeting – You’re Invited to...
May 2 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
AS&R Meeting - You're Invited to Join Virtually!
Have a gripe, an idea or some input about anything that would further cycling and pedestrian conditions here in Albany? Then join us at our next meeting (every other month – odd-numbered months) where we[...]
May
23
Thu
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
May 23 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Jun
27
Thu
5:00 pm AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting - Eat, drink & problem-solve!! @ Everest Kitchen | Albany | California | United States
Come and talk about walking and cycling in Albany, while eating delicious Nepali & Indian food in Everest Kitchen’s Parklet! All are invited. Got a gripe, question or idea that would make cycling or walking[...]
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Jun 27 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]

Discounts

Become an AS&R member and get discounts at local bike shops and businesses!

Blue Heron Bikes: 10% off parts and accessories.

Marie Bowser Acupuncture: 30% off your first visit.

Bikes on Solano: 10% off labor, parts and accessories.

Quad Republic Skate Co. 5% off SKATES, 10% off parts & accessories.

Offers are valid to members of Albany Strollers & Rollers and their households. Tell your friends!
Contact us with questions.

November 28, 2018

Minutes, AS&R Meeting, November 28, 2018, St. Alban’s

Present: Harry Chomsky, Abbot Foote, Ian MacLeod, Bryan Marten, Ken McCroskey, Rochelle Nason, Nick Pilch, Gjergji Zyba

  • Back-in angled parking
    • Rochelle suggested using outreach to build political support for BIAP: if we could convince some business owners to speak in support, it would help convince Council
      • AS&R members should meet with members of the Economic Development Committee
      • Stephanie Sala is young and perhaps likely to be interested in innovative approaches like BIAP
    • It may be too late to include BIAP in the Solano Complete Streets plan, but if we build enough support (via outreach and a pilot project) before the improvements are actually built, we can then change the plan to include BIAP
  • Solano Complete Streets
    • How can Complete Streets support bicycle riding on Solano other than via BIAP?
    • Why no bike lanes or protected bike lanes? What about bike lanes uphill only? Any change that reduces parking would be a non-starter
    • Who should be riding bikes on Solano? What different styles of rider and riding do we need to consider?
    • What bike riding behavior is causing problems for other users of the street?
  • Committee / Commission reorganization
    • Name change proposed from Traffic & Safety Commission to Transportation Commission
    • Suggest using “mobility” instead of “transportation” to be most inclusive of all ways of getting around — walking might not be considered “transportation”
    • Does the December 3 City Council agenda item suggest changing the mission of each committee, or just the name? The language proposed in the grid is fine if it merely explains the reason for the name change, but if it’s intended as a new mission statement, it’s too narrow
    • Harry will write to Nicole Almaguer to ask whether the grid language is intended as a new mission statement
    • Ken will write to Jeff Bond to discuss the matter and propose the term “mobility”
  • San Pablo / Marin Phase IV
    • Harry reported that communication with Dave Campbell didn’t lead to information about a grant for this project
    • Some AS&R members believe there is a grant that will expire if not used soon
    • Rochelle suggested investigating whether the Capital Improvement Plan includes this project
  • HAWK signal
    • An AS&R subcommittee was supposed to write a letter to Caltrans and the City about adding signage to explain the meaning of the HAWK phases
    • Ken will check in with the subcommittee
    • Rochelle suggested that the City should send the letter to Caltrans, otherwise Caltrans won’t pay attention
    • Recommended sequence:
      • AS&R compose letter
      • AS&R run letter by Jeff and Justin
      • Submit letter to Council for approval
      • Council approve letter, probably in Consent Calendar
      • City send letter to Caltrans
  • ATP
    • The City would like an AS&R letter of support to help obtain a grant
    • Ken is drafting the letter
  • Plan / Build / Evaluate cycle
    • After a project is built, how is its performance evaluated and how are mistakes detected and fixed?
    • Nick: Marin reconfiguration included a formal followup study to verify traffic wasn’t being diverted to local streets
    • Rochelle: Kains / Adams bike boulevards are being done as a pilot, so feedback will be available before any final project is built; it’s better to try ideas like this using paint before pouring concrete
    • Harry: Masonic / Marin intersection and Santa Fe chicanes were found to be troublesome after they were built; people had to raise complaints and essentially begin a new project to fix the problems
    • Ken: T&S commissioners actively use our streets and are likely to notice when projects cause unexpected problems
    • Abbot: Protected bike lanes and protected intersections are unpleasant to use (Harry: others seem to like these, so they shouldn’t be considered errors)
    • Nick: Reflective paint is necessary on concrete obstacles such as bulbouts
  • Holiday Happy Hour
    • The party has already been announced
    • Ken would like to spend AS&R money on appetizers and drinks
    • The group expressed consensus in favor of spending up to $100
  • Meeting times
    • Harry will contact church to schedule and pay for 2019 meetings
    • Keep third Wednesdays, but change meeting time to 7:00 if possible
  • Planning / budgeting
    • Ken: There’s contention for use of space at Solano Stroll booth: Ken wants space for advocacy materials, Amy wants space for merchandise sales
    • AS&R hasn’t formally planned projects, but instead has just done whatever volunteers step up to do
    • Use first meeting of the new year to look at what projects we have underway and what else AS&R could address with new volunteers spearheading efforts
    • Nick: Someone should reach out to school kids to develop the next generation of AS&R members and active transportation advocates — but nobody has volunteered to do this

Respectfully submitted,
Harry Chomsky