Bike Activ(sm in Santa Cruz, California By John Welch Bordered by redwood-covered mountains, sweeping agricultural lands, and a breathtaking bay, Santa Cruz is a pleasant setting for bicycling. It has a mild climate, clean air, natural beauty, and a fair number of bike lanes. The University community and the laid-back surfing scene make the city friendly toward alternatives like bicycling. Yet only 6% of the population commutes by bike, even though the average commute distance is short. Bicycles have a longer history in Santa Cruz than autos. During the nationwide bicycle boom in the 1890s, bikes were a popular way to get around the city. With the coming of Henry Ford's mass-produced machines early this century, cars began to outnumber bikes on Santa Cruz streets. Post-World War II prosperity brought more cars and suburban sprawl, and bicycles got squeezed out. It wasn't until the 1970s and the new environmental movement that the idea of bicycling for transportation was reborn in Santa Cruz and across the country. A new critical mass of bicyclists finally came in 1991 with the Gulf War. People seeing the ·connections between automobiles, war, environmental destruction,· and community breakdown came together once again. Local activists Jessica and Jim Denevan organized a mass pedal-powered protest on the morning of January 13, 1991. Three hundred cyclists took over the streets, protestiog the war, and affirming a transportation solution. There were students, parents pulling kids in trailers, senior citizens, etc., some with expensive bikes, others riding old cruisers with pets in the baskets. It was the explosive beginning of the modern bicycle movement in Santa Cruz. Jessica and Jim formed a group called cyclists, many of whom had never ridden past the city limits, made the 2-day trip up the coast. They made a strong , statement both at the protest and along the highway. A week later, 40 more riders went to the second San Francisco protest joining over three hundred San Francisco cyclists for a truly impressive and inspiring event. People Power soon turned its attention to the local scene. Building a model bicycling community turned out to be a lot harder than organizing protests, and People Power had its work cut out for it. Local government has been resistant to change, harboring economic concerns that limit transportation innovation. The city has focused narrowly on revenue generation since most of the downtown commercial district was destroyed in the earthquake of 1989. Many local politicians and business people feel that decreased auto-use limits consumer spending. Santa Cruz depends on tourism for a large part of its income, and politicians assume that tourists won't walk or take public transit. A city ordinance prohibiting a pedal-powered taxi service helps maintain the status quo. The city tries to bolster the economy with short-sighted auto facilities, even if this brings more congestion and pollution. Also, the majority of Santa Cruzans are not in other college towns. demanding bike infrastructure. It's a Catch-22: politicians won't improve bicycling facilities until there are more bicyclists but many people won't ride bikes until riding becomes safer and more convenient. The location of the Despite the obstacles, the local bike movement is growing. People Power's events and public outreach have RAIN Summer 1996 Volume XV, Number 1 Page 13
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz