School is out, and summertime is in full swing, and that means more bicyclists and pedestrians are on the road taking advantage of the mild and sunny outside weather. In light of this, the city of Santa Maria and People for Leisure and Youth have released a bike and pedestrian trail map along with some tips to make bicycling safer.
The trail map lists 28 city trails and their locations, where bicyclists and pedestrians can recreate safely while enjoying scenery. The designated trails are also away from drivers.
Dennis Smitherman, operations supervisor for the City of Santa Maria, said the city wanted to remind both drivers and bicyclists of the importance of sharing the roadways, especially during summer when more people are outside.
“We really wanted to encourage drivers to be cautious and courteous to cyclists who share the road, but also to remind cyclists to follow the rules of the road to ensure their safety as well,” Smitherman said.
Diana Cordero handles the marketing efforts for the Tailwinds Bicycle Club of Santa Maria, a group that was founded 30 years ago. She said the group’s 73 members support legislation and other efforts to raise awareness for bicycle safety, especially locally. She said the bike trails map is a great resource.
“We’re very much for whatever allows people to ride their bike in safety,” Cordero said.
The map also fits in with the club’s own efforts: “We would like to make people more aware of the health benefits bike riding provides, but also we’d like to make drivers more aware of bicyclists, because there are some drivers who just don’t like bicyclists. … But I think we’re making progress,” she said.
Cordero explained that the city’s effort to highlight bike safety coincides perfectly with the Tailwinds annual fundraiser, the Windmill Century, which takes place July 21 at Pioneer Park. The 25-, 50- and 100-mile ride draws local cyclists, as well as participants from as far away as Nevada and Texas. With the money from the Windmill Century, the club is able to teach bike safety and give away bikes and helmets to essay winners in the third to sixth grades at each of three to four schools annually.
For more information on the Windmill Century, visit tailwindsofsantamariabc.org.
To learn more about bike safety or to download a bike trail map, visit cityofsantamaria.com or check out the PLAY INC. Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/PLAY-Inc/147531665278764.
This article appears in Jul 19-26, 2012.