DPW's New Bike Port Makes Biking to Work Even Better

A better place to park for employees and visitors

DPW amps up its support of alternative transportation with new bike port

Christopher McDaniels, chief of DPW's street repair bureau and a bicyclist

Just in time for the rainy season, the Department of Public Works (DPW) boasts a new bike shelter and parking station at its street operations yard on Cesar Chavez. Christened a "bike port" by Deputy Director of Operations Mohammed Nuru, the elevated, wood-frame structure was completed in time for the department's health fair a few weeks ago.

Chris McDaniels, Superintendent of the Bureau of Street & Sewer Repair, pointed out some of the features of the station after a monthly meeting of his operations crew and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's Good Roads Campaign. He said the department was testing a gritty floor and ramp surface for durability and safety for cyclists using the port. Staff may also re-stripe the immediate area to draw more attention to the port. Kudos to DPW for selecting the inverted-U design for its seven new racks instead of the difficult-to-use spiral type installed at several facilities in the city. For this visitor, the new port offers a decidedly feel-good experience for biking to meetings.

Two related notes:

The performance of DPW's road crews -- some of whom bike to work or bike during off-hours -- is impressive, as noted in the recently released in DPW's 2009/2010 Annual Report (pdf document, see page 14). Staff responded to 15,000 roadway defects, resurfaced 133 street blocks, and patch paved 290,000 square feet of street surfaces.

An alert to city road users: the rainy season is a great time to report potholes, wide cracks, sinkholes and other surface defects. DPW's road crews shift to more street repair and less resurfacing during the winter. It's easy to report a problem to 311 by phone, online, and on Twitter. Be as specific as possible with location of the defect: street name, cross street, traffic direction, and, best of all, a nearby address. But most of all, report them for everyone's safety.

Women Who Bike: Dawn D'Onofrio

Sunday Streets: Bayview...sunny day for Dawn and Smoky

Energized at Bike to Work Day Station; Smoky's All Powered Up

Dawn ready for the NOPA VELO "Climb Every Mountain" ride with Smoky in basket

Women Who Bike is a collaborative effort by BIKE NOPA and Bikes And The City that features San Francisco women and their bicycles. Each Monday and Wednesday check both blogs for the experiences, stories, and ideas that women who bike the city want to share.

Sixth in a series: Dawn D'Onofrio

How do you characterize your bicycling style?

I would have to say "respectful." So many people complain about cars, cyclists, and pedestrians -- but I'm sure we are all a little guilty of some infraction. As cyclists we are in some middle ground and many take that as the right to have our own set of rules - or not have to abide by "others." But being a cyclist, I can't complain about cars running stop signs or red lights if I do the same. So I try not to. It's really scary when another cyclists zips through an intersection as I am turning or a pedestrian runs in front of me. I try to be cautious and aware, but mostly I just try to respect the right we all have to a piece of the road, and hope that by doing my part I make it a little easier for all to coexist.

How often do you bike and what for?

I sold my car before I moved here 2+ years ago, so biking is about it for everything. Although at times, I really do enjoy the walk and adverse weather forces me onto public transportation.

What could be done in San Francisco to encourage more women to bike?

I think it's being done. More bike shops are offering women's nights for simple maintenance, better fitting, lighter women's bikes, better looking fashion and accessories. We tote around a lot more stuff than guys, and we need a good way to take it with us other than a huge messenger bag.

Have any great dates or friendships started with bicycling?

I hadn't ridden a bike for over eight years after a van hit me while I was riding. One guy I met became a good friend, and he took me out to pick out a new bike. His philosophy was "just do it" (I think I have heard that somewhere before!). He was fairly new to the area, and he didn't know anyone else as into bikes as I was. We became super bike buddies and went riding almost every day after work. He showed me a lot on mechanics and maintenance. In about six months I was back to speed and we were doing century rides. I bought a mountain bike and fell in love with the sport. There was an awesome place near my house we hit on the weekends. Soon others started joining and the encouragement spread from one to another. One guy lost about 50 pounds and another quit some unhealthy habits. The funniest part was at first one guy was intimidated about joining the group because he didn't want a girl riding better than him! I could do all the hills and trails without a slip! It was a great couple of years with some really great and special friends. Since moving to SF, almost everyone I know I met through cycling and most of my social activities revolve around it.

I surprise people when I bike by ...

riding in 3-inch heels, and with my dog.

My message to women who want to start biking:

Why not?Look good, feel good. What's more appealing than that? And it's fun.

*****

Dawn lives in NOPA on Broderick at Fulton. She bikes with NOPA VELO and so does her dog Smokey.

Check out the previous posts in this series.

For even more stories, see Bikes And The City's Women Who Bike.

If you or someone you know would like to be part of this series, please contact me at Michael7820@gmail.com

Streetsfilms Captures Bike to Work Day

Relive some of the fun or get an extended look at what caused all the street buzz yesterday during the 2010 Bike to Work Day. Congratulations to all the first-time cyclists who chose to get to the job by bike yesterday. A salute to film producers John Hamilton and Bryan Goebel!

If you haven't dropped in on Streetsfilms before, be sure to check out this visual treasure trove. There's an incredible mix of stories from all over the country about new ways to use our public spaces. Additional print-and-pics coverage of the big day in San Francisco here and throughout the Bay Area here.

Bike to Work Day 2010: Scenes from One Busy Energizer Station

Several hundred cyclists stopped at SFBC Energizer Station at 12th & Market

Mayor Newsom signed petition (line 5) to ... um .. himself

Hundreds of cyclists celebrated Bike to Work Day 2010 this morning at one of the busiest SFBC Energizer Stations in the city. Within an hour after opening, the 12th and Market Street outpost distributed several hundred gift bags, served coffee, fruit and pastries to commuting bikers, and encouraged at least sixty pedalers to sign up as new or renewing members of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Each new member received one of this year's BTWD T-shirts.

Cyclists also signed petitions in support of a better Market Street, one that includes a fully separated bikeway from Octavia Street to the Embarcadero. Robin Levitt, Engergizer Station Captain, told BIKE NOPA he was thrilled to see all the cyclists and to get so much support for an even more bike-friendly Market Street. He also pointed out one notable petition signature, that of Mayor Gavin Newsom. The petitions will later be sent to the address Newsom listed for himself: City Hall The Mayor stopped by the Market Street station for a photo opp after swooping past earlier with his bicycle convoy. Supervisors Eric Mar, Bevan Dufty, and John Avalos, and Department of Public Works Director Ed Reiskin also stopped to greet the volunteers as part of their own bike convoys on the way to a City Hall press conference.

Volunteers greeted cyclists at 17 Energizer Stations this morning. At the end of the work day, from 5 - 7pm, cyclists will find similar stations full of gift bags, T shirts, and refreshments throughout the city. An after party with bike fashions rocks from 6 - 10 pm tonight at Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell Street to close out the biggest day of bicycling in San Francisco.

5pm Update: No wonder the bike bags, T shirts, coffee and pastries went so fast this morning on Market Street. Bicyclists represented 75% of all roadway traffic during the morning commute, according to the Municipal Transportation Agency. And everyone was buzzing about the huge difference the dedicated bike lane with soft-hit posts and new green painted lane made for cyclists' sense of safety. Read more here on SFGate's new transportation blog -- with content provided by SFBC and Streetsblog. You'll notice in the photo accompanying the story that "BIKE NOPA" joined the action this morning.

NOPA Bikes to Work...Especially on Bike to Work Day 2010 This Thursday

NOPA's Rick Boardman All Ready in BTWD 2010 Tee

Everyday bike energizer station: Central Coffee & Tea @ Central & Hayes

Ali (left), owner of bike-friendly Central Coffee, walks or bikes to work every day

Rick Boardman has volunteered for Bike to Work Day programs in London, Edinburgh, and down the San Francisco peninsula but never for San Francisco's own version of the Biggest Biking Day of the Year. All that changes this Thursday, May 13th, when Rick will help fuel hundreds of bicyclists at a special Energizer Station at 12th and Market Streets.

As bicyclists spin along the new smooth green bike lanes on Market, Rick and other volunteers will give a shout and offer free coffee, energy bars, fruit, and unique Bike to Work Day (BTWD) bags filled with essential bike stuff (you'll want to stop to get yours and find out what's inside). He'll also encourage bikers to join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to support the group's top-notch advocacy efforts to make city streets more livable for all. Rick will be wearing one of the perks for signing up on BTWD: the cool color graphic T.

"I want to do my bit, meet other cyclists, and enjoy the city waking up in the morning," Rick said of his volunteering. "This year it will be even more special with new green stripes on Market Street." For the past five years, Rick joined the SF2G (San Francisco to Google) ride for BTWD. "Usually 50-60 people rode together and we stopped at refresher stations in the different cities along the way to Google." Rick now freelances, offering his expertise in user experience research. His new daily schedule allows more stops at two of his favorite NOPA coffee spots: Central Coffee, Tea, and Spice just down the block at the corner of Central and Hayes and the Matching Half Cafe at Baker and McAllister. Rick also helps organize the monthly NOPA VELO bicycle rides.

NOPA cyclists will be helping in all the BTWD activities. Several will be forming a Bike Convoy, meeting at 7:45 a.m. at 2095 Hayes at Clayton (Sacred Grounds Coffee House) and riding as a group downtown. In addition to Rick Boardman, NOPA biker Dale Danley will be stationed at the 12th and Market Energizer Stop from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. For the Bike Away from Work, look for NOPA cyclists at Fell and Masonic in the Panhandle for more cool bike give-aways from 5 - 7 p.m. But don't forget the after-party at the Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell Street, from 6-10 p.m. Everyone will be there!

For all things BTWD check here at the SFBC site. Plan your morning or evening commute to get the bike out -- or borrow or rent one -- and join the fun Thursday. It will be one fine day to Bike to Work.

Where will you be on bicycling's Biggest Day of the Year?

The After Party for SFBC members

Who Needs Superpowers? Turn 'Em In On Your Own

4th in a series of panels

Superheros are so busy these days. And then there's all that attitude. Bicyclists all over the city are claiming the title of superhero for themselves these days as part of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's Turn 'Em In campaign to rid our streets of dangerous potholes. Instead of tolerating these holes and cracks, cyclists are getting them repaired by calling 311. It's quick and easy and gets the job done.

During the last two years the SFBC Good Roads volunteers have reported nearly 1500 potholes to the Department of Public Works. But fixes are always temporary with the sorry state of many city streets, and holes and cracks re-appear, especially after the winter rains mix with the effects of heavy traffic. Although SFBC monitors the surface quality of bikeways in the city, everyone benefits from their efforts. Pedestrians cover much of the same territory -- problems in crosswalks are reported too -- and motorists find cyclists much more willing to use bike lanes for smoother traffic flow when they don't have to dodge potholes and take the lane. The city saves money by having these volunteer "eyes on the streets," and fewer potholes mean fewer injuries.

The SFBC campaign now moves into its final "Turn 'Em In" phase as a lead-up to the citywide BIKE TO WORK DAY, May 13th, when the amazing growth in bicycling in San Francisco will be evident on city streets. Help make bicycling safer not just for the "fit and fearless." We're thinking more "8 to 80" (but younger and older is even better!)

Check all the news on Good Roads and view the three previous Turn Em In superhero panels here.