Keep up with Ciclovía Salinas!

Go to http://bit.ly/CicloviaSalinas for Ciclovía Salinas contact info; resources, including—in English y en español—the Ciclovía Salinas etiquette; a summary about Ciclovía Salinas (who, what, when, where); how it happens (volunteer opportunities); and history, including photo galleries and links to the inaugural year acknowledgements plus all other Ciclovía Salinas posts on the Bicycling Monterey website. See you at the next Ciclovía Salinas!

* * * * *

Update: City of Salinas officials caught the vision of this youth-led initiative and provided cooperation and support to help youth turn their dream into reality. See the names of officials and how they helped.

Thanks to City leaders and the many other individuals and organizations who made the inaugural Ciclovia Salinas so successful–not least of all, the attendees!

Ciclovia Salinas is grateful for its supporters. Please refer to Ciclovía Salinas Acknowledgements: Sponsors, Volunteers, Publicists, and More, and join us in saying thanks to these people for helping create Monterey County’s first Open Streets! There you’ll also find links to photo galleries from the inaugural date, October 6, 2013, along with how to stay in touch for 2014.

* * * * *

From East Salinas to Oldtown,  on  October 6th, there will be many hours  when you can dine, shop, or run errands in a special area of Salinas without concerns about parking or traffic!  Yes, whether shopping by bike, strolling to a favorite restaurant, or otherwise getting where you want to go, it will be much more fun if you’re headed to a destination on the Ciclovia Salinas route!

Ciclovia Salinas takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (There will be additional hours of street closure during set-up and clean-up, as outlined on the resources page.)

Click on the map above to enlarge it, and see some of the many activities that will be part of the neighborhood mix that day. And before you head out to Ciclovia Salinas, refer to Resources for Ciclovía Salinas: Etiquette, Poster, Route, Transportation Tips, and More!

Children, teens, and adults like those pictured below will not be restricted to safer travel in playgrounds and parks, but will have 1.6 miles of public streets where they can walk, skate, bike, or using other people-powered transportation–that’s Ciclovia Salinas! It’s why many people of all ages have been counting the days until Monterey County’s first Open Streets! Below you’ll find…

 10 Ways to Be Part of the Fun

What’s big news on Transportation Agency for Monterey County‘s home page? Ciclovía Salinas!

A report by City of Salinas Transportation Planner James Serrano, approved and submitted to the City Council by Public Works Director Gary E. Petersen and Deputy Director and City Engineer Robert Russell, carefully evaluated Ciclovia Salinas and its potential impacts on the City. The report stated that Ciclovía Salinas supports the City’s infrastructure planning activities, and available alternative transportation funds would be appropriate to allocate for this event. The report recommended the City authorize using those alternative transportation funds to reduce the event’s expenses by $5,000, including public works and police department time. Salinas City Council members unanimously voted yes. Learn more, and join us in expressing appreciation to the City Council–and to business organizations as well; click here.

 Thank you, City of Salinas leaders!

Looking for posters, in English and Spanish? See #5 below.

Etiquette/laws in English and Spanish? See #2 below.

Print mini-fliers to pass out to others. Download here:  Ciclovia Salinas Oct 6 2013 – 4-to-a-page mini fliers

10 Ways to Be Part of the Fun!

1. Invite neighbors, friends, and relatives to join you.  They’ll thank you for making sure they didn’t miss this historic Monterey County first! You may want to send them any of these links: (a) General information, including route and tips on getting there –  http://www.bit.ly/MoCoOpenStreets or http://www.bit.ly/SeeSalinasOct6 ; and (b) Resources, including posters, etiquette, route details and traffic control plan/detour map, and more http://www.bit.ly/Oct6Salinas  Here’s a quick overview:  Ciclovia Salinas is a free event, open to the public, for all ages and abilities. The Ciclovía Salinas  route  will be a 1.6 mile stretch of streets set aside as an active-transportation/people-powered playground–no motor vehicles. The route will be on Alisal Street, from Sanborn Road in  East Salinas/Alisal to Salinas Street in Oldtown Salinas. (Sanborn and Salinas Street will be open to vehicles. A very few intersections along the route will also be open to vehicles, but these will have uniformed police officers directing traffic. All other intersections along the route will be barricaded and staffed by adult volunteers who have received training from police officers, as required by law.) How to get there: Get to the Ciclovía Salinas  route however you like; if possible, to reduce motor vehicle traffic and parking impact on adjacent neighborhoods, get there by carpooling, taking the bus,  bike-and-riding or biking all the way. Sure, you can even be fuelish and drive a car all by yourself to get there! But once there, remember that the Ciclovía Salinas route is only for people-powered transportation, no motor vehicles. People will be traveling that 1.6 mile route by walking, biking, rolling a wheelchair, skateboarding, rollerblading,  jumping (pogo stick, anyone?), and the like. YoWZa!   (Plan to bike?  Scroll down for tips.) 
2. Get familiar with Ciclovía Salinas etiquette and laws by reading them ahead of time: Ciclovia Salinas Etiquette – Share with everyone! (v6) – and en español: Ciclovía Salinas – Reglas de comportamiento y la Ley (v2). You’ll be prepared to help establish a safe, fun experience from the start. As Salinas neighborhoods see that Ciclovía Salinas takes place with much courtesy and safety-mindedness, they’ll be enthusiastic about welcoming future Ciclovía Salinas dates! Remember too, that Ciclovia Salinas is a free event–and that can leave a little money in your pocket to stop in at a neighborhood taqueria or other local business on the route. Support these neighborhood businesses, and others throughout Salinas!
   
3. Spread the word via social media. On Twitter:  @cicloviasalinas – or on Facebook: ciclovia.salinas and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ciclov%C3%ADa-Salinas/205488466275785 You are also encouraged to make the image below your avatar through October 6th, to help bring attention to Ciclovia Salinas.
4. Spread the word by writing letters to the editor, encouraging others to attend and otherwise support Ciclovía Salinas.
5. Spread the word by distributing posters, in English and Spanish. Click here! The poster includes a drawing of the route.
6. Volunteer. Contact cicloviasalinas@gmail.com – 831/717-1384,  c/o Building Healthy Communities. Alternate contact is Natalie Oliver, 831-262-1110. Volunteer needs range from dance instructors to event set-up and tear-down help. High schoolers needing community service hours will be hard-pressed to find a volunteer gig more fun than this!
   
7. Volunteer to help with barricades specifically. Salinas Police Department is a supporter of Ciclovía Salinas, including by providing the barricades volunteer training required by law. It’s true: No motor vehicles will be allowed on the route. That means lots of responsible adults (18+) are needed to work at barricades, to ensure that Ciclovía Salinas will be safe and successful–so it can happen again and again and again! So what are you waiting for? Volunteer as a barricade helper; click here for details.
8. Ask your favorite musical, dance or other performing artists to call Building Healthy Communities, 831-717-1384 about performing at Ciclovía Salinas. (Or if you’re a performer yourself–musician or a bubble magician, hip-hop dancer or a spoken word artist, or have any type of performer with a family-friendly routine you can share at Ciclovía, don’t be shy. If you’re a professional or a part of a community-based performance group, call BHC and offer your talent!) Or offer another sort of  activity or presentation that people may choose to participate in along the route, from face painting to a mini Sunday worship service to bicycle adjustments (e.g., pump tires, untangle chains, adjust brakes). What else might fit in? There will be informational booths, a bike decorating contest, art galleries, and a raffle too!
9. $ – Donate: Make a small or large donation to Ciclovía Salinas via Go Fund Me (click here). Or even Sponsor: Make a donation of $250 to $5,000 or more and become a sponsor. Download PDF for details: Ciclovia Sponsorship Packet 9.11 Phone Building Healthy Communities, 831-717-1384, or email ciclovíasalinas@gmail.com
10. Most importantly, remember to mark your calendars for Ciclovía Salinas now, so you won’t miss celebrating with visitors and residents on the streets of  the Salinas, the  Monterey County seat.

On Facebook or Twitter? You are encouraged to use the images above or below as your banner picture or profile/avatar through October 6th!

Savvy teens, like Miguél Angel Frias (at right, below)–first Salinas Youth Poet Laureate!–know what’s up in Salinas. Youth are among those eager for October 6th, when Monterey County’s first Open Streets rolls out. 

And BTW, skateboarding is not a crime at Ciclovía Salinas! (Naturally, the usual courtesy and mindfulness of the safety of others will still be in order for skateboarders and all participants. See #2 above about Ciclovía Salinas etiquette.)

Biking?  Maps, laws, safety tips

1. Salinas does not have a bike path like Monterey County’s coastal trail, but it does have 95 miles of connected bikeways (bike lanes and routes)! Here’s the City of Salinas Bicycle Facilities Map, a downloadable pdf,  in English and Español.  (Monterey County and other bike maps are here.)
2. Get familiar with Be Cool, Be Safe – Bike Law Summary & Advocating for Biking or Leyes de ciclismo de CA – Laws for bicyclists in CA (Spanish, English) – Summary
3. Help kids and others be ready for a safe and fun experience: See CA Bicycle Laws and Personal Bike Safety–Tips for Kids and Adults.
4. Stretch out your Ciclovía Salinas experience by biking elsewhere in Salinas too. Click here for bike Salinas tips.

Have you read the etiquette above? If so, you’re already aware that Ciclovia Salinas is an alcohol-free event. Why? It’s on public streets! Here’s a recent “Question of the Day” from Salinas PD.