05_bike-programs.indd

bicycle programs

Image Source: City of San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

A safe and well-connected bicycle network alone will

likely not increase bicycling. This chapter identiﬁ es current

bicycle programs and activities in San Antonio as well as

recommends new initiatives that support this plan’s goals and

objectives. Following each of the recommendations is a list of

benchmarks to help San Antonio monitor its progress.

Bicycle facilities don’t automatically make people better

cyclists, nor make motorists suddenly understand how

to safely drive around bicyclists. Education is a crucial

component of increasing bicycling while maintaining a safe

environment for everyone. It is essential to equip all road

users with the knowledge and skills to share the road. To

do this, all users should understand their rules, rights, and

responsibilities.

Education, encouragement and promotion of bicycling are

important elements of getting San Antonians on bicycles.

Education and encouragement strategies often go hand-

in-hand, as their purposes and methods often overlap. To

be effective, promotional programs should not only be for

the general public, but also target speciﬁ c populations and

audiences of San Antonio residents, such as recreational

cyclists, youth, employees in certain targeted areas, and new

bicyclists.

Consistent enforcement of the rules for bicyclists and

motorists as they pertain to bicyclists is a critical component

of creating a safe and bicycle-friendly environment. This

element focuses on efforts to enforce the existing laws in a

consistent fashion, and ensure that law enforcement ofﬁ cers

are properly trained to enforce bicycle laws. This component

overlaps with efforts to educate bicyclists and motorists of

those laws.

The City of San Antonio already knows what it takes to

provide education, encouragement, and enforcement

programs, and over the past decade has fostered strong

relationships among departments, agencies, and advocacy

groups. Because of this, an opportunity exists to strengthen

efforts already in place by building upon these parnerships

to further bicycle programs. Various City of San Antonio

departments, including the Ofﬁ ce of Environmental

Policy, Metro Health, Parks and Recreation, Public Works,

Convention and Visitors Bureau, Human Resources, and the

Police Department have engaged in promoting bicycling to

further the city’s sustainability and health goals.

The MPO has been engaged with education and promotion

efforts at the regional level through their Walkable

Community Program. VIA has been a major proponent

of bicycling as a form of alternative transportation that

supports transit. The Alamo Area COG hosts a regional

commuter challenge in the fall to promote alternative

transportation.

School-age children in San Antonio are an important

population to teach and encourage bicycling. Though half

of U.S. school-age children live within two miles of their

schools, three-quarters of the households questioned in the

2009 National Household Travel Survey take their children

to school in a private vehicle - a huge increase from the 15%

that were driven in 1969. According to data released in

November 2010 by the U.S. Department of Transportation,

the dramatic increase in the use of private vehicles to

transport children between 5 and 15 partially results from

children living farther from school than they used to. The

Safe Routes to School program is strong national program

established to encourage and equip children to bicycle and

walk to school (K through 12). In the San Antonio region,

TXDOT provides support for Safe Routes to School programs

at area school districts, and many school districts and the

City of San Antonio have been awarded funding through

SRTS or other health related grants to develop SRTS plans or

implement their plan recommendations.

Additionally, local bicycle advocacy groups have formed

through major employers, bicycle retailers, and among the

regional citizenry that have played a key role in educating

and promoting bicycling among their members. All of these

parties are aleady at the table, engaged in the conversation

about increasing bicycling. Continuing in and strengthening

these relationships will be instrumental in providing the

necessary programs that support bicycling.

BICYCLE PROGRAMS GOAL & OBJECTIVES

Provide educational, encouragement, and enforcement

programs that support bicycling in San Antonio.

Objectives:

I. EDUCATE all road users of all ages and abilities of

their rules, rights, and responsibilities.

II. ENCOURAGE bicycling as a form of transportation

and exercise.

III. Consistently ENFORCE laws of the road.

BICYCLE

PROGRAMS

education

promotion

safety

enforcement

“Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There’s something wrong with a

society that drives a car to workout in a gym.”

~Bill Nye the Science Guy

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

I. EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Formal bicycle training is not a part of San Antonio’s

educational system (nor is it in much of America). The MPO

and City of San Antonio must provide opportunities to

improve the road safety education of its citizens.

Before establishing recommendations for future actions

to meet the goal and objective, it is important to identify

bicycle education opportunities that are already accessible

to the public. There are programs and activities that are

administered at the state, regional and local level that

support this goal, even if the purpose of the program and

activity does not directly relate to bicycling.

San Antonio’s Existing Bicycle Education Programs

and Activities

The City of San Antonio

The City of San Antonio offers a number of bicycle

education programs, as well as health programs where

bicycle education content can be easily incorporated.

The San Antonio Police Department has a Bike Rodeo

Program similar to that of the MPO where Safety

Ofﬁ cers host Bike Rodeos at schools. Each ofﬁ cer covers

12 to 14 schools totaling 425 schools at 250 events

annually. Student particiaption varies from 50-600

students per Bike Rodeo. The annual citywide Bike Rodeo

has approximately 800 participants.

In 2010, the City launched “Get Cyched,” a bi-

lingual safety and awareness campaign for bicyclists

and motorists. The campaign includes billboard

advertisements, radio spots, and print media targeting

various bicycle constituencies such as recreational cyclists,

urban bicycle commuters, and family-oriented bicyclists.

The City television station broadcasts a video called

Neighborhood Adventures in Bicycle Safety about

bicycling rules of the road. This video is broadcast ﬁ ve

times a week.

In 2010, the City passed two ordinances that directly

affect bicyclists. The Safe Passing Ordinance requires

automobiles to leave a 3’ passing buffer when passing

“vulnerable road users” such as a bicyclist or pedestrian.

Also, the Bike Lights @ Night Ordinance requires all

bikes to have a front white light and rear red light or

reﬂ ector when operating a bicycle between dusk and

dawn. The “Get Cyched” campaign reinforces these

ordinances.

The Mayor’s Fitness Council has helped spearhead efforts

that increase bicycling and walking as part of its mission

to improve the health and ﬁ tness of San Antonians. One

example is extending the hours of certain community

centers so that people can use them to exercise.

Considering the signiﬁ cant health beneﬁ ts of bicycling,

there is an opportunity to coordinate other outreach and

education efforts with those of the Mayor’s Fitness Council

and Metro Health Department.

The Metro Health Department has played a key role in

efforts to improving the health of San Antonians, and,

therefore, bicycling. Metro Health oversees the Steps

to a Healthier San Antonio, a program that encourages

good nutrition, increased physical activity, and smoking

prevention to help reduce diabetes, obesity, and asthma.

This program and Metro Health has been

the source of funding or materials for

education and promotion of bicycling and

other active living programs in San Antonio.

The web portal www.sabalance.org has

been created as a one-stop location to

learn about access to healthy food and

physical activity opportunities in San

Antonio. The web portal also provides

users the ability to have a ﬁ tness

assessment, make personal pledges, and

learn about current ﬁ tness research and

nutrition information.

In 2010, the Metro Health Department

was awarded a Communities Putting

Prevention to Work grant to develop

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plans for

seven schools (1 middle and 6 elementary

schools) in the City of San Antonio. As part

of this process, they will be identifying

infrastructure improvement needs,

opportunities for education, encouragement,

and enforcement programs, and methods to evaluate

the programs’ effectiveness.

San Antonio-Bexar County MPO

At the regional level, the San Antonio-Bexar County

MPO uses the Walkable Community Program as a

forum of education and promotion. The Walkable

Community Program has three components: Walkable

Community Workshops, Safety Classes, and Bicycle

Rodeos. The program is available to neighborhoods,

schools, and community groups to evaluate their

community, identify infrastructure improvements to

increase bicycling and walking, and to provide education

about the beneﬁ ts of walking and bicycling.

Walkable Community Workshops - On average,

3 to 4 Walkable Community Workshops are held a

year, with an average of 20 people per meeting.

The Workshops identify bicycle or sidewalk facilities

that are needed in the neighborhood to improve

Bicyclists in front of a mission

Image Source: City of SanAntonio

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

bicycling and walking. Other agencies often partner

with the MPO for these workshops, including the

City of San Antonio, the BMAC or PMAC committees,

Bexar County, TXDOT, and VIA.

Safety Classes – The MPO hosts approximately 25

safety classes per year at schools, churches, and

other community organizations across the region.

When available, helmets are given away at these

classes. Again, the MPO coordinates with other

agencies to provide this service. The City of San

Antonio provides a drivers’ education class for city

employees which includes a component on bicycle

safety, and Safety Classes are held in conjunction

with VIA’s “Bike Roadeo” program.

Bicycle Rodeo – The Bicycle Rodeo program

targets elementary and middle school students to

provide bicycle safety information and guidance.

Approximately 15 to 20 Bicycle Rodeos are

conducted a year.

The MPO publishes and distributes a regional bicycle

map to bicyclists through the Internet and printed copies

at events, city ofﬁ ces, and other locations. In addition to

informing people of the network, the map also includes

basic bicycle education regarding trafﬁ c laws and safe

bicycle operation. Another MPO publication for bicycle

education is a Bicycle Safety Brochure that highlights

awareness and safety for bicyclists.

To increase bicycle outreach to younger populations, the

MPO launched MPO Kids in 2010. This program utilizes

games and puzzles to teach youth about bicycle safety.

The program is currently web-based, but print material

will be available in 2011.

Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)

While there is no Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

program at the City or MPO, the Texas Department of

Transportation district ofﬁ ce has a representative to

help schools assemble grant proposals. However, the

assistance is contingent on the schools preparing a SRTS

Plan. Despite the limited resources, two elementary

schools in the region were awarded $495,000 in federal

SRTS funding in 2010 to implement parts of their SRTS

Plans. Additionally, seven middle schools in Harlandale

ISD, San Antonio ISD, and Southside ISD City received a

grant from the Center for Communities Putting Prevention

to Work (CPPW) to develop preliminary SRTS plans.

Private Bicycle Advocacy

Advocacy groups play a large role in providing

education about safe bicycling. In San Antonio, several

bicycle shops and organziations provide basic safety

and bicycle maintenance classes to their customers and

members. BikeWorld offers a bike maintenance and

basic safety class to those who purchase a bicycle. South

Texas Off-Road Mountain Bikes (S.T.O.R.M.), a local

organization of bicyclists, does a talk twice a year at the

Central Library about bicycle safety, and also has basic

safety and maintenance classes for their members.

Support for bicyclists is being seen elsewhere. Several

locations in Downtown San Antonio, including the Blue

Star Arts Complex and Pearl Brewery will have B-Cycle

Bike Share stations. These establishments recognize the

economic beneﬁ ts of targeting and providing support

services to bicyclists.

Major employers are also a source of bicycle advocacy.

USAA, who employs around 14,000 people, is a League

Bicycle Friendly Business (Bronze). A signiﬁ cant number

of USAA employees are members of NuRide.

In addition, 3 League of American Bicyclists (League)

Certiﬁ ed Instructors in the San Antonio region are

certiﬁ ed to teach courses that instruct bicyclists how to

ride safely on the road, as well as motorist education

courses. Expanding on the League education program

is another opportunity for offering bicycling education

in the San Antonio region. Several bicycle advocacy

groups and shops teach bicycle maintenance classes that

include a few “road-use tips.” While these courses are

not League Certiﬁ ed, they do present the opportunity for

partnerships and expansion.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING BICYCLE

DUCATION IN SAN ANTONIO

It is clear that San Antonio has a strong foundation for

providing bicycle safety education to the public. The

following section describes complementary actions that the

City can take to further improve bicycle safety education.

Recommendation 1: Continue to distribute and

update information on proper use of bicycle

facilities.

The City should continue to provide residents with

information about the purpose of new bicycle facility

treatments (e.g., bicycle lanes, shared lane markings,

etc.) and safe behaviors for using these facilities as they

are being designed and installed. One way to extend

the reach of the road safety messages is to develop

web pages hosted on the City’s website that include

information about each facility type. It is beneﬁ cial to

provide as many graphics and visuals as possible. In

some cases, the best way to describe a safe maneuver is

with a short video.

Police should receive training on the rights and

responsibilities of bicyclists and motorists and then

temporarily increase local police patrols for a period

of time to help roadway users adjust to new on-road

facilities when they are installed. These police patrols

should not be used to punish or serve citations. Rather, it

is an opportunity to educate users on safe and unsafe

behaviors, particularly how unsafe or illegal behaviors

could jeopardize the safety of others. The City can

develop educational pamphlets that patrol ofﬁ cers could

distribute when talking to residents. Ofﬁ cers should

not target any one mode, as unsafe behavior by both

motorists and bicyclists’ needs to be corrected.

Recommendation 2: Expand the Safe Routes to

School efforts to a region-wide program.

Most children start to ride bicycles at a very young age.

For adolescents yet unable to drive, either due to age or

cost, bicycles can offer independence and self-reliance.

Therefore it is important to teach students safe bicycle

skills as early as they can comprehend the messages, and

reinforce that message as they approach driving age.

One way that cities across the nation have addressed the

NURIDE: REWARDS FOR BICYCLING

NuRide is a national rewards program

for people who use a mode of

transportation other than driving

alone, such as walking, bicycling,

telecommuting, carpooling, vanpooling,

taking mass transit, or even working a

compressed week. It’s free to join, and

users track their trips and earn rewards.

The City of San Antonio, Alamo Area

Council of Governments, USAA, HEB,

and BikeWorld are among the partners

who have worked with NuRide to

promote “greener travel.”

Since 2008, 3,890 San Antonians have

become members of NuRide! According

to statisics on NuRide’s website, San

Antonian NuRiders have saved 594,731

gallons of gas and not driven over 11

million miles.

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

information gap is to provide a citywide Safe Routes to

School (SRTS) program. The federal government created

the nationwide Safe Routes to School Program in 2005

as a part of the transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU. The

purpose of the program is to encourage children to walk

and bike to school where they are not currently doing

so, and to make it safer where students are walking

and biking. A key component of the national program

is educating students on safe walking and bicycling

behavior. The City should work with the School Districts,

MPO, and TXDOT and use a coordinated SRTS program

to look comprehensively at bicycle education being

provided by the various agencies, then collaboratively

establish bicycle education for all students. To reach

young students, a full time SRTS Coordinator could

work with school districts, to incorporate bicycle safety

education into the regular curriculum. Additionally,

the SRTS Coordinator could help in matching certiﬁ ed

instructors with the school districts as well as investigate

funding opportunities to compensate the instructors.

Recommendation 3: Expand bicycle education

opportunities

Several groups in San Antonio independently provide

bicycle safety skills courses. However, these opportunities

are not always well publicized, and there are few

certiﬁ ed instrutors. The City should partner with

advocacy groups and League of American Bicyclists

certiﬁ ed instructors to provide a central information

source and marketing for all bicycle education events.

In addition to marketing bicycle safety education

opportunities, the City should continue to support efforts

to increase the number League of American Bicyclists

Certiﬁ ed Instructors in the San Antonio region.

For adults and adolescents, the City could provide a

way for people to sign-up for classes held by various

groups around the region and possibly offer discounted

rates for San Antonio residents. It would be beneﬁ cial

for the City to target college students and integrate

bicycle safety courses into the orientation programs held

at the beginning of each school year. Likewise, it would

be beneﬁ cial to offer incentives for employers to have

employees become certiﬁ ed instructors and regularly

offer classes to their employees. The more conﬁ dent

people are in their bicycling abilities and safety

knowledge, the more likely they are to substitute some of

their short car trips with ones on bikes.

There are also opportunities to partner with other City

departments and agencies in the region to build off of

existing education programs and develop new ones that

target speciﬁ c populations. For example, the City could

work with VIA to provide media and publications on

integrating bicycle and bus transit options; coordinate

with area colleges and universities to provide

educational material that target college students. These

are just a few of a multitude of opportunities to develop

partnerships to expand bicycle education to the entire

region.

The City’s Bicycle Program staff poses with

representatives from B-Cycle. In the Spring

of 2011 the City launched a public bike share

program in the downtown area with 14 locations.

Image Source: City of San Antonio, Ofﬁ ce of

Environmental Policy

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

II. ENCOURAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Encouragement and promotion of bicycling is an important

element of getting San Antonians on bicycles. Promotion is

another form of education that highlights the many beneﬁ ts

of bicycling. As with education, the City of San Antonio

and other area agencies have a number of encouragement

programming activities already established, providing a

strong foundation from which to build.

San Antonio’s Existing Bicycle Encouragement

Programs and Activities

In recent years, San Antonio has increased its efforts to

promote bicycling as a viable form of transportation and

recreation through several high proﬁ le events.

• The longest running promotional event is the annual Walk

and Roll activities held each May in support of National

Bike Month. The event is conducted in partnership with the

City of San Antonio and other transportation partners of

the San Antonio-Bexar County MPO. This event has been

drawing approximately 700 participants each year.

Several bicycle rides start and/or convene at the Walk

and Roll event held at different locations in the downtown

area.

• San Antonio is home to Bike MS, formerly known as MS-

150, a charity-based bicycle ride of 150 miles over

a 2-day period. The event beneﬁ ts the National MS

Society with approximately 3,500 cyclists and 1,500

volunteers participating. The City and MPO support the

event by participating in the kick-off rally and Expo the

day before the ride. Also, the City provides the facility

for the Expo at a reduced rate, and the SAPD Bike

Patrol recruits off-duty bicycle patrol ofﬁ cers to provide

support during the ride.

San Antonio has also been expanding its efforts to promote

bicycling to visitors. In 2010, the City of San Antonio Ofﬁ ce

of Environmental Policy, San Antonio Convention and Visitors’

Bureau, and City Parks and Recreation Department produced

the “Downtown Bike Rides” pocket map, which identiﬁ ed

suggested routes between popular tourist destinations in the

downtown area.

San Antonio began installing B-Cycle Bike Share stations

at 14 destinations in Downtown San Antonio in 2011, and

plans to expand the system in future years. The B-Cycle

Bike Share program will promote bicycling for residents

and visitors to use for quick daytime trips in the downtown

area. The B-Cycle stations are at key tourist destinations.

San Antonio Bike Share, a non-proﬁ t 501(c)3, maintains

and operates the system. A central “hub” in HemisFair Park

offers customer support, tours, and rental bikes for longer

rides.

The City of San Antonio has actively promoted bicycle use to

its employees.

• The City offers a bike share program for City employees

to use for City business in the downtown area.

Approximately seven repurposed SAPD bicycles are

available to downtown City employees to encourage

them to bicycle for meetings, errands, and lunch.

• The City is one of many sponsors of NuRide, a green

commute incentive program that rewards participants for

choosing trips that are taken on foot, bike, transit or in a

carpool.

• The City has a Wellness Program that provides incentives

to City employees for wellness. The City is working to

incorporate use of the B-Cycle Bike Share and employee

bike share program to the Wellness Program and its

beneﬁ ts.

• In 2010, the City of San Antonio had it’s ﬁ rst annual

“Manager’s Ride” for CoSA employees. Approximately

200 employees attended, including the Mayor and City

Manager, as well as other department heads.

The Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) also

promotes bicycle use among the youth and commuters in

the region. AACOG has a Bicycle Buddy Program to foster

and encourage bicycling to school among the region’s youth.

Additionally, AACOG hosts a commuter challenge (called the

Walk & Roll Challenge) in October to challenge employees

to commute using a mode other than driving alone.

Finally, the City Metro Health Department is in the planning

phases of a Cyclovia event in San Antonio. Cyclovias are

events that close selected roadways in key locations to

all motorized trafﬁ c to create temporary plaza space.

Three have been grant funded, and the City is seeking a

corporate sponsor to take over the event. The ﬁ rst Cyclovia

is scheduled for May 2011.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING BICYCLE

NCOURAGEMENT IN SAN ANTONIO

Recommendation 1: Garner bicycle commuting

support from the Mayor.

The Mayor’s Fitness Council has helped spearhead

efforts that increase bicycling and walking as part

of its mission to improve the health and ﬁ tness of San

Antonians. One example of this is extending the hours

of certain community centers so that people can use

them to exercise. Considering there are signiﬁ cant

health beneﬁ ts for bicycling, there is an opportunity

to coordinate other outreach and education efforts

with those of the Mayor’s Fitness Council and Metro

Health Department. The City should encourage bicycle

commuting by providing information about economic

beneﬁ ts, health beneﬁ ts, and potential commuting routes

to employers and employees.

CASE STUDY: Commute Programs

that Encourage Cycling

A non-motorized commute program

is an excellent way to encourage

cycling amongst city employees. As

an example, Arlington, VA employees

who walk or bike to work at least

50% of the days in any given month

receive a $35 per month stipend.

The stipend is paid out in a lump sum

twice a year. Arlington County also

offers a “Guaranteed Ride Home”

program and actively promotes

Bicycle-to-Work Day.

Advertisement from the “Get Cyched” media campaign to

encourage bicycling, done in 2010.

Image Source: City of San Antonio, Ofﬁ ce of Environmental Policy

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

Recommendation 2: Incentivize bicycle commuting

to City employees.

The City already has several initiatives in place to

encourage bicycle use. However, public agencies can be

model employers by considering the following additional

actions:

• One encouragement program that tends to be very

popular and well attended across the country is

Bike-to-Work Day. This encourages employees to

participate in the event by bicycling to work on that

particular day as a demonstration for how it can be

done regularly. Many communities choose to build on

Bike-to-Work Day and use it as the centerpiece of a

larger community event focused on the local bicycling

community. This could easily fold into the Walk and

Roll fest that already has as strong tradition in San

Antonio each May.

• Offering monetary incentives for employees who

bicycle to work

• Providing showers and lockers for employees.

Another element of this strategy is to require that

all new and existing public buildings owned and

operated by the City will be required to provide

servicesv for bicycle commuters such as showers, and

long and short-term parking. All projects (public and

private) exceeding certain thresholds (size, density,

use, etc) will be required to provide bicycle services.

• Working with local bicycling groups to provide

“bicycle mentors” to demonstrate to employees who

have always driven to work how it may be possible

to bicycle to work

• Establishing “Guaranteed Ride Home” programs for

people who do not bring a car to work but need a

car in case of emergencies or inclement weather.

Recommendation 3: Incentivize bicycle commuting

for the region’s employers.

Leading by example as noted above is a great way

to show the City’s commitment to improving bicycling

conditions. The City can also encourage other employers

to do the same. Low cost strategies can include

educating employers on federal tax beneﬁ ts of energy

efﬁ cient efforts by hosting workshops on a regular basis.

The City can take their promotion a step further by

promoting employer achievements on an annual basis

with an award program. Honoring local employers for

their efforts to incentivize bicycle commuting promotes

the awareness of bicycling and also showcases the efforts

of leading examples. Employers get the beneﬁ t of the

positive press, and the city beneﬁ ts from the increase in

bicycling.

Finally, the City can work with VIA to create an incentive

program for combined bicycle/transit trips.

Recommendation 4: Analyze student

transportation options when building new

schools.

A generation ago, it was common practice to locate

schools in neighborhoods where students could easily

walk or bike to school. Local community colleges and

universities were built near towns and urban centers,

making them accessible to students of all ages and

backgrounds. Current trends for school design now

include large campuses with expansive ﬁ elds and

activity centers on the urban fringes. To achieve the

Concepts for VIA bus wraps to promote SA Balance.

Image Source: City of San Antonio, Metro Health Department

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

100

current demand, schools are purchasing land on the

outside of town where the tracts are large enough, and

still competitively priced. While these new campuses

are economically attractive, they are often separated

from neighborhoods by highways, stream valleys, and

generally long distances without adequate non-motorized

facilities. Students are facing barriers to walking and

bicycling that their parents never did. It is no surprise

that students are signiﬁ cantly less likely to walk or bike

to school than was the norm for the previous generation.

However, this trend does not have to continue as there

are strategies that can ﬁ nd a way to provide enriching

scholastic experiences in places that are walkable like

neighborhood cores.

The City should require school districts to evaluate the

potential for walking and bicycling to school as an

element of the site selection process. Some schools have

opted to build schools near public athletic and community

centers to supplement the needs of extra-curricular

programs. Such grouping of facilities that are used

through all times of the day also allows sharing the often

large and expensive parking lots these facilities would

each require if placed farther apart. The City can also

help to prioritize bicycle network improvements near

existing and new school sites. These factors should also

be considered in the siting of new college and university

campuses.

Recommendation 5: Implement a citywide social

marketing program

Continue to utilize a regionwide social marketing

campaign, such as Get Cyched, that will encourage

people to bike and bring awareness to bicyclists. The

campaign has two primary elements with two different

audiences. The ﬁ rst element is aimed at the general

public and will focus on publicizing safety tips as well

as advertising messages that promote bicycling as a

convenient mode of travel. Successful campaigns do not

victimize or blame any mode type. Motorists are told

to drive the speed limit, and be mindful of bicyclists.

Bicyclists are reminded to behave predictably and obey

the rules of the road. Highlighting the responsibilities of

both parties shows that a safe environment is the result of

cooperation from all users.

Burlington, Vermont developed a campaign that coupled

low-cost engineering solutions with non-infrastructure

education, enforcement and encouragement strategies

aimed at the downtown and surrounding areas. The

campaign was so popular, that the stakeholder

workshops and media campaigns have become an

annual tradition for the City.

Another element of a social marketing program is aimed

at the decision makers and law enforcement ofﬁ cers at

the state and local levels. These decision makers need to

be aware of the existing policies, programs, guidelines,

regulations and resources (including funding) that are

currently in place. This focus on providing training

opportunities for the decision makers also creates

mechanisms for monitoring progress. Progress can be

demonstrated by the successful implementation of polices

and regulations as well as the successful expenditure of

available funds.

Another way to show support for bicycling in a visual

way is to increase the capacity of bicycle parking in high

density, mixed-use areas. Some cities are even designing

their bike racks as pieces of art to show that bicycling is

a welcomed travel mode. In 2008 New York City hosted

a design contest for the next bicycle racks, emphasizing

both form and function. Washington, D.C. branded their

own bicycle racks by including their logo as part of the

design. It is important to remember that the bicycle racks

should still be recognized intuitively as bicycle racks.

Additionally the design should not impair the innate

function of the rack as a parking device.

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101

III. SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT

PROGRAMS

Enforcement can be a tricky aspect of a program. To

be effective, the enforcement program should focus on

awareness and education, rather than punishment. If people

start to vilify the enforcer, the program may actually result

in an increase of the undesired activity. It should be noted

that enforcement alone does not usually achieve long-term

effects. Enforcement needs to be partnered with strong

education and encouragement efforts as well as physical

improvements where necessary.

A major issue with enforcement policies is that one party will

be labeled the enemy and the other the victim, without any

regard for either party’s behavior. It is important to treat all

parties fairly and consistently. There must be consequences

for all infractions. Consequences should include warnings

with short explanations and then a gradual increase in

penalization.

Also, the entire jurisdiction must support the enforcement

program. Ofﬁ cers should not enforce differing rule sets

in different parts of San Antonio as this can result in

a “zone” mentality where people will not exercise the

same consideration City-wide. Following the institution of

increased penalties, progressive ticketing is recommended, as

it increases contact between motorists, bicyclists and police.

Another important aspect of a successful enforcement

program is to recognize the nature of the problem. If the

majority of users practice unsafe behavior, there may be a

problem with the physical design, and it would be ineffective

to station an ofﬁ cer at the site and issue citations. When the

vast majority of users are breaking the law, an analysis of

the physical environment may reveal that changes should be

made to the infrastructure.

Cities throughout the country often require offenders (both

drivers and bicyclists) to take a course on speciﬁ c laws that

relate to pedestrian and vehicular safety. It is beneﬁ cial

for students to learn from people directly involved with

enforcement process. Instructors of the course can include

emergency trauma and medical staff, police ofﬁ cers,

transportation advocates and even judges. In some

communities, a citation is removed after an offender takes

this course. It would be advantageous to create a publicly

accessible city- or regionwide policy that explains when

offenders have the option or are required to enroll in the

course. This should be made available in Spanish as well as

English.

The City should work with the Police Department to develop

an enforcement program to reduce bicycle and motor vehicle

crashes. This should take a balanced approach to improving

behaviors of both bicyclists and motorists. Motorist behaviors

that should be targeted include:

• Turning left and right in front of bicyclists

• Passing too close to bicyclists

• Speeding

• Parking in bicycle lanes (where signage prohibits

parking)

• Opening doors of parked vehicles in front of

bicyclists

• Rolling through stop signs or disobeying trafﬁ c

signals

• Harassment or assault of bicyclists

Bicyclist behaviors that should be targeted include:

• Ignoring trafﬁ c control (particularly trafﬁ c signals)

• Riding the wrong way or against trafﬁ c on a street

• Riding on sidewalks illegally

• Riding with no lights at night

Bicyclist safety is a shared responsibility between all

roadway users. Enforcement priorities should be established

through a collaborative process. Additional enforcement

programs are described below.

As discussed earlier, the City of San Antonio passed two

ordinances to improve bicycle safety in 2010: a safe passing

ordinance and a bike light ordinance. The City has also

engaged in programs to reinforce these laws, including

creating a safe passing bookmark to remind citizens of the

law and the Bike Light Program, through which the City is

providing and installing bicycle lights.

PROGRESSIVE TICKETING

1. Educating

Establish community awareness

of the problem. The public needs

to understand the rights and

responsibilities of both motorists

and bicyclists. Raising awareness

about the problem will change some

behaviors and create public support

for the enforcement efforts to follow.

2. Warning

Announce what action will be taken

and why. Give the public time to

change behaviors before ticketing

starts. Fliers, signs, newspaper

stories and ofﬁ cial warnings from

ofﬁ cers can all serve as reminders.

3. Ticketing

Finally, after the warning time

expires, hold a press conference

announcing when and where the

police operations will occur. If

offenders continue their unsafe

behaviors, ofﬁ cers issue tickets.

Source: Pedestrian and Bicycle

Information Center, www.walkinginfo.org

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5 • bicycle programs

102

San Antonio’s Existing Bicycle Enforcement Programs

and Activities

All SAPD ofﬁ cers are fully-certiﬁ ed Texas Peace Ofﬁ cers

who have received the state licensing academy of basic

police ofﬁ cer training as well as the City’s own academy

of additional hours of training including local ordinances,

policies, and procedures. In addition, ofﬁ cers hired since

2008 have completed a required 40-hour police mountain

bicycle training course as provided by the International

Police Mountain Bike Association as part of their initial

training. Among the police force of 110 patrol ofﬁ cers and

14 patrol Sergeants, 62% of ofﬁ cers and 64% of Sergeants

are bike-certiﬁ ed. The San Antonio Police Department has

23 members of the Bike/ATV Unit, all of whom

are bike-certiﬁ ed. At one time, 14 FTE bicycle

patrol ofﬁ cers are on duty.

The City also has a Creekways Patrol to patrol the

new Greenway Trails along Salado Creek, Leon

Creek, and Medina River. The City budgeted for

3.15 Park Police Ofﬁ cer for every 5.5 miles of

developed trail.

SAPD Safety Patrol Ofﬁ cers schedule Bike Rodeos

with schools across the City of San Antonio. Each

Safety Patrol Ofﬁ cer has 12 to 14 schools on their

rotation, however, not every school schedules a

Bike Rodeo.

A combined education and enforcement effort

is the City’s “Bike Bright San Antonio” campaign,

a bicycle light program launched in 2010 to

equip bicyclists with lights and reinforce the

City’s bike light ordinance. In 2010, the Ofﬁ ce

of Environmental Policy purchased 5,000 light

sets with funds from the Communities Putting

Prevention to Work grant from the Centers ofr

Disease Control. As of March 2011, nearly 1,200 light sets

have been installed on bicycles or distributed at a variety of

community events.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING BICYCLE SAFETY

AND ENFORCEMENT IN SAN ANTONIO

Recommendation 1: Implement regular training for

all Ofﬁ cers on road safety for all roadyway users.

Bicycle transportation safety laws are a part of every

patrol ofﬁ cer’s training. However, if on-road bicycle

use is not yet part of the mainstream, it is not surprising

that some ofﬁ cers are not as familiar with laws that

pertain to bicycles as compared to vehicles, which they

no doubt interact with regularly. Unfortunately, what

likely happens in these cases is that unsafe behavior by

bicyclists and motorists goes uncorrected. It is the City’s

responsibility to emphasize the need for bicycle safety

law enforcement. To do this, the City should provide

regular training on trafﬁ c safety laws as they pertain to

bicyclists and motorists. As bicycling in the City increases,

it will be important for all patrol ofﬁ cers to be prepared

for potential conﬂ icts and incorrect behavior. The

National Highway Trafﬁ c Safety Administration (NHTSA)

has several resources that can be inserted into regular

trainings to keep the message fresh and engaging for

ofﬁ cers.

The Police Department should offer educational training

to ofﬁ cers about bicyclist rights and responsibilities

as well as aggressive motor vehicle behavior toward

bicyclists. For example, the Maryland Ofﬁ ce of Highway

Safety organizes safety training events for ofﬁ cers to

raise awareness about rights, rules, and appropriate

responses to incidents involving conﬂ icts between motor

vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. The Federal Highway

Administration offers a DVD that is an excellent training

tool.

Recommendation 2: Enhance and increase the San

Antonio Police Department Bicycle Patrol ﬂ eet, and

encourage other municipalities to establish Bicycle

Patrol ﬂ eets.

The best way for ofﬁ cers to understand bicycle safety

laws is to make bicycling part of their regular routines.

As patrol ofﬁ cers on bikes, they will be more familiar

with the bicycle environment and the demands of

legally bicycling in mixed trafﬁ c. They will come to

appreciate why it is important for motorists to behave

safely when sharing the road with bicyclists. Conversely,

bicycle patrols will likely have better rapport with other

Current Bicycle Crash Statistics

• Average of 2.3 fatalities from

bicycle crashes per year over last 6

years

• Average of 148 crashes with injuries

per year over past 3 years (total of

443)

• 90% of the regional bicycle crashes

occurred in San Antonio

• 62% of the regional crashes

occurred inside Loop 410

• Of the crashes reported, 520

involved bicyclists

• 12.7% wore helmets, 12.7%

unknown helmet usage, 75% no

helmet

Source: SA-BC MPO Safety Program

Drill Hole Size Guide

3/16”

1/4”

5/16”

1/8” - .125”

BACK

For assistance or questions, call toll free

877-405-3949.

Caution:

Keep all text inside the green caution zone line.

Trim:

Final cut line. Text or background should not end at the blue

trim line.

Bleed:

Extend all background color and images to the red bleed line.

Drill Hole:

Location is pre-determined as specified on your order. Final

position will appear on PDF proof.

The Safe Passing Ordinance stipulates that all vehicles must give at

least 3 feet of clearance when passing vulnerable road users

ft ft

A bookmark reminds people of the safe passing law that San Antonio and other cities have passed.

Image Source: City of San Antonio, Ofﬁ ce of Environmental Policy

SAN ANTONIO BIKE PLAN 2011 + IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

5 • bicycle programs

103

bicyclists. Receiving a warning or citation from a fellow

bicyclist, can carry more weight than an ofﬁ cer who

patrols with a police car.

As a matter of safety, bicycle patrol units can make

trails and off-road facilities part of their assigned patrol

routes. Most trails can support vehicular trafﬁ c from

emergency vehicles, but they should only be accessed by

vehicle in the event of emergency, rather than for routine

patrols. Increasing the level of security for trails can help

to reduce crime and sends the message that the trail is

a safe option for both transportation and recreation.

Police offers monitoring the trails can be equipped with

maps, brochures and other informational materials to

give out to trail users. To encourage safe riding, police

ofﬁ cers can partner with bicycle advocates to give away

helmets and lights.

Recommendation 3: Establish a volunteer bicycle

ﬂ eet to accompany group rides.

Enforcement efforts do not need to necessarily come

from police ofﬁ cers. Safe bicycle behavior can be

established with good examples. The City can organize

group rides to help people learn safe bicycling skills

and responsibilities. These can be especially helpful for

those venturing out on the road for the ﬁ rst time. Having

several bicyclists riding together also reminds motorists of

the presence of bicyclists and how to courteously share

the road. Group rides can also help people conﬁ dently

ride in the evening and night hours. Each group ride

should begin with a review of safe bicycling laws and

tips. Reminding people of what equipment is required

can reinforce regulations. Gently reminding riders of

safe behavior along the ride helps people to test the

waters in a safe and welcoming environment.

Group rides and volunteer patrols can help monitor

off-road trails in a similar way to bike patrols.

Increasing the bicycle trafﬁ c on trails helps deter

crime. Monitors should also be trained on how to be

effective if they approach an emergency situation.

Recommendation 4: Pass a helmet use law for

young bicyclists.

Currently, there is no statewide law in Texas for

helmet use for any age bicyclist. Twenty-one states

and the District of Columbia have helmet laws for

young bicyclists. According to the San Antonio-Bexar

County MPO Safety Study done in 2010, helmet use has

been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85%.

Many local jurisdictions throughout the country and in

Texas have adopted helmet ordinances for bicyclists. In

Texas, those cities include:

• Arlington, for children under 18 years old

• Austin, for children under 18 years old

• Bedford, for children under 16

• Benbrook, for children under 17

• Coppell, for children under 15

• Dallas, for all ages (ruled unconstitutional in 2009,

and city appealing)

• Fort Worth, for children under 18

• Houston, for children under 18

• Southlake, for children under 15

The city has bought, distributed, and

installed bike light sets to reinforce safety

and that bicyclists need proper equipment.

Image Source: City of San Antonio,

Ofﬁ ce of Environmental Policy