This year’s Train Party was a decided success, the delightful company and festive entertainment made for an evening that was truly a celebration of transportation 
and its advocates and was attended by more than 55 people.
Dr John Pucher from Rutger's University, aka "Car-Free John"
Santa Barbara Walks recently co-hosted (with the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition and the Coalition for Community Wellness) a Walk/Bike Forum with international expert Dr. John Pucher from Rutger’s University. “Car-free John” as he is known by friends and colleagues, gave an informative presentation on the health benefits of walking and cycling as transportation and how these activities are essential for our community’s sustainability. His presentation included a plentitude of examples how other countries have succeeded in encouraging and providing infrastructure and policies that support pedestrians and bicyclists.
Discussion of health, social and economic benefits to the crowd in the Faulkner Gallery
Dr. Pucher’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion with Grant House (Santa Barbara City Council Member), Janet Wolf (County Board of Supervisors) and Michael Chiacos (Community Environmental Council). The panelists provided opinions of what Santa Barbara has been doing to accommodate non-motorized transport as well as candid impressions of where we as a community have been lacking.
When Michael Chiacos asked John Pucher, “What should we do first, what are the low hanging fruit?” John said a sound education system teaching the youth how to walk and bike safely was the most important. He followed this by indicating that having the infrastructure to support pedestrians and bicyclists (well-connected sidewalks, bike paths and bike lanes, etc.) was second to educating the youth.
The Forum was quite a success and we received positive feedback from many of the roughly 50 people that attended. If you missed it, Santa Barbara City TV is showing the recording on their site. Visit www.citytv18.com/ to see the schedule. In addition you can download the PDF version of John’s PowerPoint presentation here.
Measure A passes with 78.8% of the vote!
Thank you to everyone for their hard work on this important measure.
Serenaded by violins and guitars and stirred by Master of Ceremonies Hannah- Beth Jackson, a jubilant crowd at the Santa Barbara Depot celebrated COAST’s 5th Annual Train Party. Representatives of all South Coast governments attended, including County Supervisor Salud Carbajal; Santa Barbara council members Roger Horton, Grant House, Helene Schneider and Das Williams; Goleta council members Michael Bennett and Ed Easton; and Carpinteria councilwoman Kathleen Reddington.
The 2009 recipient of the Barry Siegel Award, COAST’s most important recognition, was former County Supervisor Naomi Schwartz. Ms. Schwartz was Chair of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) in 1993 when Caltrans presented plans to widen Highway 101 south of Milpas Street with a standard design that would have transformed this cherished, scenic corridor into a barren, concrete channel. Ms. Schwartz convinced her reluctant colleagues at SBCAG to conduct an in-depth traffic analysis of the corridor and to establish an advisory “Highway 101 Task Force”.
From this process emerged a series of “Operational Improvements” (some completed, some currently under construction) to add a third freeway lane at the most congested locations and to enhance local circulation (including alternative modes of transportation) as a way to reduce trips on the mainline. At Naomi’s encouragement, a whole new set of design guidelines were established by the County and the City to guide the aesthetics of all future highway improvements,
During her three terms on the County Board of Supervisors, Naomi Schwartz was a knowledgeable and determined advocate for sustainable transportation. Barry Siegel was her top public advisor on this subject. Naomi changed the way projects were planned and funded by dramatically improving public participation in processes previously controlled by Public Works directors.
COAST also honored Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum and Council Member Roger Horton, whose terms will end this year, for their dedication to bring commuter rail from Oxnard to Goleta. Tracey Willfong Singh was also recognized for her outstanding leadership in Safe Routes to School activities.
The Barry Siegel Award, named after one of COAST’s founders, is presented annually to individuals for their outstanding contributions to alternative transportation. A video of the party will soon be available on Public Access TV and on the COAST website.
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