Bicycle Friendly Community

Santa Barbara, CA | Silver Level

Community Highlights: The city recently conducted a $200 per day giveaway to all downtown employees who bicycled to work or used another form of alternative transportation during a six-month period. Space permitting, Santa Barbara installs safe bicycle parking facilities in front of any local business that request it. Santa Barbara has significantly increased its commitment to using the bicycle as a routine component for work delivery by purchasing ten bicycles for city employees to use for work, recreation and personal purposes. As part of this project, secure and covered bicycle parking for these fleet bicycles was installed in prominent places. In addition, the city offers monthly Street Skills for Cyclists classes on city time and provides free helmets for employees who take part in the class. Santa Barbara has significantly increased the education component of its bicycle programs in cooperation with the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, including offering scholarships for Spanish language speakers to become League Cycling Instructors. The city provides materials in both English and Spanish for bicyclists on traffic laws, safety at night and employer assistance opportunities. Santa Barbara was also a partner in a Safe Routes to School planning project to increase the safety of bicycling and walking to school for children.