Today's Almanac: Facebook unveils regional bike plan

[Adina Levin]

As you can see from today's Almanac, Facebook has publicly announced that it is planning "a significant investment" in building out the network of bike routes to Facebook.  Their goal is to increase the share of cycling from 6% in Palo Alto to 10-12% in Menlo Park.

http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=10546

It would be very valuable to have Facebook's promises pay for these improvements be turned into a *written commitment* as public benefit the development agreement.  

Facebook is sincere in their desire to invest in the Bay Trail and bike lanes - we want to thank them, and make sure that the promises are fulfilled.

Please come to tonight's Menlo Park City Council Study Session at 6pm at City Council Chambers to help make these promises come true.

On Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 6:23 PM, Adina Levin <aldei...@gmail.com> wrote:

Correction - tomorrow's Menlo Park City Council Study session is Tuesday, January 31 at *6pm* at Council Chambers.

On Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Colin Heyne <co...@bikesiliconvalley.org> wrote:

Good afternoon South Bay, Palo Alto, and Peninsula cycling advocates! I am forwarding an exciting announcement from SVBC members Adina Levin and Andrew Boone for your reading pleasure. Please join us at the Menlo Park City Council meeting tomorrow night to express our gratitude toward Facebook for stepping in with their own money and helping improve bike infrastructure in their new neighborhood. We also want to urge the Council to not let this great opportunity pass them by!

Happy advocating!

- Colin

We did it!  As a result of noticeable demand from the cycling community and environmental advocates (that’s us!), Facebook has agreed to make major new investments in bike routes to Facebook, including safe, continuous bike lanes on Willow Rd, University Ave, and Bay Rd.

Facebook has also announced plans to invest in the Bay Trail. On January 12, Facebook announced a plan to challenge other Silicon Valley employers to raise funds to complete the missing section of Bay Trail.

Now we need to hold them to it!  

Tomorrow, January 31, at 7pm Menlo Park City Council will be holding a study session on the Facebook Development Agreement.   We need to:

* thank Facebook for deciding to invest in bike lanes and the Bay Trail.  Thank them for their major commitment to alternative transportation

* ask Menlo Park City Council to include the bike lanes and Bay Trail investments in the Development Agreement

Your voices have brought us to this point.  Victory is near.  Come to the City Council meeting tomorrow night to make sure it happens.

- Adina and Andrew

--
Colin Heyne
Deputy Director
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
http://bikesiliconvalley.org
408-287-7259 x. 224
m: 408-464-5195

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