As the new year approaches and 2016 is almost in our rear-view mirror, I thought I could use this month’s column to discuss what the city of Davis Bike and Pedestrian Program has accomplished in the past year.

First, a little background on where guidance for this program comes from. The city of Davis Bike and Pedestrian Program carries out programs and projects that emanate from City Council goals, the city’s Bicycle Action Plan, the Transportation Implementation Plan, council-approved budgeted activities, private development projects, and state and federal regulations.

These plans, policies and projects serve as the road map for the Bike and Pedestrian Program work plan. I also receive guidance from the public and the city’s Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety Commission.

With that background, let’s take a quick look at where we’ve been in 2016, a year in which we continued to emphasize educational and encouragement programs.

* Bike Education Program: We developed and implemented a new city bike education class, “Biking with Confidence.” It is open to anyone 11 years of age and older. The class teaches bicyclists how to ride their bikes in traffic, the rules of the road and pathway etiquettes.

The three-hour class emphasizes safety and is held monthly (rain or shine) for a cost of $19. Sign up for the class through the city of Davis Parks and Community Services Department. Private classes also are available; just contact me at [email protected] to inquire.

* Coordination with UC Davis: As university students are the city’s largest group of bicyclists, close coordination with UC Davis is essential. In September, the Bike and Pedestrian Program organized and led two bike tours around downtown and to the Davis Bike Collective with new UCD international students. The goal of the rides was to provide bike safety education and a bike maintenance resource as well as to teach the rules of the road.

We also hosted bike education training for UCD resident advisers and led a nighttime bike ride for incoming freshmen. It’s always beneficial to reach out to students as they are just entering our university and still might be somewhat unfamiliar with Davis. Safe nighttime riding is particularly important and the group ride participants received bike lights to encourage them to maintain visibility at night.

* Bike Light Program: The Bike and Pedestrian Program, in coordination with the Safe Routes to School Program and the Davis Police Department, distributed 5,000 bike lights throughout our community. People received the free lights at public events, bike valets, fairs and even during some, ahem, “traffic enforcement” episodes where they may have met with one of our friendly police officers.

Yes, we increased the nighttime visibility for 5,000 people in 2016!

* Davis Bike Party: Did you know that in 2016 the Bike and Pedestrian Program organized and hosted 13 fun bike rides? Imagine bikes and their riders adorned in lights, pedaling to music at a leisurely pace through the most beautiful parts of our city. That’s a Davis Bike Party!

Shhhhh … the real purpose of these rides is to emphasize safe riding (especially at night), demonstrate that anyone can ride a bike, and to highlight the pathways and bikeways as well as show places in Davis that are easily accessible by bike.

The next Bike Party Davis will be on Friday, Feb. 24, and leaves Ken’s-Bike-Ski-Board, 650 G St., at 8 p.m. If you are reading this, you’re invited. It’s free, it’s fun, and you’ll meet others just like you … people who want to explore Davis on bike in a social setting.

* Meet Your Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator: Did I meet you in 2016? I was at 23 various events in the city. Did you spin the bike/pedestrian education prize wheel and win a prize? At the events I provided information about bike education, installed bike lights and bells, and answered your questions about biking, walking and transit.

* Collaboration: During 2016, the Bike and Pedestrian Program relied heavily on coordination with our valued partners like the Davis Bike Collective, Bike Davis, Davis Bike Club, UC Davis, Davis Dirt and the Davis Joint Unified School District to support our many programs and projects. We also want to thank the many Davis businesses that have supported us over the past year.

Without our partnerships and support from businesses — including the monthly articles published by The Davis Enterprise — we could not have enjoyed the successes we had in 2016.

* The Davis Pathfinder bike and pedestrian navigation project: Have you been on a pathway or bikeway in Davis and wondered “Where am I?” or “How far is it to this place or that place?” The Davis Pathfinder Project will help people navigate our pathways and bikeways, provide relevant information to people on our pathways and bikeways, establish a “sense of place” and encourage safe practices on our pathways and bikeways.

To find more about this project, visit www.davispathfinder.com or attend the next public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Veterans Memorial Center, 203 E. 14th St.

* Development: As development projects come into the city for review, the bike and pedestrian coordinator (me) as well as team of internal city staff review each application to ensure that the new developments comply with city’s bicycle parking standards and create an environment that we can ensure is both bike- and pedestrian-friendly. In 2016, I reviewed seven projects and expect to do more in 2017.

* Integrating Biking with Public Transportation: We are always looking at ways to increase intermodal transportation. Did you notice the 24 brand-new electronic bike lockers (BikeLink eLockers) at the Davis Amtrak station? These lockers may be rented by the hour.

The first step is to get your bike locker activation card at bikelink.org. These high-tech lockers are distributed throughout the Amtrak stations in the Bay Area and along the Capital Corridor. More will be popping up in Sacramento and Roseville in 2017.

* Bike-Sharing: The city of Davis is a regional partner in the Sacramento bike-share system. Davis is working with the Sacramento Council of Governments and the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento to launch bike share in 2017. To find out more, visit www.sacog.org/bike-share.

Well, that just about wraps up 2016, and on Jan. 12, I will be sharing these updates and our plans for 2017 with the Davis Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety Commission. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers at City Hall, 23 Russell Blvd. All are welcome.

Have a safe and happy holiday season and see you around in 2017.

— Jennifer Donofrio is the city of Davis’ bicycle and pedestrian coordinator; her column is published monthly. Reach her at [email protected]