This is the time of year for reflecting on important accomplishments. It's been a big year for SABA:

  Freeport Blvd. near C.K. McClatchy High School

-  We convinced the City of Sacramento to hire a consultant to help complete the first major update of its bicycle master plan in 20 years -- a project still unfinished after nearly three years. Meeting Sacramento’s goals for mobility, equity, air quality and economic vitality requires a bold plan for bicycle transportation that reflects modern best practices as well as substantial community input. Robust, modern plans are guiding the boom in bicycling in cities like Boston, Minneapolis, Austin, Seattle, Oakland and San Francisco -- a boom that has yet to happen in our region.

  Chuck helped park 1,100 bikes at the 2015 TBD Fest

-  We helped more people than ever choose bicycling for everyday travel. Through our Bike Valet program we parked some 15,000 bikes at more than 140 community events, making bicycling feasible for more people and making it relevant to the businesses and organizations behind those events.

-  We continued to expand and diversify our board of directors demographically, regionally and professionally, so that we can operate with the entire community in mind. We also adopted a strategic plan to focus our efforts over the next several years.

With our region’s big potential come big needs and opportunities. During the coming year we’ll be focusing a lot of our effort in these areas:

Improving conditions for travel by bike in underserved neighborhoods in South Sacramento. We’re working with two South Sacramento schools to set up “bike kitchens” where students can learn to maintain their own bike – this is a part of the region that has no bike shops. We’re also working with residents on a Vision Zero campaign to end collisions that kill bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers. What we’re learning in South Sacramento will guide us in other parts of the region.

Stockton Blvd. at Fruitridge Rd.

  Bike share kiosk in San Francisco

Helping shape the regional bike share program due to launch in 2017. This program will let residents, commuters and visitors check out bikes for short trips in downtown Sacramento, West Sacramento and Davis and will lead to street improvements that benefit everyone traveling by bike in those neighborhoods. It could even reduce regional commute traffic when a trip by public transit + bike share becomes a reasonable alternative to driving. Our perspective and experience will be essential to ensuring that this program delivers on its potential.

   Protected bike lane in Austin, TX

Making sure that proposed projects and policies actually improve conditions for bicycle travel. Public agencies around the region have ambitious plans that include bike improvements. But they’ll succeed only if their plans are actually implemented. We’ll continue to build the community and political support needed for implementing the Sac Grid 2.0 study, the updated Sacramento Bicycle Master Plan, and the Caltrans Cap City Corridor congestion relief project, among other initiatives.

You can help strengthen our capacity to continue creating change by making a tax-deductible, year-end donation to SABA. Consider what bicycling means to you and those you care about, and how you can help make bicycling safer and more convenient for many more people. Your donation to SABA is an investment in the region's quality of life. Click here to learn more about how to donate.