Happy Thoughts

I started this blog as a place to kvetch about what's not right in my new home, Sonoma County. But being the positive, upbeat person I naturally am, I need to take a break from all the whining and share some positive items.

• In my last post, I dreamed up what I thought would be the single most valuable addition to Santa Rosa's infrastructure to make the city a friendlier place to cyclists and walkers. I proposed the incredibly original idea of a bike/pedestrian bridge connecting Santa Rosa Junior College with Codding Town Mall on the opposite side of Highway 101. As a naive newcomer to Sonoma County, little did I dream this very idea has been in the works for some time, complete with a 200-page feasibility study, cost over-runs, and apparently plenty of political controversy. I learned about this in casual conversation with co-workers the very day after I posted my pipe dream. Let's do it, Santa Rosa!
• One indicator Santa Rosa is headed in the right direction in providing bike infrastructure: Many of the older commercial areas I visit are totally lacking in bike racks. But the newer big shops at Codding Town, namely Target and Whole Foods, each have big ol' rows of racks right outside, conveniently close to their main entrances. Kudos to Codding Town!
• The City of Santa Rosa does provide an outlet for any of us who want to rant in public about non-motorized transportation before a captive audience. It's the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and their next meeting is this Thursday, January 15 at 4 pm in the City Hall Annex, 90 Santa Rosa Avenue, Conference Room 7A and 7B. Be there!