Mount Diablo State Park has implemented more safety improvements that are focused on cyclists and motorists sharing the park roads, than any other California State Park. Over two years ago Gregg Sorensen, John Gallagher and I formed Mount Diablo Cyclists (Facebook) and partnered with the staff of Mount Diablo State Park. Our mission is to improve safety for cyclists and motorists on Mount Diablo. Just over one year ago, we met with State Senator Steven Glazer and Assemblywoman Catharine Baker. We showed them over 100 Traffic Collision Reports, many of them documenting Bike vs. Vehicle Collisions. They recognized immediately, a clear and present danger to park visitors on Mount Diablo. Steven and Catharine didn’t step back, they stepped up, as true leaders do! Under their strong leadership, with objective media coverage by ABC-News and KRON television and two factual editorials by Dan Borenstein of the East Bay Times, and submission of 1500 signatures on a petition. The state was able to secure funding to implement a Road Striping and Signage Project on Mount Diablo. The new safety improvements were completed last month and include: DO NOT PASS BIKES ON BLIND CURVES signs, AVOID CRASH SLOW DOWN signs, Bike Sharrows every ½ mile in the ascending lanes, STOP signs, revised warning/speed signs and Solid Double Yellow Lines according to Caltrans standards. No amount of signage or road markings can eliminate poor driver or cyclist behavior, but the new increased signage and Solid Double Yellow lines per Caltrans standards have already significantly reduced the number of collisions in the park, from an average of 25-30 collisions per year to only 9 collisions this year. The Striping and Signage Project was an important step, but it is not the final solution to safe travel on Mount Diablo. We all have more to do. Several months ago, Mount Diablo State Park staff and Mount Diablo Cyclists formed a working group to design and install three Pilot Bike Turnouts on the mountain. Bike Turnouts are new and unique. They allow a cyclist pedaling uphill to move slightly to the right to allow a motorist to pass safely, without driving into the wrong lane, and possibly colliding with a descending cyclist. There are numerous locations on the mountain where Bike Turnouts could be installed at a relatively low cost. These Bike Turnouts have the potential to significantly reduce bike vs. vehicle collisions that occur on or near blind curves, while allowing motorists to continue driving safely drive up the mountain. In addition, we need to focus more of our partnership efforts on the education of cyclists and motorists before they enter the park. Between 120,000 and 150,00 cyclists ride their bikes up Mount Diablo each year.On a typical Saturday there are usually 500-800 cyclists sharing the mountain roads with hundreds of cars and trucks. On such a Saturday there are usually twice as many bicycles as cars. Cyclists need to descend at, or below the posted speed limit, and follow the rules of the road. Motorists need to be made aware of the narrow, windy roads, the 300-plus curves, many of which are blind curves, and the presence of hundreds of cyclists. First time or infrequent visitors to the park are often unsure as to how to drive these mountain roads and share them with the cyclists. As partners, the leaders of Mount Diablo State Park and Mount Diablo Cyclists need to collaborate on a plan to provide the necessary information to all motorists and cyclists who enter the Park. Thank you very much, and please join me in giving a special thanks to: State Senator Steven Glazer, Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, Town of Danville Mayor Karen Stepper, and Liz McQuirk Deputy Director California State Parks. Please JOIN Mount Diablo Cyclists Facebook, thanks....