Bicycle Campus Opens Sunday

Good news for bicycle enthusiasts, Santa Monica’s first bicycle campus is set to open Sunday.

The Bicycle Campus, the first of its kind in the city, is designed to provide a safe place where people of all ages can learn how to safely ride a bike. It is an off-street area located south of Ocean Park Boulevard at Santa Monica Beach. Lucy Dyke, Deputy Director of Special Projects for the City of Santa Monica, said the campus is the result of a collaborative effort.

“The idea came from bike activists and residents,” Dyke said. “Transportation engineers helped execute the plan. The School District is using it to train students for Bike-It Days when everyone is encouraged to ride or walk to work.”

Dyke said the campus will also include “skill stations” to help visitors learn how to best maneuver their bikes while on the road.

“I don't know of another facility in the country that combines a road skills and bike handling skills facility with educational video,” she said.

Ron Durgin, general manager of Santa Monica Bike Center, said there should be at least one such campus in every city.

“I think it’s great,” Durgin said. “It really represents a better way to handle bikes and the rules of the road. If you want to get better at riding a bike, you need a place to practice.”

The Bicycle Campus will officially open with a free celebration that is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, and Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom is also expected to attend. Bike training will take place from 1-3 p.m. and is sponsored by Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District PTA Council, Santa Monica Bike Center and the City of Santa Monica.

“People in Santa Monica want to get more people who use City streets to choose bikes instead of cars, and they want everyone on the streets to be respectful and follow the rules of the road,” Dyke said. “The Bicycle Campus moves that agenda forward.”